How To Design Your Outdoor Lighting Setup

Little more than a century ago electrical lighting was considered a luxury for the very rich. Nowadays, due to advancements in technology, it’s a rare house indeed that is not illuminated by it. That also includes the exterior of their property as well.

This could be to accent their landscaping, enhance security, or make it easier for members of the household to find their way to the front door after dark. Whatever the reason for creating an outdoor lighting setup at your place, we’re here to give you some pointers on how to design it. Read on to find out more!

Plan, Plan, Plan

First of all, you need to come up with a lighting plan and strategy that will best enable you to fulfill whatever goals have for your yard. You don’t want to waste money placing bulbs where they will be of no use. You may simply want to light up your garden paths and walkways so you can find your way to the front door late at night, for example.

If this is the case then this is exclusively where your should place your lights. And when it comes to decorative, landscape lighting, less tends to look more attractive than more. Opt for understatement rather than the reverse.

Economy

Planning your outdoor lighting set up so that you require as few lights as possible to achieve the desired result is also a great way of saving money and minimizing your expenditures. So is choosing low voltage lights that have minimal power requirements. LED lights, although still pretty expensive upfront, are a good option.

As a result of their energy efficiency and longevity, they have the potential to save you a lot of money, at least in the long term. However, if you are considering purchasing LED’s, it might be a good idea to wait a bit before doing so: that way, you can wait for the price to drop even further, thus saving yourself even more money.

Go Solar!

If all you want to do is to highlight a rose bush, a water feature, or light up a short walkway, then you may want to consider avoiding mains connected electrical lighting altogether and go solar instead. Although they often don’t shine as brightly as other lights there are solar options.

For instance, solar deck step lights are a great option if you have fairly minimal needs and would like to help keep stairs safe. Be sure you live in a location that receives plenty of sunlight throughout the year, however, or your solar-powered lights may not light up at all.

Mimic The Moonlight

To maximize the elegance of your outdoor lighting setup, a good rule to follow is to try and mimic the appearance of moonlight. Not only will it give your yard a serene, atmospheric look – it will also make your setup look more natural. This can be done by avoiding blue-toned lights, using softer ones with lower voltage, and installing bulbs around twenty to twenty-five feet high.

Warm, White Light

This is the best color to use for year-round outdoor lighting. Multi-colored, flashing lights may be good for festive occasions but are a bit much if you have to deal with them every other night of the year. This is another good reason to go LED, as they do a really good job of delivering the warm, white light that made the trusty incandescent light bulb so popular in years gone by.

Focus On The Trees

Illuminating the trees in your yard, especially from below, can be really eye-catching. Their many leaves provide countless surfaces for the light to highlight and also many levels of shifting shadows that will give your yard a really airy and of course natural feel.

There are even faux trees you can use such as an LED cherry blossom tree for example. These have flowers with bulbs that can provide a warm glow to your space in various colors.

DIY

Install your own outdoor lighting system, and you will be able to tailor it exactly to your needs – and adapt it at will to your changing requirements. You will become the artist and director of your own outdoor creation – you will also have a lot of fun, and learn just as much if you choose to do things yourself.

String and solar lights are usually easy options and are typically a simple way even someone with no experience can illuminate outdoor pathways, gardens, and also structures such as a gazebo or pergola.

Hire A Professional

Maybe you don’t feel up to the task of doing it all yourself. That’s OK! Offload the burden and responsibility onto any one of the many professionals out there who will be happy to do the job for you, and for a reasonable price. Give the job to someone who really knows what they are doing.

You might not have as much creative control over the outcome of the process, but at least you can rest assured that a good professional job will be done and that there are no major complications.

So there you have it, tips and tricks for designing your perfect outdoor lighting setup. Whether you employ one of the above-mentioned methods or all of them, using these tips you should be able to design a stunning composition that will be sure to turn heads of whoever walks by. Happy lighting!

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