Many homeowners spend lots of time and money towards their home's landscaping because they understand the importance it has on their homes value. One thing many homeowners overlook is landscape lighting, which is a crucial aspect of a landscape. If you are looking for ways to improve the beauty of your home, landscape lighting is a cost-efficient way of doing so. Not only can the addition of lighting give your home a dramatic look, but it can provide a wide range of other benefits as well. Here are just a few of the ways landscaping lighting is important for gardens and yards.
According to FBI crime reports, the chances of a home being burglarized are about one in five. Not only can a home intrusion result in the loss of your possessions, but it may also put your family in danger. Home burglaries typically occur when the home looks like it will be easy to break into. Landscape lighting will help to light up your home, which will make burglars exposed and vulnerable. Outdoor lighting also improves your ability to identify strangers outside of your home.
One of the best things about the installation of landscape lighting is how much it improves the curb appeal of your home. Landscape lighting can be used to highlight the architectural features of your home by simply positioning light fixtures in the garden or yard and aiming the light source at elements you want to highlight. A good example is wall washers, which are designed to graze the surface of exterior walls in order to bring out the texture by creating various shadows and highlights.
Not only will an illuminated landscape help to ward off burglars, but it will also help to prevent injuries. Installing landscape lighting around walkways and driveways can help to safely guide you and your guests into your home, which will significantly help to reduce the risk of trips and falls, especially at night.
Another practice for expanding nighttime living space is boundary lighting. Many people have a fence or shrub line that represents the end of their property line. This section can be illuminated with a small output wall wash fixture. When done properly using photometrics, more than one light can be overlapped to create a continuous wall of light that will subtly show the edges of a yard.
If you have a swimming pool, a fire pit or a great outdoor dining area, landscape lighting allows you to enjoy these great additions during the night as well as during the day. The installation of landscape lighting means you can go for a dip in your pool after dark, without the risk of injury and you can maximize the amount of time you use your backyard living space, which means more time for fun with family and friends.
A number of studies have shown that most home and property owners, in recent times, prefer a home with a well designed landscape lighting system. Therefore, making your home more competitive with nearby homes that are on the market because of the benefits list above: Security, Safety, Curb-Appeal, Extending Boundaries, and More Outdoor Enjoyment.
There are four important and very different lighting effects for landscape lighting - uplighting, downlighting, pathlighting and specialty lighting.
The most visible source of lighting equipment comes from path lights. Pathlighting should be used to draw attention to pedestrian hazards such as grade changes or to illuminate surfaces that can't be reached by downlighting from trees, eaves and other architectural elements or integral wall mounted fixtures.
This is a general description for several lighting techniques that use surface mounted or recessed fixtures aiming upward. This creates a dramatic effect that demands attention-thereby establishing focal points.
Like uplighting, this is a general term that describes a group of effects that places the illuminating source above the target area. Downlighting can be used to light specific garden elements and pedestrian areas or to illuminate large spaces for safety, security or recreational purposes.
Specialty lighting utilizes unique products built for specific applications so designers can customize systems to their liking. Knowing how to take advantage of these products can greatly enhance a designer's capabilities.