Years ago, outside lighting was only a seasonal tradition for most homes – limited to Christmas. However, exterior illumination has become a major decorating motif and, in many cases, a true art form. Whether gas light, LED lights, solar powered lighting or even old fashion hardwired electrical bulbs, outside lights can add a completely new look to the home, creating a warm and inviting first impression for guests.
The first thing to do is make a sketch of your home, including the exact location of trees, shrubs and plants, giving you a chance to consider exactly where to place each outside light. Just as proper theater lighting sets the stage for a performance; outdoor lights will set the stage for those coming to your home – adding a sense of elegance and curb appeal.
Think about using a few specific lighting techniques – such as where you will “up light” and where you will “down light”, as well as where you will place “area lighting”. “Up lighting” is having a directional light placed low and shining up. Conversely, “down lighting” is the placement of directional lighting up high so that it can shine down. “Area lighting” is the placement of luminaries that disperse light in all directions, thus lighting an area. Using these different lighting techniques can produce dramatic effects.
For example, placing a “down light” high among the branches of a large tree, while simultaneously positioning an “up light” at the base of the tree trunk can create a “moonlight” effect, drawing attention to the generations of character found in a century old oak tree. Likewise, hiding “up light” behind shrubbery against the house – perhaps beneath pillars or windows or even an outside wall – can give a home a regal quality.
This kind of lighting can be a permanent addition to almost any home, but it can also make Christmas lighting much easier each year. Changing out key lights with festive Christmas color lights will turn the elegantly lighted home into an inviting winter wonderland for those Yuletide parties. All that is needed is to add fill lights – such as a few strings of colorful LED lights or lighted icicles – to round out the decorations. Even outside wall lights can get into the spirit. A rope of LED lights on an outside wall can be used to spell out the season’s greeting, and then easily be taken down after the New Year.
Landscape