A stroll through any garden store or a look through a large online store will give you a hundred different ideas for your outdoor lights. The problem with too many ideas is that you could end up loving so many different designs that your backyard and patio could end up lit up like a stage. That would make it easy for passersby to admire your beautiful patio and the foliage in your garden, but it would be a less than pleasant place to spend time.
The key to good outdoor lighting is to be subtle, not to use more light than you need and to make sure you don’t leave out any of the most important lighting areas. You can enjoy fun lights for the holidays and special occasions and make sure the darkest spots are lit up for safety without making yourself and your guests feel like they have spotlights shining in their eyes.
Security lighting is obviously important and something you shouldn’t overlook. roof repair . recycled wine stemware . But you don’t want to overdo it, either, so look in your yard and driveway with an eye toward dark, protected spots where someone could hide or approach unnoticed. Adding lights to these areas will make the place more secure.
Lights to keep things like walkways and stairs lit is important for overall safety. Even if you’re familiar enough with your yard to navigate it in the pitch black, your guests could trip and easily fall without proper pathway lighting. These types of outside lights are low to the ground and not glaring, so it’s hard to go overboard if you only have these and something like a porch light or driveway light for security.
What about outside lights like spotlights and ambient light fixtures? You can go overboard with these pretty easily if you have too many lights or too many different kinds of lights. Spotlights should be used carefully, and limited to the most interesting fixture or focal point in your garden or yard, like statuary or a shaped hedge.
Ambient lighting is most effective when there’s not too much. If you have a few solar lights in your garden to bring attention to special features or light up a walkway, adding more of them further into your yard or garden will minimize the impact of all of them. Download Best Android Games . You’ll want a few feet between walkway lights, as well, to avoid too much light.
Related posts
- Plants, Commercial Planters, and Furniture For Your Tropical Garden
- Things to Know When Installing LED Lighting Outside
- Gardening For 2009 - "Joey" is the Hottest New Plant
- Creating a Pleasing Sense of Seclusion in Your Balcony Garden
- How Long Your Sidepost Or Outdoor Market Umbrellas Will Last
- Pergola - Add a Room in Your Garden
- Garden Paving - Outdoor Living at Its Best
- How to get rid of possums (betterhomesgardens)
- Design a Small Garden For a Town House Yard -
- Outdoor Fireplace Designs That You Love
- Landscaping Small - Gardens, Balcony and Design for Small Spaces
- Outdoor Fireplace Kits
- Choosing Patio Furniture For Kids
- Designing a Contemporary Family Garden
- Better Homes and Gardens March (betterhomesgardens)
- Pattern sheet: Balinese Summer retreat (Yahoo!7)
- 4 Reasons For Outdoor Garden Lights
- 5 Make-It-Yourself Christmas Gift Ideas: Economical Christmas Presents
- Four Elements in Swimming Pool Landscaping
- Add Style to Your Yard Or Garden at No Cost
- Adding Arbors and Pergolas in Your Garden
- Make Your Own Renewable Energy With Outdoor Garden Solar Lights
- Wooden Garden Arbors
- Garden Wedding Lights
- Decorating an Outdoor Wedding
- Different Ways to Use Stone Landscaping Products
- Problem Free Patios, Paving and Paths
- Easy Landscape Lighting Ideas
- Make your own mosaic stairs (betterhomesgardens)
- How to Build Steps in Your Garden
September 30, 2011 at 2:39 am
I must think a lot like you, because your views and mine are similar. Your article created a lot brain activity for me. Thank you.