Outdoor Lighting Placement – Is it all the same?
In our past post, we covered a common DIY mistake when installing outdoor lighting – lighting overkill. We will continue with that theme on this post as well with outdoor lighting placement. Another common mistake we see in DIY installation is the placement of outdoor lighting. It is important to consider what features of your property should be highlighted, visibility and safety issues as well as how the lights interact with the surrounding landscape when deciding how to direct your lighting fixtures. Placement is essential in any given lighting design and there are several different types. To help understand the different types of directional lighting, we will go over the different types and where they are best used.
Up Lighting
Warm LED up and down lighting
Directing light upward from ground level dramatically highlights key architectural and landscape features. When up lighting your home, placement and beam width must be carefully addressed to prevent light spillage into bedroom windows.
Down Lighting
Illuminating an area or architectural element from above is often the best choice for safety, security or special effect. Lights shining down from above can illuminate a broad area, are difficult to tamper with, and are less likely to be hampered by landscape or weather concerns. A lighting designer can also place lamps to create a moonlighting effect.
Feature Lighting
Warm LED feature lighting in the foreground with cool lighting in the background.
A tree, a statue, a flag, a fountain or an architectural feature is best highlighted with fixtures that enhances the subject without creating undesirable shadows, glare or light spillage.
Security Lighting
Security lighting should be strategically placed so the entire perimeter and all access points are properly lit–but that doesn’t have to mean the ugly, high-voltage lights that might come to mind when you think about “security lights.”
Pathway and Step Lighting
Illuminating walking surfaces with light projected is a great enhancement to safety. Special attention should be paid to areas with uneven surfaces or steps. Step lighting can include lights on the risers, along the edges or under the steps.
Warm LED Path Light
These are the basic categories of outdoor lighting placement. However, a professional lighting designer takes much more into consideration when designing a custom home design. They can create dramatic effects like a down fixture creating a moonlight effect or creating dramatic shadows with some of the dark spaces. If you would like a free consultation with a lighting designer, give us a call 210-710-7737 or click here [maxbutton id=”1″ ]
