Refined Landscape Lighting Design: A 5-Step Plan

Now is the time to evaluate your outdoor and landscape lighting needs in preparation for the summer season.  Follow our step-by-step landscape lighting design plan and get the job done right.

Learn how to get luxurious landscape lighting effects and make your home shine by Memorial Day 2014…

Landscape Lighting Design by WAC Lighting

Kichler Landscape Lighting

Kichler outdoor path lighting

Step-by-Step Landscape Lighting Design

Step One:  Review the perimeters of your home, including surrounding outdoor property—front yards, back yards, side yards—to see which features you would like to accentuate, such as fountains, sculpture, or flower boxes. Choose a few areas that will stand out and add a luxurious element to your home at night.

Step Two:  Scout out areas where you will need security lighting—leading up to and at all home entryways.  Take note of areas where path lighting, step lighting, and task lighting are needed.

InvisiLED strip lighting by WAC Lighting

LED strip lighting under steps, railings and benches provides excellent security lighting and may be custom-tailored to your decor. LED light strips are especially suitable for outdoor areas, as they are long-lasting and extremely durable, radiate very little heat, and use up to 80 percent less electricity than standard light sources.

Step Three:  If you have existing outdoor lighting—review your property at night to see where you can upgrade your lighting design.  Check that everything is in working order and adequate illumination is provided at all significant locations.

• Where there are large areas blanketed in darkness, consider installing a floodlight equipped with energy-efficient lamps and lighting controls.

• Equally important is to check for areas that are excessively bright. Overly bright outdoor lighting, including path lighting and patio lighting, creates glare and can actually make it harder to see at night and diminish safety and security.

Your landscape lighting should be soothing and comfortable.  Make sure that  landscape and outdoor fixtures do not cast light into your neighbors’ property.  Keep “light trespass” from invading your own home at night.

A bright post lantern or an overabundance of outside illumination streaming into your home at night can be quite an annoyance; and may, even, interfere with your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep at night!

Step Four:  If you like to entertain outdoors—see that your property is safely lit for guests—pay attention to elevation levels and unusual dips or risings; boundaries defining rock gardens, Koi ponds, and small shrubs should be clearly visible.  Make sure you have enough ambient illumination for safe navigation, as well as sufficient task lighting for cooking and food preparation.

Step Five:  Lighting techniques, such as shadowing, silhouetting and cross lighting add artistry and depth to your landscape at night.  But do not overdo it.  Depending on the size of your property, select one to three key areas that will expand and complement your overall landscape lighting presentation.

• Conceal lights behind and below a statue or small tree to highlight form and create definition.

• Show off a sculpted garden,  a textured rock wall or a unique architectural feature of your home that will stand out at night.

Get it Done Affordably, Efficiently and Elegantly

Light responsibly.  Keep an eye on the safety.  Having top-quality outdoor lighting makes for the best “Neighborhood Watch Program.”

Outdoor security flood light from Nuvo Lighting

Light conservatively.  The most wonderful aspect of outdoor and landscape lighting is that you only need a few well-chosen light sources to deliver a great deal of illumination and an overall luxuriant feel to your home.  Compared to other home improvement projects, top quality landscape lighting adds substantially to the value of your property.

Light efficiently.  You will save money in the long run, if you invest in automated lighting systems and LED landscape lighting now.  For maintenance-free, durable, long-lasting illumination—buy your LED landscape lighting and automated control systems from a reputable dealer.

Top-quality LED landscape lighting fixture are built to last with finishes guaranteed to withstand harsh weather conditions; many come with life-time product warranties.

Find qualified lighting professionals and electricians.  Professional lighting consultants will help you design your landscape lighting to exact specifications with outdoor fixtures that are UL-listed for outdoor use; electricians, familiar with updated LED lighting systems, should be licensed and aware of current electrical codes and ordinances in your town or city.

Order your fixtures early, set the job up now with energy-efficient security lighting and luxurious landscape illumination to ensure you will be ready for summer holiday celebrations.

THE SEASON’S TOP PICS:

Hinkley’s Digital Astronomical Time Clock

Motion-Sensor Outdoor lighting from Progress Lighting

“Kirkham” from Minka Lavery  *Dark-Sky compliant

LED Outdoor Spot Lights from Progress Lighting

“Star Strand” LED strip lighting from ET2 is remarkably versatile.  It can be used under water and may be remotely controlled.

Specialty LED outdoor tape lighting from WAC Lighting

Kichler’s Landscape LED Energy Smart Pathway Light

 “Alumilux” LED Energy Smart bollard from ET2

LED Energy Smart Pond-Fountain Light from Kichler

Increase the value of your property and extend your living space with top quality landscape lighting and outdoor light fixtures. Look for superb LED landscape light fixtures, energy-efficient security lighting and new lighting control systems from top vendors.

Outstanding landscape lighting vendors, including Hinkley Lighting, Kichler Lighting, Progress Lighting and WAC Lighting are available at 1800lighting.com.

For more information about LED landscape lighting or to find the best fixtures for lighting your landscape, contact an ALA (American Lighting Association) certified lighting consultant at a Capitol Lighting showroom or visit 1800lighting.com.