Designing a Landscape Lighting System

• December 28, 2022
• Website Admin

After a long winter, it’s always nice to spend some time outdoors. Whether you’re camping outside with the kids, enjoying a nice barbecue dinner, or taking a dip in the pool, the right lighting can help to enhance your experience and set the tone for a great night. A good landscape designer can help you with your landscaping needs, including designing a landscape lighting system to best match your aesthetic and outdoor requirements.

Why is Lighting Important?

There are lots of reasons that someone might decide to enhance their exterior lighting systems:

• Lighting enhances curb appeal. In short, lighting makes everything look nicer. More specifically, it makes your house look warmer and more inviting. Not only is this nice for you, but it’s also nice when you have guests.
• Lighting enhances safety. People are more likely to trip and fall in the dark. Hiring a landscape designer to install some exterior lighting systems can reduce the risk of injury on your property. 
• It increases your property value. If you’re looking to sell your home, landscaping offers a great return on investment. With the right landscape, you can expect to receive 100-200% of your investment back when you sell. Exterior lighting can help to boost curb appeal and your property value. 
• Enhanced security. Thieves are less likely to break into homes that are well-lit. Exterior lighting systems can help to light up your home, reducing the risk of breaking and entering. 

Where to Start?

Step 1: Create a Plan

The first step in enhancing your landscaping with lighting is creating a plan. This may take some research on your part, but a good landscape designer like Ever Changing Landscape will certainly be able to help. 

Start by assessing your property and choosing which lighting techniques you would like to use. Do you need deck and patio lighting? Hardscape lighting? Pool lighting? Inground lighting? Path lighting? Accent lighting? Or perhaps a combination of all of the above. 

To decide where you want to put your lights, consider what aspects of your property you like the most. These are the ones you’ll want to enhance. You may also want to consider security, placing lighting strategically to improve safety around your home. 

Step 2: Decide on techniques and fixtures

There are lots of different lighting techniques that you can use to enhance the visual appeal of your home. From wall-washing to shadowing to silhouette and hardscape lighting, there are many ways to enhance your landscaping. A good landscape designer can shine some light on each of these techniques, helping you decide which is best suited to your personal preferences. Of course, they can also help you pick out your fixtures. 

Step 3: Installation

Unless you are a professional, we don’t recommend installing your light fixtures alone. Working with lighting can be dangerous. If you install the lights improperly, you could drastically decrease their lifespan and lose out on your warranty. A professional landscape designer can help get the job done stress-free, strategically placing your lights where they will enhance your house the best.