Take a look around your landscape. Do your happy feelings kind of sink along with the setting sun when you can no longer see your gorgeous yard at night?
There’s one thing that can illuminate your landscape (and your mood): landscape lighting. Maybe you want to create a cozy, romantic feeling in the evening. Or perhaps you have a shadowy corner you need to bring out of the dark. Maybe you have a paved path that winds through trees that you’d like to shine light on to avoid tripping as the sun dissipates. Or possibly you have a fabulous fireplace, water feature, or garden statue you want to spotlight.
Landscape lighting has so many uses. In fact, a professionally designed lighting installation can elevate your landscape from flat and uninspired to oozing with drama and intrigue. What other landscape addition adds beauty, curb appeal, value, purpose, and safety to your property all at the same time?
Since many people work or are busy until the afternoon or evening hours, they often can’t enjoy their backyard until it’s getting dark. Landscape lighting instantly makes unusable space usable again. Whether you’re illuminating entryways, pathways, structures, or entertainment spaces, there are many ways landscape lighting can work wonders for your home.
1. Moonlighting
Lighting that is facing down (pointing toward the ground from above) is called down lighting or moonlighting because it resembles the natural light that the moon casts.
This type of lighting can be great for highlighting a path, plant, or seating area. It creates a natural feeling that is soft and romantic, as if your garden is being kissed by gentle light.
You can also highlight wall fountains or artwork with small, targeted down lights. This can change the look of the sculpture by giving it different feelings at different times of the day.
2. Uplighting
Uplighting, the opposite of down lighting, happens when you want to draw attention to an area of your home or landscape, such as spotlighting a large tree or sections of your home. But since this lighting strategy can be more dramatic, a professional eye can help you properly angle and target this light.
Uplighting multiple objects together like a vignette also makes this look work wonders. The trick is to mix uplighting from the fronts, sides, and backs of various objects so you have a good blend of shadows and textures. Some uplighting techniques are done close to textured walls, evergreens, or objects to enhance their patterns at night. This technique can also make focal points out of flowers, trees, and foliage.
3. Pathway Lighting
Pathway lighting is a common strategy for highlighting any walkway in your landscape — from the driveway to the front door or the backyard to a cozy fire pit.
A common mistake in pathway lighting is setting them up in straight rows like an airplane runway; but pathway lights that angle light downward, spreading light at your feet are ideal for safety as well as aesthetics. Mixing them in among the plants and staggering them breaks up that runway effect, yet still creates a consistent path of light.
4. Deck and Step Lighting
Adding landscape lighting to your deck and outdoor steps can add ambiance and safety to these well-used spaces.
Adding lights to step risers makes it safe for each moving foot, limiting trips and falls, and post lights for fences or decks can provide light at a slightly higher level, balancing the effect.
5. Task Lighting
Some of the most dramatic and useful lights are those that highlight your favorite and most frequented spots. Think of your outdoor kitchen cooking surface. You want to be able to grill steaks anytime in the afternoon or evening when you’re hanging out on your patio (and to cook and prepare food, you need to see what you’re doing).
Water features and pools are also great targets for illumination. Submersible lights installed in the water can make the space dramatic, as well as practical, when it gets dark.
We hope we’ve inspired you to see all the possibilities that are available with landscape lighting. A professional lighting design can take your landscape to that next level. We want you to get the most enjoyment out of your home and landscape, and adding hours of outdoor enjoyment to your day can certainly do that.
As you begin to daydream about using your favorite spaces into the evening hours, don’t hesitate to contact the design experts at Rossen Landscape. We can discuss all of your options and create a custom plan for your space.
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