Outdoor Lighting Ideas

Outdoor Lighting Ideas For Your Backyard and Garden

Outdoor lighting, if done properly, can enhance the appearance of your home to an optimal level. The right outdoor lighting can do a lot more than just illuminating your backyard or porch. It can create a pleasant atmosphere in your backyard, garden or patio. This article will help you in selecting a lighting design as well as provide you with outdoor lighting iseas you may not have thought of yet.

While planning, you should take into consideration the various aspects of outdoor lighting system. For instance you need to decide the number of light fixtures required to brighten up your outdoor space. Too much light may be uncomfortable if you plan to relax outdoors and can also be harmful to your eyes.

Outdoor lighting can also be a part of your security system. Many people today do not have any security alarms installed in their house. In such a situation, outdoor lighting can be effectively used to discourage robbers from approaching your outdoor space. Lights that are sensitive to motion can prevent a robbery as they turn on when any thing moves in the area. As soon as the lights turn on, the burglar will be spotted and you can contact the concerned authority. Some outdoor lights also have timers that can sense darkness and automatically turn on.

Outdoor lighting can also help you avoid any kind of mishap. You can fix lampposts all along the walkway of your outdoor space. Adding lighting near the main door is a must as you will be able to see the steps properly. Generally, dimmer lights are installed at the door as it provides warmth and you will be able to welcome your guests with flair in the evenings.

Here are some outdoor lighting ideas for your backyard and garden:

• Light trees: Trees look very nice when bathed in light as they shine elegantly
• Light statues: If there are statues in your garden, you should light them from above which creates "monster lighting".
• Make ponds glow: Lighting ponds using LED light bulbs can create beautiful effects
• Use motion sensor lights: If there is any kind of movement in your backyard, the space will be illuminated instantly.
• Your lighting design should create effects to highlight outdoor space and also create specific moods to make your evening more enjoyable.
• Make sure that lights are properly placed. You can highlight your favorite shrubs, flowerbeds and fountains.
• Use low voltage lights as they will considerable reduce your power cost.
• Hide fixtures during the day so that they are not visible.
• Lighting fixtures should be natural looking and less intrusive
• Walkway lights must be 5 to 7 feet apart.
• Ensure that buried wiring is hidden well, as pets can sometimes find them and then chew on them.

Make sure that you feel comfortable in the lighting design that you select for your outdoor space. You should also check how your outdoor lighting design looks from all directions. With so many outdoor lighting ideas, you will definitely find one to suit your needs.

Configuring Outdoor Lights To Each Location

Many people install Outdoor Lights and different projects. There are a great deal of different types of projects available, that a person can literally choose from thousands of types of Outdoor Lights for their project.

One of the most popular configurations for Outdoor Lights on the current scene is using Solar Lights. Solar lights have a simple operation structure: energy is gathered in the form of light using solar panels during the day, and this energy charges a system of battery cells. Then, after dark the energy from the Batteries is used to light Outdoor Lights and provide illumination for the evening darkness hours.

The style and type of Outdoor Lights varies, but for the most part they are simple in form and function, and they are eco friendly as well as being cost effective. They can be configured to the specific needs of the outdoor project. There are lights that are mounted on a pole, or spotlights that are wall mounted. There are even small profile lights such as recessed deck lights, outdoor small profile lantern style lights, and small lights at the base of a wooden or composite stake. No matter what the configuration, Solar lights can be some of the most useful and innovative lights. There are even a variety of special lights that are made for use in ponds and small areas of water, such as are located in gardens and other areas.

Solar lighting options for Outdoor Lights have come a long way since their inception. They are often available now with remote infra red controllers, that are hand held and provide both on and off functions as well as dimming capability.

Outdoor Lights can be of a general nature, or they can be designed for a very particular purpose. There are different types of exterior sconces, lantern and post construction outdoor lighting, pathway lights, and security and flood type lights. Each type of Outdoor Lights brings a particular type of light to the exterior of your home, and provide different types of shading and contrast, and offer a wide variety of available lighting themes and approaches.

Most people involved with security and protective services will tell you that outdoor lighting assists in keeping a property safe. By giving outdoor locations illumination, there are less places to hide and it keeps the areas that are lit secure and safe.

Many locations that have exterior lighting have different lighting that is based on a landscape motif. This type of lighting, in addition to being very attractive Outdoor Lights, also act as emergency lighting in case of having to evacuate or leave at night.

