Outdoor Lighting: Shine a Little Light on the Great Outdoors

With so much focus on getting the proper lighting inside your home, you may not realize that lighting outside your home is just as important. Think about any house you passed at night that had little or no outside lighting. The darkness probably gave you the impression that the house was gloomy and depressing—not the impression you want to give to people.

Outdoor lighting provides a few benefits to your house. First and foremost, it illuminates your stairs, walkways and front door so you, your family and visitors can easily see where to walk without trouncing on your flower beds. This is especially useful with young kids who do not often watch where they are going in the first place.

Another benefit of outdoor lighting is how it illuminates some of the high points of your lawn and garden. Have you ever noticed how much nicer and brighter your flowers look in the sunlight? You can have that same look at night if you position your landscape lighting at certain angles so the light bounces off the colors and showcases the many hues of your spring flowers.

You also want to use outdoor lighting in the back of your house on your patio or deck. A night time party on your back patio would be a bit dark without some cleverly placed outdoor wall sconces, lanterns or lamp posts. By adding outdoor lighting, you will create a warm and friendly ambiance that will leave you and your guests feeling comfortable (not to mention being able to see where they are going).

Outdoor lighting comes in many different styles, prices and colors. Just be sure to choose the appropriate lighting for the area you wish to illuminate. There is no reason for sitting on a dark deck on a beautiful spring evening. Add some lighting and enjoy your outdoors all day and all night long.