Good outdoor lighting has many benefits and can help to enhance stunning landscapes. The lighting system can be used to create dramatic effects, making it a vital component of the landscape design. By highlighting focal points like water features, plants or statues, your home can stand out and the lighting can make your outdoor space the perfect spot for entertaining. Apart from the aesthetics factor, proper outdoor lighting is a great way to enhance safety and security around the home. To make sure that you get the desired finished product, you have to ensure that you get the best service.
To achieve the perfect ambiance, you need to plan for the look you want. Proper planning will help to ensure that you achieve your goals. The last thing you need is to install an extensive landscape lighting system that will end up being a disappointment. Missing important features or failing to install the amount of light that you need will not give you the desired results. Following are some things to keep in mind when planning your outdoor lighting design.
Do not overdo it!
When designing your home lighting system, you need to take it easy! Replicating a mall parking lot on your property is not a good idea. Apart from the prohibitive cost of operating the huge lighting system, your neighbors will not appreciate the bright lights shining into their living rooms. If everyone around you has to get blackout drapes to block out the light from your property, you can be sure of making enemies fast. The goal of your lighting system should be to install soft, subtle lighting that will highlight your home’s best features, while ensuring you have adequate safety and security.
The perfect ambience
Your outdoor lighting system should create the best outdoor environment, and this means that you should not need shades when enjoying the summer evening on your patio or deck. If you love entertaining outdoors, creating the perfect atmosphere is essential. You want your guests to enjoy using the pool area in the evening without the discomfort of too much or too little light. When lighting the front of the house, you should make sure that the lights are not shining into the eyes of drivers and passersby. Think about the best design and remember your home should not look like a landing strip!
Avoid under lighting
Just as too much outdoor lighting is bad, the same is true with too little light. Less may be more when it comes to outdoor lighting but you should make sure that what you have is enough. Under lighting can be ineffective, as it will not provide the desired lighting results. Having your lighting system installed only to realize that the lights used are not enough can be a very poor investment. To achieve stunning results, you need the right balance and this means that while you do not need to light every tree or shrub in the yard, you should have the right balance throughout the entire landscape.
Using variety for effect
The best way to add depth and interest to your landscape is by using variety. Any time you are decorating, you should avoid repeating the same pattern over and over as this can be very boring. You need a decorating scheme that produces a polished look. You should avoid using an underwhelming lighting design by choosing different effects and fixtures. Fortunately, there are numerous lighting fixtures in the market that come in different sizes, designs and styles to suit any needs. You should take advantage of downlighting, uplighting, silhouetting, shadowing and more to create the perfect balance.
The right light focus
To get the best effect throughout the entire landscape, you should put focus in the right areas. Come up with a design plan that focuses on architectural features, trees, plants, water features and any other fixture you want to highlight or draw attention to. Some people make the mistake of installing outdoor systems where the fixtures stand out more than the features they are highlighting. It takes a critical eye when installing the lighting system to make sure that you get the right balance. Make sure that any prominent fixture is adjusted to blend effectively into the background.
Choosing quality fixtures
It is important to choose good quality lighting fixtures so that you can get the best effect. Trying to save money by buying cheap kits and installing them yourself can do more harm than good. Apart from the fixtures, you should also ensure that you get quality installation services. Be careful when choosing outdoor lighting professionals so that you can achieve the best results. It is very difficult to achieve the best overall effect when you use the wrong materials and installation techniques.
Creating the right balance is very important when it comes to landscape lighting. The lighting should enhance the entire property and you can use subtle background lighting to create depth. When you choose professional installation, you benefit from expert knowledge, quality products and the best techniques.
