Landscape lighting extends a warm outdoor ambiance.
You can create an aesthetically pleasing outdoor space by lighting up your landscape.
Beautiful outdoor decor is the dream of every homeowner. And a well-lit landscape turns this into reality.
How?
Landscape lighting simply extends your living space to the outdoors.
From an evening barbeque to a party in the garden, there’s much that a landscape light makes possible.
Interesting, isn’t it?
You can light up your exterior walls, extending a glamorous nighttime look to your home.
Also, lighting up plants and trees turns your garden into a perfect retreat for the evening.
Imagine returning from work to a well-lit home. The warm and welcoming exterior decor is sure to elevate your mood.
Now, compare it with an un-lit house.
Homes without outdoor lighting look dark, dull, and unappealing.
You don’t want your home to look like that. Do you?
You see, a properly lit landscape turns a home into a landmark of its own. It doesn’t matter whether you have a standard house or a mansion.
Advantages of Landscape Lighting
The yard, garden, pool, etc., are the main highlights of your home. You invest a lot of money to get the best exterior features and aesthetics.
But lack of proper outdoor lighting means you can enjoy these features only in the daytime.
On the other hand, landscape lighting lets you create a living space right in your garden. Simply put a couch in your garden and enjoy laid-back evenings.
You can also showcase your creativity by trying different exterior designs. For example, LED strip lights let you customize your landscape using different colors and looks.
So you can light up your plants, walkways, pool area, etc., in innovative ways. All you need is a knack of creativity.
You might wonder if landscape lights are all about beautifying the outdoors.
However, you will be surprised to know that a well-lit landscape adds additional security to your home.
Sounds awesome, right?
There’s much more to a landscape light, so let’s see them in detail.
#1. Landscape lighting illuminates your outdoor space and enhances its aesthetics
What comes to your mind when we talk about living areas?
Probably the living room in your home.
But your living space need not be confined to a room. Instead, you can create an outdoor living space and spend quality time with family and friends.
The backyard or patio of your home is perfect for a special weekend dinner. A well-decorated yard lets you invite guests over or simply sit back and relax.
Then why keep this outdoor living room dark and out of use during nighttime?
Landscape lighting illuminates your exterior features and makes them usable throughout the evening.
But is it only illumination that an outdoor LED flood light offers?
Well, there’s much more than just lighting.
Landscape lights are a great way to enhance the aesthetic appeal of your home. They amplify the architectural features and natural beauty of the house.
By illuminating the plants, pathways, etc., outdoor lighting creates a charming exterior ambiance.
Think about some unique features of your home which can enhance nighttime aesthetics.
For instance, a simple strip light over a tree in your backyard adds a unique beauty to it. Similarly, path lighting with an LED panel light extends an elegant look to your garden.
Also, strip lights make flowers and plants the main highlight of the garden.
An LED dimmable downlight lets you control outdoor illumination. So you can increase or decrease the brightness as per your mood.
Want more?
Some outdoor accent lights are all it takes to create charming decor on your patio.
And, underwater LEDs make an evening swim really tempting.
That sounds amazing for sure, doesn’t it?
#2. Increase property value and curb appeal with landscape lighting
You’ve seen how landscape lighting beautifies your home. It offers unique ways to enhance the aesthetics of your property.
But did you know, lighting up your landscape also increases the value of your property?
Outdoor lighting carries a significant return on investment. So you’re set to have a higher resale value of your home.
As per the National Association of Home Builders, 41 percent of homebuyers look for exterior lighting features. They rate it as an essential quality for their new home.
Further, 49 percent of buyers rate it as a desirable quality.
That means a beautiful outdoor lighting decor is set to place your home much higher in the real estate market.
You see, a well-lit walkway, garden, porch, etc., increases the curb appeal. That makes the house appealing to the eyes.
You can even install lighting in ways that make the space around the property look larger.
The pleasing look and perception of outdoor space are sure to increase the market value of your home.
How much exactly does your home value increase?
Some estimates suggest that landscape lights can increase the value of your property by up to 20 percent.
As we’ve seen, nearly half of the homebuyers are looking for well-designed outdoor lighting.
It’s not just about an elegant design. Homebuyers understand the value of landscape lights in terms of nighttime outdoor ambiance.
There you have it, a beautiful way to increase your property value.
#3. Landscape lights ensure additional security of your home
The biggest worry of every homeowner is keeping the property secure.
You might have reinforced doors and windows for the security of your home.
Landscape lighting adds additional security to your home.
Thieves and burglars are less likely to prey on a well-lit property.
The most common threat your home faces is burglary. You’ll be surprised to know that instances of burglary happen every 13 seconds in the US.
So it’s good to lighten up the outdoor spaces of your home.
Some dark nooks and crannies can be created by the design of the house. It can become a spot for burglars or trespassers to sneak in and hide. LED floodlights are the best way to brighten up these areas of your home.
You can consider motion-activated spotlights. These are effective in deterring trespassing and theft.
If someone walks into your yard uninvited, a sudden burst of light is sure to scare them off.
