The exterior of the home is the first place to be viewed by guests. Designing a beautiful outdoor area will enhance the beauty of the house one is living in. Outdoor lighting has to be installed to make these outdoor areas more colourful and pleasant.
In addition to brightening the block, exterior lighting helps provide more security to the people in the home. This lighting comes in various styles and models that will be discussed in this post.
Types of Outdoor Lightning
Wall Lights
These outdoor lights are mounted on walls or other vertical surfaces and radiate the light, providing a beautiful ambience. This work wonders for illuminating pathways, stairways, recessed areas, and walkways. These also help minimise the risk of accidents as they eliminate the shadows. Opting for low-wattage bulbs for outdoor wall lights is advisable as they do not produce much glare, unlike higher-wattage bulbs.
Landscape Lights
These elevate the landscape features of the outdoor area; try using different fixtures to get perfect highlights for the outdoor area. Deck lights are used for easy navigation and are attached to structures in the area. These lights also showcase the architecture of the house at night. One should go for well-lights, downlights, spotlights, and uplights.
Ceiling Fans
Outdoor lights can be mounted onto ceiling fans. This can be advantageous as ceiling fans outdoors can help prevent insect bites, offering cooling effects in addition to overhead lighting. One can choose this outdoor lighting for porches, gazebos, and entryways. But before fixing the lights, ensure the ceiling fan is suitable for outdoor use.
Security and Flood Lights
These are designed specifically for large areas. They are high-intensity lights with broad beams that can lighten up a wide area. Homeowners typically install them to lessen local criminal activity.
Types of Security Lights
- Switch-Control Security Lights
These are controlled by a switch which can be turned on or off according to convenience and necessity. Thus, they help in reducing power consumption.
- Motion Sensor Lights
Some lights come with a motion sensor that makes the light turn on when there is movement in the surroundings. Once the movement stops, the light automatically deactivated, thus reducing energy consumption.
- Dusk-to-Dawn Lights
These turn on and off based on the sun’s movement. They turn on during dusk, keeping the outdoors illuminated at night, and turn off at dawn.
Pendant Lights or Ceiling-Mount Lights
These are mounted from the ceiling and add to the aesthetics of the outdoor area. These are often fixed at outdoor seating places and dining tables to offer proper illumination. Other than that, they can also illuminate covered porches, gazebo areas, and entryways.
Types of Bulbs
- LED Bulbs
Light-emitting diodes (LED bulbs) are universally popular. They are an excellent option for outdoor lighting. Though these can be expensive, one should also consider their longevity.
- HID Bulbs
These can illuminate larger areas. The high-intensity discharge bulbs often provide good illumination, enhancing security in the outdoor area..
- Other Bulbs
Incandescent bulbs can be installed if the outdoor area is not exposed to rain or snow. Both halogen and compact fluorescent bulbs are used in outdoor lighting, but CFL is dangerous to handle as it contains inflammable mercury.
Final Thoughts
Installing outdoor lighting enhances not only the aesthetics of the house but also improves security. Invest in this lighting according to your personal preferences, the home’s architectural design, and security requirements.