No matter if it is a commercial property, or a residential property, it is important to make sure that any Outdoor Lights type of project is designed around the existing structures, and landscaping. Outdoor Lights can be very flexible, but they do have to fit the pre existing structures. If they do, then your Outdoor Lights will serve you well, and provide illumination for many years into the future.

Outdoor Lights for Small Locations

One thing to keep in mind in orienting Outdoor Lights is to design the lighting based on the needs of the property. Often if you are constructing a small garden or location, you can adapt a particular setup to deal with Outdoor Lighting requirements. The overall ability for a set of Outdoor Lights to provide illumination depends on a number of factors. The number of the lights involved, the method of power supply to the Outdoor Lights, as well as the arrangement and the configuration all help shape the end result.

One of the most frequent exterior uses of Outdoor Lights can be for a outdoor garden. Many people like to provide illumination to their gardens, so they can be observed at night, or so that the Outdoor Garden is sharply and nicely defined.

Kit lighting is available for nearly any configuration, and using a kit can help a person in getting just the right look for their garden or outdoor location. A garden is often thought of as an addendum, or area that is extra, so sometimes the Outdoor Lights are not given the same attention as the lighting provided to the actual property. One option that has emerged in recent years has been the creation of effective and functional solar powered lighting. With the creation of new technologies and sources of solar lighting, the overall Outdoor Lights provided at a location can really make your site stand out.

Many gardens and outdoor locations are situated quite some distance away from a reliable source of power, and because of this solar lighting can help. During daylight hours a lighting system that is powered by solar means works to charge batteries, and then the batteries power the lights after darkness falls.

A garden that is fairly small can be made to appear a lot larger, especially at night by using effective Outdoor Lights to bring it into sharp detailed focus. Many home owners like having their property highlighted, and using good quality Outdoor Lights can provide this accentuation. Part of what most people ignore is that by utilizing good quality Outdoor Lights its possible to make the outside of a structure or piece of property really shine.

Outdoor Lights can be used effectively by anyone, it just requires that a person have some sort of idea of the scope and design of their property. When putting Outdoor Lights into use it is most important to make sure that there are plenty of lights for the project. As the project takes shape, the Outdoor Lights can be configured so that there are more than one available lighting configuration.

There are a large number of Outdoor Lights that are sold for property that are wired and situated normally, while others use solar energy systems that capitalize on battery storage options. No matter how your property is situated, or the type of Outdoor Lights, you can capitalize and maintain the value of your property by installing illumination and specific lighting solutions.

Low Voltage Outdoor Lighting

Exterior lights is required to garden design and also home safety. Low voltage outdoor lighting is subtle, but bright enough to light walkways and other key parts of the landscae. The majority low voltage outdoor lights just use 4 watts of power, which will save the house owner money on the electricity bill, but these outdoor lights can be as bright as the prroperty owner wishes.

Lighting the landscape is regarded one of the many expensive places to light with regards to energy use. But low voltage outdoor lights   very easily lowers that cost. As the house owner cuts down energy consumption, he or she is also reducing carbon emissions and saving cash.

Precisely what is Low Voltage Outdoor Lighting?

Low voltage outdoor lights is actually landscape lighting which uses only 12V of power using a transformer using the home's electric current. It transforms the conventional 120 volts into a far lower volt or lower light, which is good for outdoor lighting -- just enough to light the path from the drive to the front door, or to add a little romantic atmosphere to the garden in the evening.

Setting up low voltage outdoor lights in the landscape is a very easy procedure, and they are cost-effective when purchased in kit form from building centers or hardware stores. Low voltage lights doesn't need specialized installation which can hurt the budget. Property owners will be conserving money and also saving the globe.

The Components of Low Voltage Outdoor Lighting

One of the major components of low voltage outdoor lighting is the transformer which generally transforms to electrical current to 12V and many kits come with it. The kit will have clear information that make the setting up straightforward.

Designing the Landscape with Outdoor Lights

House owners should first consider their lights needs before installing outdoor lighting in the landscape and the the majority of common factors include protection, ambiance and necessity.

For basic need, think about the significant places of the landscape that really need lights, like access routes that might include a path to the shed, garden gate, front and back doors to the home. These entry routes should be the first areas to light when putting the lights.

