Often homeowners undermine the role that lighting plays. Good lighting on the house can significantly increase the value aesthetically as well as financially. Good tips for outdoor lighting on house recommend the use of the right combinations of lighting in order to make your house look pleasant. Nowadays, outdoor lighting comes in a variety of options including solar and low voltage outdoor lighting. These options have made outdoor lighting affordable for the majority of homeowners and you can beautifully light your house without burning a hole in your pocket. But, an average homeowner may soon run out of ideas while lighting his/her house. Well, there is nothing to worry about now as this article will help you in the process. These, tips for outdoor lighting on house can prove to be valuable for you. So, we recommend that you bookmark this page before moving forward.

Purpose of Outdoor Lighting on House

The first step as a homeowner you should take is to clarify your need for outdoor lighting in your house. For that, try to answer the question: What is that light’s function on a particular object or in a particular area?. The answer generally can be classified into the following two types based on the function:

For Safety and Security: Someone can trip in the dark corners of the house at night. To prevent that, such areas can be identified and illuminated. Generally, such areas include places like the walkways or entrance of your house. Some tips for outdoor lighting on the house also suggest that lighting can be a deterrent for trespassers and thieves. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the corners of the house and especially the fence are well-lit. Typically dusk till dawn lighting is used for such purposes.
For Decorative Purposes: Not all types of outdoor lighting are based on a specific need, sometimes it can also be used for decoration. This can not only make your house look pretty but also add to the curb value. Decorative lighting also adds to the overall vibe of the house. This means you can enjoy late-night barbecues or hang out with your friends in an aesthetically pleasing environment. Generally, for decorative purposes, areas like outdoor patios, hanging porch lights are targeted.

Types of Outdoor Lighting Based on Function

Lighting used for functional purposes can be further classified into the following 3 categories:

Accent lighting: This type of lighting is used to highlight an object or area. To implement this generally, spotlights or floodlights are used.
Overall lighting: This type of lighting is used to light a complete area. For example, overall lighting can be implemented for an entire room or hall.
Task lighting: As the name suggests, this type of lighting is used for a particular purpose. For instance, task lighting can be used to light a path.

Tips for Outdoor Lighting on House

To identify regions you want to illuminate at night, walk around with a torch in the dark and note them.
Measure the tallness of your entryway. Your divider mount apparatuses ought to be 1/3 the size of your entryway.
When hanging the installation you will need to situate the light around eye level, or somewhat above. A decent guideline is 5.5-6 from the beginning.
Post lights ought to likewise be in accordance with the size of your home. The greater the light is in size, the better. Remember that the farther you are away from the light the more modest it will show up.
What style of home you have will assist you with figuring out what way of lighting.
Metal is one of the most sturdy outside lighting wraps up. It holds up in all conditions. You can pick crude metal or dim metal completion. Crude metal will ultimately obscure after some time, yet won’t erode. Copper likewise holds up well outside however isn’t so tough as metal.
Remember that going to the greatest measure of wattage on your post or divider mounts might be excessively bright. You need to delicately illuminate your home. Do not use lights that are excessively splendid and glaring.

Tips for Outdoor Lighting on House: Selecting Lighting Options

Before buying the bulbs of your choice, look out for the light intensity of the bulb measured in lumens. The more lumens it has the brighter the bulb will be. The amount of lumens you should buy depends on the area you plan to illuminate. For instance, bright bulbs can be used for security lighting. For lighting which consumes more power like floodlights, go for a timer or motion sensor-powered one.

Color

Color temperature for lighting can be tracked on the Kelvin scale from hotter to cooler. For reference, see the image given below.

Types

Today there is a wide variety of types of lighting available for different needs. Some of the types that you can select for outdoor lighting on your house are:

Halogen Bulbs: This type of lighting is also called the more efficient version of incandescent lighting. It is primarily chosen because it consumes lesser energy as compared to incandescent bulbs. Also, halogen bulbs have a longer life. However, the drawback is that it heats up.
Incandescent Bulbs: These are the most basic types of bulbs and have been around for a long time. This bulb work on the principle of the heating coil. As a result, it consumes more energy and generates a lot of heat. If you chose this type of lighting then be careful and protect it from rain, snow, etc.
LED Lighting: Most people these days opt for LED lighting because they consume less energy and have a very long life. However, they are a bit costly but that balances out because of their long life.
Outdoor Solar Lighting: Recent years have seen large-scale adoption of solar energy in every field. As a result, even in outdoor lighting, more and more people are opting for solar lighting. Once installed, it requires maintenance after a few months but apart from that, it is completely hassle-free and cost-effective.

Tips for Outdoor Lighting on House: Placement of Lights

People’s personal choices vary greatly. Therefore, it is totally up to your discretion as to where to place the lights. However, our tips for outdoor lighting on house will tell you the areas where it is most beneficial. Some such areas are:

Entry Areas: Try to place the lights in areas from where you move in or out. For example, each side, front, back, the overhead of an entry door (garage, porch, etc.).
Walkways and Paths: Try putting the outdoor lights on paths like walkways, driveways. This will not only make your house look welcoming but also secure the path. For this purpose, go for low voltage lighting. As it is sufficient for this purpose, is easier to install and also saves energy. Sometimes, people also opt for individually lighting the pavers.
Decks/Patios: It is not necessary that you illuminate the entire deck. You can opt to light certain key areas on the deck like the railings, barbeque spot, or the sitting area. If your deck has an umbrella or some kind of cover on top, uplighting can improve the overall ambiance of the deck.
Stairs: This is the most important region that you should consider lighting for security purposes. You can choose to light either the risers or the treads. Some people also opt for using LED strips depending on the aesthetics of your house.
Other Architectural Features: If your house has some other prominent features like a statue of some kind, it can be covered with outdoor lighting too. For this purpose, a wide range of lighting fixtures like chandeliers, portable lamps, wall fixtures, etc can be used. One thing to keep in mind for outdoor fixtures is that ensure that they are all rated UL wet location use.

Conclusion

To conclude it can be said that for a homeowner, the entire process of outdoor lighting can be cumbersome. Hence, these tips for outdoor lighting on house aim to provide a structured approach. Although, if you are finding it too much work, it is best to leave such a task to the experts. Illuminated Gardens is a group of experts that will take care of all your needs ranging from installation to maintenance. They provide a wide range of services and at affordable prices. So, what are you waiting for? Contact illuminated gardens today!