5 BENEFITS OF ADDING OUTDOOR LIGHTING TO ENHANCE YOUR LANDSCAPE

Outdoor lighting can add new life to almost every landscape. Not only can a bright space be functional, but it can also make your home and yard look stunning.

Illuminate your landscape to show off your investment. Here are five advantages to placing outdoor lighting on your property:

1. Safety

Everything looks different at night. In the darkness, it’s easy to lose spatial awareness and accidentally injure yourself— whether it’s tripping on an uneven sidewalk, trampling over your petunias or even falling into your inground pool! (You laugh, but it happens).

Guests visiting your property are at an even greater risk of stumbling in the dark, as they might not be familiar with your landscape layout at all.

Light it up! Edge your sidewalk or driveway with ground-level lighting to illuminate walking paths. Install a light pole by your mailbox, or shine a spotlight on your house number so that guests can easily find your address.

2. Entertainment

Speaking of guests, your landscape lighting grants you an extension of your home, even at night. Instead of entertaining company in your living room, invite them outside on your deck or patio for drinks in the moonlight.

Roast marshmallows by your campfire or splash around for a late-night swim in your pool. The party doesn’t have to stop when the sun goes down.

Light it up! If you have a water feature like a fountain or waterfall, watch that crystal beauty flow with a soft touch of light. Place floating candles in your pool or hot tub and drape some classic Edison string-lights along your gazebo, railings or across your canopy. Your guests will love the peaceful glow. Here are more outdoor lighting ideas.

3. Security

Burglars love dark spaces where they can creep unnoticed by neighbors or passersby. Thieves are also more inclined to assume you are away if your house is quiet and blacked out, and may seize the opportunity to break-in. This is where exterior lighting saves the day.

Outdoor lighting encourages natural surveillance, allowing neighbors to see any suspicious activity on your property. It also gives criminals a sense that you’re home, keeping them away.

Light it up! Brightening your walkways can help with safety, but to improve your home’s security, illuminate any entrance points where a burglar may enter into your home— such as doorways and windows. Put candles or LED lights on the ledge in your windows, add recessed lighting to your garage door or install a porch light next to your front door for extra protection.

4. Visual Appeal

We’ve covered a few functional purposes for adding exterior lighting, but brightening your house and yard also creates a pleasant aesthetic. There’s nothing like coming home to your beautifully lit home after a date night or enjoying your spotlit rose bush over dessert on your patio table.

You spend so much time and invest a lot of money in cutting your grass, managing your gardens and decorating your property. Illuminate your space to enjoy night after night, and admire your stunning work.

Light it up! Replace old or dull light bulbs across your property so they shine nice and bright. Place lights under your trees to show off their structure. These house-directed spotlights can show off your siding and silhouette your home too. Consider placing stylish lanterns or decorating your patio with these tips.

5. Curb Appeal

Lastly, your landscape lighting can add curb appeal to your home and potentially increase the perception of your home’s value. A prim, well-lit property exudes wealth and can highlight parts of your property that you’ve invested extra in.

For instance, if you just refinished your driveway, footlights can draw attention to your fresh addition. Or, being the only lit home in your neighborhood may make your property look more desirable when you’re ready to sell.

Light it up! Frame your entryway, which is the most inviting part of your exterior. Get creative with ways you can illuminate your landscape’s key features, like that expensive tree you just had transplanted or the new windows you just installed. Check out more ideas for sharpening your New England-style home here.

The best part about Landscape Lighting is its low voltage. This means as long as you have an exterior outlet to plug the transformer into no electrician or permits are needed! Low voltage lighting uses direct burial wire that is installed a few inches below the surface making installation relatively easy. The industry has also gone to LED bulbs in pretty much all fixtures meaning the bulbs last years and cost only a few dollars to run all year long. Illuminating your exterior has never been easier!

Create a Brag-Worthy Landscape

After adding some outdoor lights, your property will really shine. But what if your landscape could use a little primping beforehand?

Instantly increase your property and home value with the help of our free ebook: the Ultimate Guide to Curb Appeal. We have handy tips on adding symmetry, framing your entryway and more.

Get advice from the landscape professionals and transform your outdoor escape, today.