Design Landscape Lighting
Having proper outdoor lighting is more important than you think. Visitors will appreciate being invited to your home for an evening dinner party with welcoming and well lit landscape lighting. If you don’t know where to start with revamping your outdoor lighting, we’re here to help. This outdoor lighting 101 is going to lay everything out for you, from planning to explaining the different types of lights, you’ll be an expert in no time!
Different Outdoor Lighting Fixtures
Like any other lighting for the home, there are different types of fixtures that serve different purposes. Some are meant for illuminating walkways, others act as accent lighting. Here are the key landscape fixtures you’ll want to consider:
Entry Lights
Entry lanterns and sconces are fixtures that are mounted next to doors, like your front door. These 120-v fixtures are bright. You don’t want to be blinding yourself or guests while approaching the front door, so these fixtures may be shielded or have a shade of frosted glass to cut down on the glare.
Recessed Lights
120-v fixtures are great for illuminating large areas. Install into the eaves over the garage door or decks, and since they’re recessed, they’ll stay hidden from view. If you need to light a smaller area, like stairs or a deck area, then low-voltage recessed lights, like a Horizontal Deck Light, will do the job.
Floodlights
Floodlights, either 120-v or low-voltage, will light an expansive space, like driveways, or for lighting a focal point, like trees or stonework.
Path Lights
These low-voltage lights help to illuminate a walking path by casting downward pools of light onto the ground.
Spot Lights
These fixtures are similar to flood lights, but are used for illuminating a specific focal point with a narrow beam of light.
In-Ground Lights
In-ground lights are used to illuminate specific landscape. These fixtures have a gasketed lens and are buried in the ground.
Hanging Lights
120-v are decorative and ornate options for outdoor lighting for the entry or porch. Low-voltage versions can be used as decorative accent light, hung in trees, over an arch.
Planning Your Landscape Lighting
Successful landscape lighting involves a layered lighting plan. When considering the outdoor lighting needed to properly light your home and surrounding landscape, think about the areas that need to be well lit.
Larger areas, think driveways and decks, will need stronger lights, 120-v, to fully illuminate the area safely and fully. Since these lights need to be wired directly to the circuit box and the cables, placed with a protective conduit, and buried 18-inches, they should be installed by a professional and qualified electrician. When purchasing these lights, you need to check that they’re meant for outdoor use and are UL-listed.
