The Do’s and Dont's of Landscape Lighting

One of the best ways to make an impression is by cleaning up your lawn and getting the proper landscaping work done. The first thing people will see when visiting your house is the landscaping on your front lawn or yard. 

But what if daylight starts to fade away and night comes? Will your guests still be able to see your beautiful lawn? This is where landscape lighting comes in. You can put in all the excellent centerpieces, the best flowers and plants, build fancy pathways, etc., but if there's no light to highlight them, it'll all be for nothing. 

Adding in some light will surely let people see the hard work you put into your lawn. However, is just adding bright lights enough for your lawn? The truth is that even with lights, you might still overdo it and end up with less desirable results. To help you out with the lighting needed for your landscape, here are some do's and don'ts to keep in mind:

Do: Layering

A set of spotlights can be enough to illuminate a spot on your lawn. However, why not highlight impressive pieces such as statues, pillars, or other centerpieces with your spotlight and other light sources? With the proper landscape lighting and layering, you can bring out dramatic effects in your lawn.

Don't: Overdo Layering

Light layering means using several lighting sources and fixtures to create a well-lit space. However, using too many lights won't create balance. Too much light will excessively illuminate an area and create dark spots in your lawn. 

Do: Use LED Lighting

With less energy consumption, going LED can let you save up on your utility bills while making your lawn look incredible. In addition, with LED lights, you can get the same warm yellow or white glow from outdated halogen light bulbs. 

Don't: Use Solar Lights

Although using solar lights can also help you cut down on the bills, it isn't a good idea to use them as landscape lights. They produce smaller amounts of light compared to LEDs, and they're also weather-dependent. If you want to save up on bills while being environmentally sound, you're better off using low-voltage LED lights than solar lights.

Do: Properly Light Up Other Areas Too

Speaking of balance, it's also best to balance the distribution of lighting fixtures on your lawn. Spreading out the lights will make sure that your area is adequately bright. 

Don’t: Isolate Areas on Your Lawn

An important effect of spreading out your lighting is that it doesn't isolate certain spots in your space. For example, if a large amount of lighting were placed solely on a tree, it would create an eerie, dark atmosphere around it. This view can be a bit scary, especially if you're looking at it from afar.

Do: Place Lights on Your Walkway

To create a warm, welcoming appearance on your lawn, place lights along a path or walkway. Aside from the aesthetics, placing lights here helps people see where they're going when it gets dark. Bollard and inground lights are perfect examples of lighting fixtures for your path.

Don’t: Place Lights on Your Walkway in a Straight Line

Placing your lights in a straight line can make your pathway look like an uninviting airstrip. If your pathway is long and curves to the sides, take advantage of it and place lights along those curves. By doing so, you're creating a warmer, more inviting walkway for your visitors.

Conclusion

With some of the tips mentioned above, you'll have an idea of how to properly light up your lawn. Remember, to bring out the best of your lawn, combine the best landscaping work with the proper lighting.