The Best Outdoor Lighting For Your Home
When you think of adding curb appeal to your home you might immediately think of a large landscaping project and the money that it will take to make the project happen. Whether you’re looking to sell your home or make a few updates to love your current home better, know that it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. You can look into smaller projects such as adding or replacing exterior lighting.
Types of Exterior Light Fixtures
What type of outdoor lighting is best? That’s kind of a trick question, because the answer is up to you! There is no such thing as ‘the best’ outdoor lighting. Your choices should be reflective of the goals you have. Are you looking to provide more security to your home or are you simply going for aesthetic? The easiest way to change the ambiance of the exterior of your home is to take note on what would make your current exterior lighting fixtures better. Here are a few common exterior lighting sources to get you started!
Porch lighting:
Porch lights are generally mounted on either side of your main entrance, by your door or on pillars. Some homes have one simple lighting option in the middle of their porch. This lighting source is meant to spread light outward in an inviting way, helping lead guests to your door. Do yours meet the need?
Patio lights:
Depending on the structure of the patio, lighting is sometimes placed on the house or on the roof of the covering. Patio lights are often a mix of exterior lighting and landscape lighting. You can opt for one main centerpiece lamp that gives off a lot of light or choose a low-lighting ambiance with string lights.
Flood lights and motion sensor:
If you’re looking to upgrade the safety of your home, one option would be to add outdoor motion sensor lights or flood flights. This lighting option can be placed anywhere on your home but are most commonly found on porches, at the front of driveways or at the rear of the house on a back porch.
Garage lighting:
Another use of lighting mounted on the home is garage lighting. This is a popular choice to place on either side of the garage. Some people use them for décor purposes, but if they give off enough light they can help to light the driveway and the surrounding area.
Landscape Lighting
The look that most people want for the exterior of their home is a warm inviting glow. Many experts call it the “moonlight effect.” There are different ways you can achieve this look in addition to changing the exterior lighting on your home. One of those options is to look into landscape lighting techniques, like the options below.
Highlight Trees:
When using landscape lighting, trees make great focal points for adding light and interest to your yard! Depending on the size of the tree, you’ll determine if you need one or multiple lights and set them about a foot away from your tree. This tip will instantly add a little lighting to your home and send you in the direction you’re looking for!
Use Uplighting:
This is the type of lighting that shines up from the ground toward your home. This is the best way to highlight the beautiful features of your home at night! These lights will create shadows and leave your house glowing.
Focal Points:
One way to create a focal point with outdoor lighting is to place the lighting near plants along the pathway that leads to your front door.
At Kimberley Development we take pride in the work that we do and the details of our projects from interior to exterior. We recently were recognized as winners in several categories for dsm magazines, dsm home awards. One that we were awarded was a gold status in interior/exterior lighting. If you’re looking for exterior renovations to be done on your home, don’t hesitate to contact us! We’d love to come up with a plan for your remodeling project. Call at 515-963-8335.
