Landscaping is an essential part of enhancing not only a home’s curb appeal but also a homeowner’s enjoyment of their property. The right combination of planting and hardscapes will harmonize with a home’s architecture and provide additional outdoor space for living and entertaining. However, to truly make the most of an outdoor landscape, the effect of exterior lighting should also be considered.
The possibilities of outdoor lighting go far beyond simply having some illumination at entrances for safety at night. Exterior lighting can be used to:
- Highlight distinctive features of a home
- Highlight favorite garden features
- Establish an environment that represents the homeowner’s taste and aesthetic
With an increasing number of LED and other energy-efficient products on the market, it is easy to create a lighting plan that is stunning, low maintenance, and offers energy cost savings. Here are some techniques you can use to accent an outdoor space.
Landscape Lighting Techniques
Every home has a mix of architectural points, outdoor living spaces, and garden features that outdoor lighting can help to enhance. The exact effect you can achieve depends on the size, type, and placement of lights. You can also create different moods by using different temperatures and colors of light. Some techniques to consider are:
Path-lighting: Placing small fixtures along the edges of walkways, driveways, and patios is both practical and attractive, as it helps to illuminate safe footing. The style of these lights should be chosen to harmonize with the overall architectural style. Also, they should be placed so they won’t be inadvertently kicked out of position or obstruct a lawnmower.
Highlighting: Place a spotlight at the base of an outdoor feature, such as a tree, that you would like to emphasize. Experiment with the distance, angle, and number of fixtures to achieve the desired effect.
Wall-washing: This technique creates an even glow from a wall at which the light is pointed; to achieve attractive results, the fixture (ideally a wide-angle outdoor flood light with low wattage) should be placed a few feet away from the feature to be lit, at a sideways angle. Wall-washing also provides subtle ambient lighting to the area nearby.
Up-lighting: For a bolder, more contrasted look than wall-washing, place spotlights facing up closer to the building.
Silhouetting: To strikingly accent a feature located close to a wall, place a landscape spotlight behind it aimed at the wall. The dark outline of the feature will show up against an illuminated backdrop, accentuating its form.
Shadowing: This technique also uses an object and wall in conjunction to create a specific lighting effect. In this case, though, the spotlight is placed in front of the object to cast a softer shadow against the wall. It can be especially elegant when lighting a tree with open, airy branches.
Moonlighting: Mimic the look of moonlight by positioning a large fixture with a full glare guard high up in a tree, angled downward. The effect is both natural and beautiful, creating attractive shadows on the ground.
Down-lighting: Similar to the bolder look of up-lighting, this technique uses brighter, downward-pointing fixtures high up in features like eaves, trees, or trellises to illuminate the area underneath. Place fixtures higher for more coverage, or lower to light specific areas like a garden or path.
Accenting: If lighting is designed to call attention to a specific feature, it is considered accent lighting—think a specific architectural feature, an outdoor artwork, or a unique plant or tree. Using a hidden fixture to cast a narrow-beam spotlight onto your chosen feature can be particularly stunning.
Top Quality Products for Superior Lighting Designs
At the Lawn & Arborist Depot, we carry high-quality US-made outdoor lighting fixtures from California-based FOCUS Industries. These products are designed to deliver longer life, better performance, lower maintenance, and more control options to give you a full array of choices in your outdoor lighting design. Their extensive product line includes multiple finishes, voltages, light sources, and accessories.
Lawn & Arborist Depot is reliable resource for landscape professionals in need of quality products at competitive prices. To learn more about how we can supply all your landscape lighting needs, stop by our warehouse or visit our website, lawnandarboristdepot.com, today.