Also, landscape lighting with a timer turns on automatically when it gets dark. So even if you’re away from your property, it gets illuminated and deters the trespassers.
Securing your home is essential, no matter how safe the neighborhood is.
A well-lit landscape, along with other security features, actively deters criminals.
So you can rest assured as your home with bright exteriors is a secure place.
#4. Landscape lighting offers increased safety
A home with landscape lighting looks beautiful and is a secure place.
Moreover, landscape lights come in handy when it comes to personal safety.
Outdoor lighting is an excellent way to make your home a safe place for your family, friends, or any other guest who visits the property.
You can light up outdoor areas with heavy foot traffic. For instance, take the driveway, walkways, porch, patio, pool area, etc.
That helps guide people around the property during nighttime. LED canopy lights reduce the chance of someone tripping or falling.
You’re more likely to fall over and get injured in a dark area. That’s not the case with a well-lit landscape.
You see, landscape lighting makes your outdoor living area a safe place for everyone during the night.
#5. Landscape lights are easy to install and use
Landscape lighting for an extensive exterior decor is complex.
However, some outdoor lighting projects are extremely easy and budget-friendly.
For instance, take LED strip lights used to light up trees or grow lights for plants.
These are simple projects that you can do quickly.
They make a significant difference to your outdoor landscape. The best part is you don’t need to invest a large amount of money.
So you can add, update, or remove landscape lights as you please.
Also, landscape lights are very easy to use.
Some light fixtures can automatically turn on and off. You can set a timer, and your landscape will be lit when it’s dark.
Meaning you can be worry-free of high energy bills on your outdoor lighting.
That’s interesting, isn’t it?
Landscape Lighting: Things To Consider
You’ve seen the exciting benefits of landscape lights. And you might even want to get these light fixtures installed.
But choosing the right landscape light isn’t very simple. You’ve to factor in many things, from bulbs to light color to energy efficiency.
That’s why we’ve listed a few factors that you should consider for landscape lighting.
So let’s see them in detail.
#1. Energy efficiency is key for landscape lighting
Lighting up your landscape is necessary.
You don’t want to keep your outdoors dark. Do you?
But certain lights are energy-intensive. And using them every day can break your bank.
As per the Department of Energy, homeowners use more electricity on exterior lighting than indoors.
So using traditional incandescent bulbs to light up your landscape is sure to increase your energy bills manifold.
Thankfully, a wide range of LED lights is readily available for smart landscape lighting.
LEDs use 70 percent less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs. Low energy usage means lower electricity bills.
LED flood light bulbs have a long lifespan of up to 15 years. Also, they need no maintenance.
Amazing, right?
There’s more to it.
You can get rid of bugs by using high-quality LEDs. They produce less heat and UV light, and bugs are attracted to both.
LED fixtures are available in multiple designs and sizes. That means you can customize your landscape lighting in different ways.
There it is, an energy-efficient exterior lighting solution.
#2. Go for damp or wet rated landscape lights
Landscape lighting fixtures in the market include finishes to withstand rough weather conditions.
They’re usually classified as damp or wet rated. The climate and weather conditions in your region determine which one you need.
Damp-rated landscape lighting is ideal for partially covered places.
For instance, you can install them on your porch or patio.
However, these lights shouldn’t be exposed to water directly.
On the other hand, Wet-rated landscape lights can be exposed to direct precipitation.
They are meant for particularly harsh weather conditions. That means they’re ideal for coastal areas, extremely cold places, etc.
Landscape lights with proper ratings are sure to last you for years.
FAQs
What is the latest trend in landscape lighting?
When you go for landscape light installation, you might think of a decor that reflects the latest trend.
Among landscape lighting options in the market, solar-powered lights are trending.
Their popularity primarily comes from two things.
First, they are cost-efficient as they don’t add to your energy bills.
Second, solar lights are easy to install for landscaping. You don’t need to work with complex electrical wirings since they’re not connected to the grid.
Also, solar-powered landscape lights offer great flexibility. You can move and reinstall them in different parts of your yard without difficulty.
If you’ve non-solar landscape lighting, you’re likely to cut through the wires while gardening or mowing the lawn. That’s not the case with solar lights.
The best part is solar-powered landscape lights are much safer. They’re far less likely to start an electrical fire than their non-solar counterparts.
Can you DIY your landscape lighting?
Some landscaping lighting projects are extremely DIY-friendly.
For instance, take decorating a tree or plant with strip lights. You don’t need to be an expert to light up your plants.
However, some outdoor lighting projects are too complex. Like installing walkway lights or pool lights need expertise.
Similarly, LED flood light needs to be fixed at a certain angle to effectively brighten up the dark nooks and crannies.
So it’s better to hire a lighting professional for these projects.
Conclusion
Landscape lighting transforms your outdoor space entirely. So your outdoor activities are no longer limited to the daytime.
Summers in Florida are the perfect time to spend the evenings outdoors.
A well-lit decor makes your yard the best place to relax and unwind.
The best thing is, your property’s value rises apart from the aesthetic appeal it gets.
So, investing in landscape lighting is worthwhile.
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