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How to Buy Outdoor Lighting? Buying Guide

outdoor home lighting

Your choices in exterior lighting fixtures should exuberate your glowing personality by providing a special finishing touch to your home’s overall appearance. However, there are a few elements to consider when you’re selecting the right look — safety, security and style. While a beautiful display of outdoor illumination is a welcoming feature for any household, taking the proper steps to provide a little safety along your walkways and security in corners of your property is also a good way to take advantage of outdoor home lighting. Needless to say, regardless of your agenda in terms of a nightly glow, there are a few questions to ask yourself before you select the right lighting for your home.

“What style am I going for?”

It’s important to acknowledge that your home has its own unique look and undoubtfully you’ll want to select exterior lights that work well with its existing style. Firstly, is your structure modern looking or does it embellish a more traditional, timeless feel? Now, if you aren’t planning any renovations in the near future, you’ll want to stick with your current theme when you plan your outdoor home lighting scheme. Next, you’ll need to consider the colors in your stonework, siding and roofing. Earthy tones, such as beiges or greens, would look best with bronze, brass or copper lighting fixtures. However, if your home features black or grey tones, you should select fixtures that possess a black, pewter, chrome, nickel, zinc or white finish. Lastly, you’ll need to consider the proportions of your home when you’re selecting outdoor home lighting. How much space do you have between your driveway and the highest point of elevation on your outdoor ceilings? Lighting looks best when it sizes up the architecture, so, consider the height and width of your home before you purchase your fixtures.

“What do I want the light to embellish?”

Regardless of whether you’re wanting to use the light for aesthetic reasons, safety for your guests or as a deterrent for crime, the key to finding the right lighting is to select something that correlates with your objectives. Here’s a good rule of thumb to use when you’re selecting lighting:

  • Front porch area: Outdoor LED bulbs have a longer lifespan than the average halogen bulbs and also possess a higher range of illumination. While outdoor step lights offer your guest a safe glow for their footing on route to your front door.
  • Exterior surfaces: If you’re looking for security and a pinch of glamor, place a few landscape spotlights along the siding, high ceilings or narrow corners of your home. Not only do these fancy, durable fixtures highlight your home’s surroundings, but they also possess a striking appeal in terms of uplifting outdoor features.
  • Backyard or front yard: Your yard is a fun area to decorate with outdoor home lighting. You can illuminate your flowerbeds with some LED garden lights, highlight the glow of your water features with some underwater pond lights or provide an elegant curve of light along your walkways with some LED walkway lights.

“How bright do I want my outdoor lighting?”

More light does not necessarily correspond to better light in terms of exterior lighting. If you’re placing your light fixtures too close to the glass, the strong rays of illumination can often exchange a displeasing glare that doesn’t compliment your home aesthetically. That’s why placement has the power to make or break a perfect lighting scheme.

“How do I want to incorporate energy efficiency?”

Since electricity is something that we use every day, taking steps towards more energy efficient lighting is the very least that homeowners can do to help mitigate their carbon footprint. That being said, not only do LED bulbs offer a great means of outdoor illumination, they also last longer, are available in various sizes and styles and allow you to save money on your energy costs.

Did our guide help you to decide what outdoor home lighting you’ll need to purchase for your illumination makeover? Tell us in the comments section below.

Alex Wilks is the Social Media & Content Creator for Trek Marketing. Her work has been featured on Global News, Black Press Media, andthe Kwantlen Chronicle