For basic safety reasons, outdoor lights should include those places where a burglar could hide or find entry into the home.

Ambiance lights could include lighting the deck, random places in the flower border, under the trees in the back of your garden and anywhere that could offer sufficient low light for visible effect. There are a variety of kinds of of low-voltage outdoor lights. You'll find up-lights and down-lights and even lights that can go into a garden pond. Low voltage lighting make simpler the design.

Types Of Solar Outdoor Lighting

One of the best ways to keep the home safe from various intruders is by installing outdoor lighting. It will not only increase the security of your home, but will also help to change the view and will give a captivating view. Installing outdoor lighting these days is a trend and many people prefer solar outdoor lighting. Lights not only lit up the gardens, dark paths and stairwells, but they even help in increasing the beauty of your garden or yard. If you consider solar outdoor lighting for your garden, then your home will look different from the others and will grab loads of attention.

There are four main categories in solar outdoor lighting. They are activity, ambience, security and accent.

Activity Outdoor Lighting: If you like to setup the specific activities like decks of hot tubs, barbecue pits and children theme parties, then you need different specification in the solar outdoor lighting. You have to install specific lights in the garden area, for instance, in pathways that lead to the main door and the garden will require more light. The pathways and stairs should have more light fixtures, so that there is more visibility. Keep in mind that if you do more activities in your lawn and outdoor, then you require extra lighting. The design of the lawn has to guide the visitors.

Ambience Outdoor Lighting: Ambience or the atmosphere has an effect on the visitors. In fact, this type of lighting is a magical way to have a positive environment in your outdoor. The outdoor hanging lights designed in different sizes and patterns will provide ambient lighting, which can stimulate the effects of fireflies, starlight or moonlight. Another good idea is hanging light on the trees. If you want to achieve special effects such as starlight, then you have to suspend the smaller light fixtures in clusters and hang them in the branches of trees in your garden, as it will give a real effect like a sparkling canopy.

Security Outdoor Lighting: If you wish to do your outdoor lighting from the security point of view, then you have to direct the lighting to certain areas, which you think are most vulnerable in your home. You have to use bright light in your outdoor especially, at places, which are not the part of your daily living area. Keep in mind that you do not illuminate the outdoor areas with extra light, as it might the spoil the beauty of your house. You can also use light sensors and solar security lights in certain areas.

Accent Outdoor Lighting: If you have accent features such as statuary and water fountains in your living room, then installing special light fixtures will help you increase their look. Nowadays, people use techniques such as silhouette lighting to enhance the beauty of their outdoor space. You can also add a chandelier in the living space, as it will define the uniqueness of your home.

Outdoor Lighting Tips

Add some attention-grabbing fixtures to your garden and backyard by installing spotlights or LED lighting. Proper lighting can actually help take the beauty of your garden up a notch. Many people use their garden or backyard to entertain friends.

With spectacular lighting, your guest will be raving about how good your decorating skills are.
Most people feel daunted with the task of incorporating outdoor light bulbs simply because it needs careful planning and consideration. Unlike indoor rooms with lights that are relatively easier to arrange, outdoor lighting has to be strategic so you will get the over-all look you are aiming for.

Factors To Consider When Installing Outdoor Lights

Before installing random LED lights in your backyard, make sure you mull over the following factors first:

1. Over-all design of your outdoor space

Aside from the garden, you also have to consider your patio, porch, balcony or deck. These are part and parcel of your outdoor design. You would want the lighting in these areas to complement the lighting in your garden or backyard space.

Depending on the type of outdoor space you have, there are a variety of lighting options you can choose from. Simple balconies or limited patio spaces might not have a room for more elaborate lighting. With that being said, opt for decorative type of pendant lights. Basically, these are functional but stylish types of hanging or ceiling lights. You often find these installed above kitchen islands or peninsulas or kitchen tables but there are also outdoor types of pendant lights that are perfect for small balconies. They give off a cosy effect.

Aside from the ceiling pendants, also install simple wall mounted lights. The lantern type of wall lights can inject a bit of romance in your outdoor space. This should be perfect for intimate or romantic occasions. You can opt for the miniature wall lights if you do not want them to diminish the look of the pendant lights during the day.

For your garden, strategic placing of spot lights and bulbs is essential. Beam lights are great for those who are frequently entertaining outdoors at night because they give off a great amount of light ideal for outdoor setting. LED lights also works because the light they emit is significantly brighter than standard light.

