Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor Lighting

Last month, we talked a bit about Indoor Lighting and how it can have a dramatic effect on how the spaces in your home are presented and perceived. Much like the inside of your home, the benefits of strategic lighting on the outside can be realized from multiple perspectives.

Safety

Walkways, driveways and steps should always have some form of lighting to reduce the chance of accidents while walking in and out of your home at night. Also, well-lit entry ways and motion-activated security lights make criminals and unwanted guests consider a home far less approachable by increasing visibility around the home at night.

• Low path lights, or spread lights, are most common for walking areas and come in a variety of styles, price points, and power sources—including solar. Solar powered lamps can simply be pressed into the ground since their power is provided by small solar panels on top of the lamps.

• On the front of the house, or the main entrance, there are three key features that should be well lit: the house number, the key hole and any steps leading up to the door. A popular method is a simple three-point lighting arrangement with sconces on either side with an overhead light source above the door or doors.

• Secondary entrances can easily be lit with motion or light activated fixtures. These save power by only being activated in appropriate situations and can be hidden under the eaves or soffit of the roof line.

Inside Out

There’s not much better than spending an evening in the backyard with friends and family and some burgers on the grill. With a built-in grill, an outdoor sink and some seating, a backyard kitchen area is an increasingly popular way to expand the livable space of a home and increase value.

• Cooking areas should be well lit for both the quality of the food and safety. The heat source in the grill creates a back-lit cooking surface, making it hard to see food while it’s cooking. An overhead or spot light will keep things bright enough so you don’t burn your hands or your burgers.

• Much like under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen, using accent or rope lights to illuminate hand rails, steps and decking is a beautiful way to define and separate the yard from your outdoor living spaces.

Personality

The drama added to a home with exterior accent lights is more than aesthetic. In the same way directional and accent lights inside the home add dimension and character to your space, lighting the outside transforms your home from a structure into a personality. For the same reasons we give mansions and estates names, and for the same reasons we are often compelled to revisit the homes of our past, the connections we create with these places add to the emotional and dollar value of the home.

• Spot and accent lights accompanied by spread lights, which illuminate low level areas or ground cover, can be used to create a theatrical presentation of your home. Spot lights can be used to focus and aim light to draw attention to features, angles and also create dramatic shadows on the exterior of the home while being easily hidden by flowers and shrubs. Spread lights are perfect for lighting flower beds and broad spaces around the house.

If you have questions about how outdoor lighting can enhance your home, or if you are thinking about an outdoor cooking/entertainment area contact Affordable Kitchens and Bathrooms.

Thank you,
David Decker

President, Affordable Kitchens and Bathrooms

AKB is dedicated to customer service, open communication, quality workmanship and unique design, while building lifelong relationships with our customers.