Investing in landscaping will heighten curb appeal and improve security. According to a study, outdoor lighting cut crime down 39% in 2018. Not only will your property look good, but it’ll feel safe.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to plan out your landscape lighting, keep reading.
This quick guide will teach you how to design like an expert. Here are the top five pro tips that will help you plan out the perfect landscape lighting.
1. Learn Techniques
There are multiple methods experts use when designing landscape lighting. You can use these to highlight features, create silhouettes, and more. Some popular techniques are:
- Shadowing or silhouetting
- Spot or accent lighting
- Underwater lighting
- Cross lighting or uplighting
When choosing which practices to utilize, you’ll need to look at your property’s features. A proper design will include at least one method.
2. Decide Landscape Lighting Areas
The best way to decide where your landscape needs lighting is to look at the features during the day and find the dark zones at night. You’ll know where to highlight for improved curb appeal. You’ll also discover where to add lighting for security.
3. Choose the Right Bulbs
One of the most important things you need to do when designing landscape lighting is to pick the right lightbulbs. You can use solar lights in areas that have a lot of sunlight. Spotlights could benefit from brighter incandescent bulbs.
4. Select Fixtures
Selecting your fixtures will be based on your property’s layout. You’ll need to decide where you want to provide light and what techniques you’d use. The following are popular fixtures:
- Path lights
- Spotlights
- Wall wash
- Hardscape
- Indicator
Spacing the fixtures will be determined by your design. You want enough light for walkways and highlights, but you can avoid overspending with six-foot spaces.
5. Include Power Supplies in Layout
When you’re designing the layout, you need to consider the wires and power supplies. Solar lights won’t have electrical barriers, but other path lights may have wiring you need to plan around to avoid accidents. You can use an emergency generator to use spotlights to feel more secure during blackouts.
More Landscaping Tips
Lighting your home and garden is only one part of home improvement. Depending on your property, you may benefit from additional investments. You can plant trees around your land, install water fountains, build an outdoor seating area, and create a garden.
There are basic principles to landscaping a yard for beginners. The seven ethics come down to simplicity, variety, balance, emphasis, sequence, scale, and unity. This helpful guide will help you achieve your goals.
Design Like a Pro
Your home will feel secure and appealing when you know what you’re doing. Now that you’ve read this guide, it’s time to plan like an expert. You can use these five pro tips to design the perfect landscape lighting.
There are many more ways to improve your property. We feature the latest real estate and home advice. Explore our blog longer to learn more about home improvements!