Landscape Lighting Design TIPS
Tip #1: Determining Size & Placement
Different fixtures are used in different ways to highlight and enhance the exterior of your home. Here are six of the most common fixtures and instruction on how to install them below:
Outdoor Lighting Size & Height Installation Guide
FIXTURE PLACEMENT DETERMINE SIZE MOUNTING HEIGHT
Pendant & Hanging Porch Lights
1/5th the height of the door
Centered; 6″ Above the Door
Front Porch Lights & Wall Sconces
1/4th or 1/3rd the height of the door
66″ from floor to center of fixture
Over Front Door Wall Lights
1/4th or 1/3rd the width of the door frame
Garage Wall & Carriage Lights
1/4th or 1/3rd the height of the garage door
Over Garage Door Lights
1/4th or 1/3rd the width of the garage door frame
Residential Lamp Post & Fence Lights
1/4th the height of the mounting pole or the fence post
5.5′ to 6.5′ from ground to bottom of fixture
How to Hang Pendant Lighting for Front Porch:
Our guide on how to size and place outdoor pendant lights will help you estimate dimensions based on your front entryway. To determine installation height, the bottom of the fixture should be six inches above the top of your front door. Our rule of thumb for determining fixture size is to divide the height of your front door by five. This will keep the fixture in proportion with the front entryway without overpowering the space. Pendants are most commonly hung using chain, wire, cable, or stem connections. Typically chain connections are fully customizable. The length of wire, cable, and stem hanging methods should be considered while deciding on the perfect outdoor pendant.
How to Place Wall Sconces for Front Doors & Garages:
Utilize the helpful tips for deciding on the correct wall lighting placement around a front or side doorway. In order to determine the best size wall fixture multiply the height of the door in inches by one-fourth (0.25) for a standard look or if you prefer an oversized design style multiply your door measurement by one-third (0.33). The installation height of your new outdoor wall sconce should be 66 inches from the center of the fixture straight down to the floor. This same installation height can be shared on each side of your front doorway. Many companies are creating researching protective coatings for outdoor sconces like Maxim Lighting and their new VIVEX material that withstands harsh environments.
