Outdoor Lighting Ideas

outdoor lighting ideas

Bright Plans for Outdoor Lighting

Simple as it might seem, outdoor lighting is actually a pretty important landscaping feature. The key to making it be all that it can be is knowing WHAT exactly you want it to do. Defining its purpose and assigning it a function will dictate the type, placement and number of lights you use, so it’s best to develop a real plan before you light things up.

What’s Your Bright Idea?

In some cases, outdoor lighting is used to define a space and set off a specific landscape feature. In others, it’s used to create a mood. For shadowy areas of a yard, outdoor lighting can be critical for increasing safety and security. It can also be necessary for illuminating walkways or defining the boundaries of a yard.

Where’s the Shine?

Once you’ve determined WHY you need lighting, you’ll need to determine WHERE you need the lighting placed. Naturally, this will require a plan with drawings of your space. Consider hiring a team of professional landscape designers like Executive Landscaping, Inc. to handle things from here on out so that you can achieve the best results. The plans drawn up should include both the placement and the height of all buildings and landscape features including plants, foliage, furniture and outdoor decorations already in place.
Any existing lighting you may have factors into how much light will either be reflected or absorbed by the new lighting you add.

Plot and Spot

After your plans are drawn, revisit the reasons you need lighting. The reasons will help in placement because the placement of outdoor lighting is key in how it functions. Placing a single spotlight near a waterfall or a series of smaller lights encircling a pond, for instance, will set those areas off as focal points. Bordering alongside a walkway or path, a series of lighted stakes will help in guiding people through areas of a property. Placing lights discreetly under foliage in planted beds will give off a soft glow that is more ambient than functional.

Request a Free Estimate for Your Residential or Commercial Landscaping Project

Request a Quote

Work Those Lights!

The stronger the lights and the more elaborate the design, the more work the project will require. Wiring for high-voltage lighting must be buried underground or encased in a protective conduit, so you’ll definitely need a pro to handle the job. Low-voltage lighting is simpler, but it still requires the use of an outdoor power receptacle and a transformer to make the lights operational. Easiest of all are solar powered lights, which require nothing more than sunlight to illuminate them. Whichever option you choose, placement will still be key.

The Bright Price

Naturally, every type of outdoor lighting comes with its very own price point. As you might have guessed, high-voltage landscape lighting is the most expensive and often costs $100 or more per light. The price will increase once you’ve added the cost of labor for the professional installation it requires. Low-voltage is next on the list, coming in at $30 to $300 per light. Unlike high-voltage outdoor lighting, it is installed relatively easily without a professional, which will avoid an added cost.

Solar lighting is the most inexpensive of them all and requires nothing apart from sunlight to operate. They’re simply installed and have no added costs apart from the fixtures themselves. Whatever the reason for your outdoor lighting project, you’ll need to plan in advance to avoid any costly mistakes or inconvenient frustrations. Once it’s complete, great lighting will truly make your landscape a masterpiece – and show off just what makes it worth lighting up.

Give the outdoor lighting experts at Executive Landscaping, Inc. a call today to learn more about how we can create an Executive Masterpiece for you!