Exterior home lighting helps improve curb appeal and makes the walkway safer at night for your family and friends. Lighting for the landscape in the backyard gives you a more inviting space for outdoor entertaining and enjoying your patio or deck. Carefully choosing your exterior lighting will create a warm and inviting aura around your home.

Selecting the best exterior home lighting requires a balance between lights that are strong enough to see by on late nights and but not so bright that they shine into your windows and send you running for blackout shades. They need to be just right.

Exterior home lighting also needs to be deliberately placed to illuminate the darkest areas of the yard, driveway, and deck or back porch. Outdoor lighting can often be an afterthought, but choosing the right lights can elevate the outdoor aesthetics of your home. Use these tips as a checklist so your exterior lighting can be an asset to your home.

Get the Size Right

Outdoor exterior lighting doesn’t have to be big, even if you want to illuminate a large area. Bigger isn’t always better. Then you may vary depending on where the light is being placed. And since exterior home lighting impacts your curb appeal, choose styles that complement your home’s look and feel. If you need to brighten your side yard or driveway, a large light may be better. Lighting for the front porch or alongside a doorway can be smaller and more decorative.

Dumont 23 Inch Tall 3 Light Outdoor Wall Light by Crystorama

The classic shape of the Dumont 23 Inch Tall 3 Light Outdoor Wall Light by Crystorama makes a style statement on any home. Just vintage enough to lend an air of old-world charm, it has a modern feel that enhances your home’s character.

Choose a Complementary Color

When you choose your living room lighting, you make sure it goes with the paint on your walls and your furniture. This applies to exterior home lighting, too. If the exterior of your home is painted blue, black or pewter are good choices. If your home is a warm, earthy color, copper, bronze, or gold will complement the exterior paint and other design elements of your home.

Atwater 14 Inch Tall 1 Light Outdoor Wall Light by Hinkley Lighting

The black finish and clear seedy glass of the Atwater 14 Inch Tall 1 Light Outdoor Wall Light by Hinkley Lighting complements the light wood with dramatic flair. Classic and elegant, this exterior light offers beauty and endurance.

Ambiance Collection 8-Inch Tall 1 Light LED Outdoor Wall Light by Justice Design Group

The warm, antique copper finish on the Ambiance Collection 8-Inch Tall 1 Light LED Outdoor Wall Light by Justice Design Group goes well with the earthy texture wall, creating a warm, welcoming glow. You can easily reimagine your exterior home lighting with this eye-catching light.

Try Outdoor LED Lights That Last Longer

Although fluorescent and incandescent bulbs tend to be brighter, LED lights are energy-efficient, durable, and last for years. These days, you can find LED lights for home exteriors that are almost as bright as fluorescents or incandescent bulbs, so if you find an LED light you like, go for it. They are a significant investment that will light up your outdoor spaces for a long time.

Eglo Predazzo 8 Inch Tall 1 Light LED Outdoor Wall Light by Eglo Lighting

A blend of industrial and clean-lined contemporary design, the Eglo Predazzo 8 Inch Tall 1 Light LED Outdoor Wall Light by Eglo Lighting gives your home’s exterior distinctive style. The streamlined rectangular silhouetted and angular cutouts in black and white make a stunning style statement.

Choose Opal Glass to Expand Coverage Area

Regular glass is usually used in outdoor ceiling lights since other glass types such as frosted or opal soften the light. However, although these glass types can mute the light’s intensity, they also amplify or expand the coverage area.

Glacier 21-Inch Tall 3 Light Outdoor Hanging Lantern by Crystorama

Perfect for porches and decks, the Glacier 21 Inch Tall 3 Light Outdoor Hanging Lantern by Crystorama was inspired by the calving icebergs of Antarctica. It features a smaller bottom and a larger, broader top. It mixes smoky black charcoal fining with white opal glass panels.

The right exterior home lighting can make your home stand out in the best possible way. No matter if you are trying to improve your curb appeal or just want a well-lit exterior for safety reasons, you can install lighting that is aesthetically pleasing and functional.