So you’ve replaced the old light fixtures indoors, you’ve finally given your garden the TLC it’s been needing for the last few weeks, and your house’s exterior is gorgeous. But you can’t help feeling like something is missing…
After thinking about it for a while, you realize exactly what your home needs:
Outdoor Landscape Lighting!
But there’s just one problem, you don’t know where to even start. That’s where we come in!
What Is Landscape Lighting?
Landscape Lighting, also called outdoor lighting, is lighting designed for gardens and building exteriors. There are many reasons homeowners opt for installing landscape lighting, many different types of landscape lighting fixtures, and even more design options.
Why Install Outdoor Lighting?
Outdoor lighting can have various functions.
On one hand, it’s a great way to keep your house and garden well lit and visible. It gives many homeowners peace of mind being able to see the garden and house, when venturing outside at night. It’s particularly useful if you tend to leave the house early in the morning before sunrise and/or tend to come home late at night after sunset. It’s a great addition to outdoor entertainment areas, keeping the vibe relaxed and ambient rather than bright and harsh.
On the other hand, it’s beautiful. Fixtures like string lights (think fairy lights) can make just about any space feel downright magical. Many homeowners choose to install landscape lighting because it adds to their house’s visual aesthetic and keeps their gorgeous landscaping visible 24/7.
Types of Landscape Lighting
Spotlights
These are lights that shine in a single direction. They can range in brightness and reach. They’re usually used to highlight statues, patios, plants, or anything you want to draw particular attention to.
Flood Lights
These are technically a type of spotlight, but they’re extremely bright and have a very wide coverage range and reach. They’re the most useful and most commonly used because they’re able to light up large, dark areas such as driveways, patios, outdoor pathways, etc.
Up/Downlights
Uplighting refers to lights that are placed on the ground beneath a feature and shine upward, creating a magical effect as the light shines upwards.
Downlighting refers to lights that are mounted high up on wall, above features, or placed in such a way that they shine towards the ground creating dramatic shadows and accenting the subject.
Step Lights
This type of lighting is just what it sounds like. Lights are mounts on walls beside/above stairs, or on the front vertical faces on the steps themselves. These are usually more functional than anything else, and are extremely important, especially if you tend to arrive/leave when it’s still dark.
Garden Lights
These lights are shaped like mushrooms. The light fixtures have a bowl shaped cover/shield over the bulb that directs light downwards and outwards so that the plants are the focal point instead of the bulb being highlighted.
Bollard Lights
These lights are posts with bulbs right at the top. They don’t have any covers which makes them the one of the only types of outdoor lights that can shine in every direction.
String Lights
Think fairy lights here. These lights are extremely popular because they’re both functional and magical. They’re perfect at giving spaces a subtle, ambient atmosphere and creating picturesque landscapes. They’re often strung through trees and used to shape hard-scapes.
Aquatic Lights
These lights are waterproof spotlights designed to be submerged and illuminate underwater areas. They’re perfect for swimming pools, ponds, and water features.
Inground Lights
These lights are similar to uplights, but they’re buried in the ground. These lights create a beautiful effect because the actual light housing is concealed. They’re commonly used to uplight trees, bushes, and textured walls.
Design Tips
When starting the design process, the best place to start is brainstorming ideas. Think about what kind of aesthetic you want, what the function of your lighting will be, and what kind of atmosphere you want to create.
Once you’ve settled on the foundation, you need to start considering the practical aspects. Have a budget in mind so that you know right from the get-go what you’re willing to spend. Decide on a general layout you want to follow and which areas you want to illuminate. Next, choose which areas or features you want to focus on (i.e. this can be dark passages, statues, patios, swimming pools, trees/plants, etc).
Decide which lighting techniques will work best in the chosen areas (e.g. downlighting, uplighting, cross-lighting). The final design consideration is what type of fittings and bulbs you want for each feature. This can be tricky, especially if you don’t know a lot about landscape lighting. You can consult with a qualified electrician and/or lighting specialist to have a professional, practical landscape lighting design created. For examples of the various lighting options, check this handy illustrated guide.
To turn your lighting design dreams into reality, you should employ a qualified, registered electrician to ensure everything functions correctly and is installed properly and safely.
Titan Electrical Landscape Lighting Services
We offer a wide range of landscape lighting services. We offer complete landscape lighting design solutions with various fittings and elements (e.g. motion sensor lighting, sconces, décor items, and more). All of our service professionals are properly trained and qualified, fully registered, and knowledgeable about all things landscape lighting!
Contact us today for all of your landscape lighting needs. We offer free quotations with no call-out fee.
