Are you stuck in the dark when it comes to spending time outside? Introducing the right types of outdoor lighting to your outdoor living space can make a difference in your overall use and enjoyment of those areas.
There’s so much more to landscape lighting than just installing a few spotlights around your Northern Virginia property. There are various lighting techniques and formats that can truly transform your space.
In this article, we will explore the types of outdoor lighting available and answer all of the common search questions so that you can find the answers you’re looking for and make the best decision for your home.
We’ll cover:
After reading this article, we hope you will better understand the process of choosing outdoor lighting for your home.
Of all the different types of outdoor lighting out there, landscape path lights are one of the most common. That’s largely because the functionality of a walkway is very limited if people can’t see where they’re going. As a result, this is often one of the first spaces outside where homeowners incorporate lights.
Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to stick a spotlight in the ground, point it at a path, and call it a day. That’s certainly not an attractive way to light a pathway and will not boost the aesthetic appeal of your landscape.
There are many different ways to incorporate pathway lighting. Landscape path lights built into the walkway (sometimes called “marker lights”) or lights installed in an adjacent retaining wall are appealing ways to light a path.
You can also use downlighting to light a pathway.
This method involves mounting lights in trees and shining them down on the path. This is a more subtle solution. It is also sometimes referred to as “moonlighting” since it mimics the effect of moonlight shining down.
It’s important to consider aesthetics and functionality when lighting a pathway. One of the biggest mistakes that people make is turning their pathway into an airport runway! We mean that there are too many lights in a row, and it looks very overdone. With lighting, less tends to be more!
Other types of outdoor lighting that can make your property more beautiful and more usable include patio lighting, outdoor kitchen lighting, and front yard lighting.
Essentially, any outdoor space that you have and use, should have the right type of lighting to ensure that it’s fully functional.
Of course, incorporating lighting has other benefits beyond functionality. We’ve already talked a little bit about aesthetics. A well-lit home boasts a lot more curb appeal than one that is in the dark.
There are also safety and security benefits to consider. People often want to know: What is the best landscape lighting for security? We’ll cover this question next.
Ultimately, any landscape lighting plan aims to ensure that your outdoor spaces are lit in a way that enhances them. When lighting is installed poorly, or no thought is given to the artful design of the lights, it can actually take away from the enjoyment and functionality.
Landscape lighting also plays a vital role in making your home more safe and secure.
In particular, lighting at the front of your home serves very important security purposes as it makes your home look occupied (even if you aren’t there). These lights can even be designed to come on automatically.
Plenty of research shows that lights are a huge deterrent to criminal activity. Thieves, trespassers, and vandals do not want to get caught and will simply move to a house that is not so well-lit.
As far as safety, there’s no denying that a well-lit property is safer to navigate. The last thing you want to worry about is someone falling while walking around your home.
Using landscape path lights is particularly important when it comes to increasing the safety of your property. The right landscape lighting can therefore help you reduce liability and risk.
In addition, when talking about types of landscape lighting for safety, we can’t ignore driveways and steps.
Steps tend to be a prime location for falls, particularly when they are not well-lit and people don’t see them coming. But when steps are well lit (with marker lights, landscape uplights, or even downlights), they become much less of a risk.
We also recommend ensuring that your driveway is properly lit for safety. It’s important that people can see where they are going when pulling into (or out of) your driveway. If you have a retaining wall or another element on your driveway that could get hit by a car (or run into by a person), you want to make sure people can adequately see these as well.
Finally, we also want to mention that landscape lighting and security cameras work together. Many homeowners today have outdoor cameras mounted around their property for security purposes. But if it is too dark to pick up any footage, these cameras can be rendered useless.
On the flipside, if the space is too bright or the lights are pointed directly at the camera, you could actually wash out your footage. It’s important that any security cameras you have around your property are taken into account with the optimal landscape lighting plan.
Another big concern people often have about landscape lighting is how it will impact their neighbors. This concern is born out of outdated lighting solutions, such as sticking a too-bright spotlight in the yard.
If this spotlight is pointed toward the neighbor’s home, it can be irritating and blinding.
Fortunately, today’s low-voltage landscape lighting has come tremendously far, and a landscape lighting professional can help ensure that the lights are not too bright or pointed in a direction that is problematic to others.
When it comes to getting the best lighting for your Northern Virginia home, we recommend taking your time to explore your options.
That includes looking through the websites of the companies you’re considering. Go to the “About Us” page of any company you’re considering to learn more.
Working with a landscaping professional who has an eye for design and extensive outdoor experience can help ensure the quality of your landscape lighting.
There is an art to landscape lighting, making it easy to tell the difference between a project completed professionally by a skilled company and one that was not. With a professional service, you can expect the use of high-quality lighting fixtures—not something you can find in the local box store—that are installed properly and with an eye for design.
The end result will be a beautifully lit property that enhances your time outside and makes the views on your property stunning.
At Kingstowne Lawn & Landscape, we can help you with a design that’s going to suit your property best. Although a lot of homeowners think that professional lighting is going to be incredibly costly, in comparison to an outdoor living project, it’s really just a small cost upgrade. When you think about the fact that it will allow you to use that space more fully, it’s a minimal investment for all of the benefits that you reap.
If you want the best for your outdoor space, then landscape lighting is a truly invaluable investment.
If you’d like some guidance on adding landscape lighting, request a consultation, get your customized plan, and get ready for the royal treatment.