2. Energy Consumption

Most lights today are energy efficient. But since you want to illuminate your backyard all night long not only to make it look attractive but also to avoid burglary problems, you would want something that does not consume a lot of energy. Choose eco-friendly and energy-saving types of lights.

3. Safety

You would not want children roaming around your backyard to touch your lighting fixtures. Look for lighting fixtures with mounted and encased features. They should also be resistant to outdoor wear and tear especially during the winter season.

4. Process Of Installation

The process of installation is always the critical part for outdoor lighting. Wiring them correctly is critical if you want it to work properly. In general, the farther the fixtures are to your outdoor lighting transformer, the less light it is going to emit. So if you want proper illumination, you should install lights no more than 100 watts. If you are thinking of installing 10 lights powered by 20 watts of energy each, you can try making some sort of tee connection. Use a thicker gauge wire to prevent the voltage from dropping.

Always allot an extra wire length when you are hooking them up. This way, you can still move them if you decide to change the lighting layout. Start laying out the lights first. After that, set the wires. Do not bury the lines yet. After installation test it out first at night. In case you do not like something, you can move it first. Bury the lines after you have settled on the design.

A large transformer might also be better because it leaves more room for more lights. So if you are incorporating 400 watts of lights in your backyard, try purchasing larger 600-watt transformer. It also helps if it has an integrated timer and photocell. This way, you can set the lights to turn on at the designated time.

Now that you know the importance of outdoor light bulbs, start finding the right lighting fixtures that can improve the look of your backyard or garden. led lighting or spotlights can give a dramatic look to your outdoor setting.

Stylish Outdoor Lighting

Stylish outdoor lighting makes your home much more beautiful. It also provides a safer and more secure living area. It increases the number of pleasurable hours you spend outdoors and is an investment that pays off handsomely in the value it adds to your home. Outdoor lighting will accentuate any outdoor living area. Outdoor lighting is available in contemporary and modern designs and is durable and water-resistant to hold up to all weather climates.

Stylish Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor hanging lanterns make any garden or patio space take on a fresh and orderly appearance. Outdoor lights in many decorative finishes and size complement any exterior. Outdoor lighting enhances the beauty of your property, makes your home safer and more secure, increases the number of pleasurable hours you spend outdoors and is an investment that pays off handsomely in the value it adds to your home. Stylish outdoor lighting will accentuate any outdoor living area. Outdoor lighting helps alleviate darkness and balances the light radiating from the interior and other sources. Outdoor fixtures must be grounded for complete safety. Outdoor lighting is used to illuminate roadways, parking lots, yards, sidewalks, public meeting areas, signs, work sites, and buildings.

Lamps

Use outdoor lighting along with landscape lights and interior table lamps, chandeliers and ceiling lights to create a total lighting look for your outdoor space. When you light your yard with garden lights, lanterns, lamp posts, outdoor floor lamps, park lighting, patio lighting, torches, or table lamps, you will find that your outdoor space suddenly comes alive and is usable during all hours of the day and night. There are many types of lamps used in outdoor lighting, a much greater variety than are familiar to most lighting users. Incandescent lamps are the lamps most familiar to homeowners; they are commonly used for the majority of residential lighting, both indoor and outdoor. Fluorescent lamps are also seen in residential lighting, and they predominate in indoor retail and office uses, and are occasionally seen in outdoor area lighting, usually in smaller or older installations.

Garden Outdoor Lighting

Jolt your patio or garden spaces awake with these contemporary landscape lights and stylish outdoor lighting. Outdoor hanging lanterns make any garden or patio space take on a fresh and orderly appearance. Make your garden space come alive at night with low voltage landscape lights. When you light your yard with garden lights, lanterns, lamp posts, outdoor floor lamps, park lighting, patio lighting, torches, or table lamps, you will find that your outdoor space suddenly comes alive and is usable during all hours of the day and night. Dinner parties can now take place in your beautiful garden instead of in the house; imagine that. It's amazing what just a little bit of light from a lantern will add to your patio, yard, or garden.

If you are on the fence about purchasing stylish outdoor lighting for you property, remember this. A wise and financially nominal investment in outdoor lighting can lead to a decent increase in the value, beauty and safety of your home. This kind of investment does not only provide aesthetic returns, but financial and safety ones as well.