Are you looking for new ways to brighten up your backyard?

Rather than spending hours searching for the perfect plant or sculpture,

why not merely add some decorative lighting?

When it comes to designing the ideal outdoor living space,

lighting is one of the most important aspects to consider.

The right combination of backyard lighting can significantly

improve the visual charm of your yard and increase the value of your home.

Begin With the Basics

Before you begin peppering your yard with lamps and lanterns, keep in mind a little amount of light can illuminate large spaces.

You don’t need to go overboard when lighting your patio or deck. One wall light, a few carefully placed tiki torches or a string of rope lights will be enough to brighten up any entertainment area.

The idea is to create ambiance rather than to mimic the brightness of indoors. However, you also need to keep security in mind. 

Remember to illuminate any steps with special stairway lights, and use overhead lighting at all entryways. When lighting pathways, use short, inconspicuous lanterns.

Space them about ten feet apart, and use an alternating pattern. You can also light your pavers with special recessed lights. Spend some time in your yard at night to determine which lights would work best in each area.

If you want to use landscape lighting to safeguard your home, select fixtures that have motion sensors with manual shutoff capabilities.

Spotlights and floodlights are powerful, and they can overwhelm the overall lighting scheme. By installing lights with motion sensors, you can use them virtually anywhere in your yard without detracting from the rest of your lighting arrangements. 

Experiment with Various Techniques

With the vast assortment of modern lighting techniques, you can create a truly unique, festive yard. One of the most commonly used methods is accent lighting.

It’s meant to highlight a special object or area in a yard such as a gazebo, tree or statue.

Accent lighting produces a dramatic effect, and brighter lights such as spotlights or floodlights are used to control the light beam. You can place lights in trees or use recess lighting to create the desired look. 

To create accent lighting, you can utilize these different techniques:

• cross lighting to illuminate one object from different angles
• uplighting to highlight a feature from below
• downlighting to cast a wide light over a specific area or element
• moonlighting used as downlighting but with softly glowing lights

Another interesting lighting technique is silhouetting, which involves the use of low lights placed behind an object you want to silhouette. Direct the light outward from behind the object.

You can also use shadow casting to create the same kind of depth. Place a small lamp in front of the point of interest. Keep it at a low level to cast shadows behind the focal point. Shadowing and silhouetting are ideal for use with shrubs and small statues. 

If you have a pool, pond or water fountain in your backyard, you can use lighting to accentuate the water and add visual interest. Place submergible lights in your water element to create eye-catching effects.

To enhance the beauty of a fountain, use colored lights. You can also place walkway lights around a pond to set it apart from the rest of the ground elements. 

Make the Most of Your Outdoor Lights

To design a magnificent, dazzling outdoor display, you need to know your limits. Don’t use too many lights in one area, and combine various types of lighting so the atmosphere is unique and not boring.

Create layers by using tiki torches, patio umbrella lights, string lights, hanging tree lanterns and lamp posts. For a distinctive look, illuminate items you would normally dismiss such as benches or retaining walls. 

Other tips for getting the most of your outdoor lighting include:

1. When lighting up steps, illuminate the entire staircase rather than just the top. 
2. Use bullet lights to brighten pathways that wind through grassy areas.
3. Purchase lamps camouflaged as butterflies, flowers or other objects to create a sense of whimsy throughout your garden.
4. Soften the intensity of a halogen light by replacing the clear lens with a blue one. 
5. To save money and energy, use solar lighting or LED lights where possible.
6. Install rope lights around deck or pool railings for added safety.

Proper placement of outdoor lights helps to create a magical, inviting living space for you, your family and your guests. Using special lamps or lanterns to spotlight various points in your yard not only boosts the level of security, it also adds mystery, drama and romance to the area.

If you want more tips on how to use lighting to enhance your backyard, contact Install It Direct today.