When it comes to the best outdoor lighting ideas, it’s all about how you use them. Landscape lights can transform your yard into a beautiful showpiece for all to see. Who wouldn’t want that? Of course, the task of searching for and buying the right kind of landscape lights is a bit overwhelming.
There are three main types of backyard lighting: safety lighting to discourage prowlers and improve navigation; landscape lighting to highlight garden features and accent lighting to focus on the hardscape. You’ll want to have all three of these types in your backyard, so you can achieve different lighting levels for different purposes. There are many lighting options within each category. Let’s take a look at the best backyard lighting options so you can make an informed decision about what to place in your outdoor space.
Security lighting
Security lighting is the most bright backyard lighting. It can be used to illuminate large areas and deter would-be thieves or other destructive animals. This lighting is powered by a standard 120-Volt current and is mounted high up, such as above a garage or eaves, to project-wide beams of light onto the main walkways or backyard fence entrance.
Motion-sensing floodlights are your best option for security. They attach to exterior siding or walls. The intense light can be seen by prowlers, and they may think you are home and on alert.
Path Lighting
Path lighting is a combination of landscape and safety lighting that can be used to illuminate walkways from a soft to a moderately bright level. It should be installed on the ground from your back door to your fence, as well as along the stepping stones that lead to a backyard feature such as a fountain or around flower beds, to highlight their contours.
Low-voltage or solar LED options are available for path lighting. These include a bulb housing unit that is attached to a stake that you put into the ground. Low-voltage lights will require a transformer to lower the 120-volt house current down to 12 volts. Energy-saving solar versions do not require extra wires. These lights can be used even if the walkways are shaded. They will remain bright for many hours after dark, thanks to either a remote solar panel or a solar rechargeable battery.
String Lighting
String lighting is a low-voltage accent lighting that creates a cozy, intimate atmosphere. It’s ideal for entertaining. String lights can be hung wherever there is activity, such as on the roof of the home to brighten an outside kitchen or the posts of an outdoor pavilion to illuminate patio furniture.
You should look for waterproof, rechargeable, solar-powered, traditional battery-powered, or solar-powered outdoor string lights. These usually come with a remote panel, and preferably long-lasting LED bulbs. These lights eliminate the need to run extension cords through the yard and allow lighting in remote areas of the yard without the use of electrical outlets. They also ensure that lights remain on even when it rains.
Deck Lighting
Deck lighting is standard voltage, moderate-to-high-intensity, low-intensity lighting that helps people get up and down from the deck at night. It also highlights garden features nearby.
The LED lights are recessed into the surface and can be walked on without feeling them. Deck lights should be placed around the perimeter of deck surfaces, between individual steps, or along deck railings.
Give Our Outdoor Lighting Experts a Call!
If you’re looking for landscape lighting or you want to learn more about the best outdoor lighting ideas, LD Lighting is available to discuss various options and help you find a solution that fits your aesthetic. Contact us today to get started.