For any building or home, exterior lighting will always remain an integral part. It will not only create a very beautiful and illuminated outdoor atmosphere but also can offer much-needed safety.
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In most homes, overhead lighting is usually used for ambient lighting, and of course, there should be no reason that it is different outside too. The modern outdoor pendant lights of today and also ceiling lights usually come in a little more decorative look.
Now the question is how you will calculate the amount of lighting that you need, and also much more. The following are a few tips that can answer all these.
1. Include these three types
Include the three fundamental types of lighting:
- Task
- Ambient
- Accent lighting
Hanging lights, wall lights, and post lights can all be used to provide ambient lighting. Pathway lights, as well as deck and security lights, are examples of task lighting.
Landscape kits and spotlights can also be used to add accent lighting to your outside space. Consider solar spotlights, string lights, or LED candles if you have a tiny patio and a limited budget.
2. Calculate
You will need to determine out how much illumination you will need before you go purchasing. Try this easy formula to figure out how much light your space needs:
Multiply the square footage of your area that you want to illuminate by 1.5 to get a ballpark estimate of your total wattage needed – for example, a space of 100 square feet would require 150 watts.
3. Plan ahead while choosing fixtures
Examine your room and collect measurements to avoid selecting large-scale fixtures. Using a simple paper piece, measure the size and location of a fixture before purchasing it.
Before purchasing, use a paper template for determining correct positioning and dimensions. The size of your outdoor wall light for the back patio or front porch should be around one-third the entrance height.
You will also want to be sure that the lighting you choose is durable, constructed of high-quality, weather-resistant materials.
Use a landscape lighting kit for a quick fix on your grass. Consider a kit that can be plugged into an outside outlet. Typically, these kits consist of a single wire with many ground spotlights linked together.
Place them in a garden for creating dramatic shadows or around the perimeter of your patio to create a festive atmosphere. You can also experiment with solar landscape lighting.
4. Use LEDs
LED will use far less energy as compared to incandescent bulbs or halogen and also, they are maintenance-free, so you need not change your bulbs.
5. Take a look from your inside the home
This can assist you in deciding which lighting to use and where to install it in your yard. Consider how your home’s patios, gardens, and paths appear from inside.
At night, lighting gardens or bushes visible from dining or living rooms provide a room-expanding vista to the outside. For an easy and quick style change, consider path lighting for your garden areas or solar outdoor lighting.
6. For entertaining use subtle light
Instead of shining a strong spotlight on your dinner guests while they enjoy their outdoor meal, use lighting that emits a subtle glow. The use of modest, indirect lighting in outdoor rooms, particularly dining areas, helps to create a relaxing atmosphere.
To brighten seating and dining areas, additional outdoor lanterns, ceiling fans and pendants with light kits are being used. With these fixtures, use a dimmer to set the light to full when cooking, or dim it for dining and relaxing.
7. Think about security
Outdoor lighting not only adds to the ambiance of your property but can also help to secure it. Make sure the home’s access points are brightly lit. Install a single lamp above the garage door or a wall lantern on all sides of your garage door.
Use spotlights mounted on your eaves or wall lanterns at windows, side doors, and garages to brighten any side of your house that is in the shadows for enhanced security.
