Plan, Plan Ahead
As always, our theme builds off of having a plan and planning ahead before making any changes to the property. In order to begin planning your outdoor lighting plan, it’s essential to define what your outdoor space will be used for. Are there architectural features on your home that you want to highlight at night? Do you have a new patio that you plan to use for entertaining guests on a regular basis? Another important factor to determine before getting to work is the goal of your outdoor lighting project. Some homeowners place a premium focus on security, preventing unauthorized entry in order to keep their property and possessions safe. Other individuals focus on safety, highlighting the hazards that can be present on your wintertime walk from the car to the front door.
Planning ahead is essential for giving you the ability to plan creatively with your property. Many homeowners jump into their outdoor lighting project headfirst, failing to realize the full scope of what their yard needs for a fully functional and safe space once the sun goes down. Another benefit of this phase is that you’ll be able to clearly list all of your home’s needs.
Striking The Lighting Balance
In addition to planning is the regular recommendation of layering your lighting features for the best outcome. Homeowners will rely on the three types of indoor lighting for their outdoor needs as well, including:
- Ambient lighting, which consists of sweeping lighting options that illuminate your home’s landscape.
- Task lighting is needed for nighttime activities, whether it’s to light up a workbench for your weekend crafts or a wall light for eating and entertaining. In any case, installing functional lighting products will boost the usability of your property.
- Accent lighting is a commonly used form for outdoor needs, generally consisting of floodlights and spotlights to highlight interesting property features.
Be sure to walk your landscaping to gain a clear picture of all of the lighting that is needed. Many people do this during the day, which while safer overall, doesn’t fully capture the needs of your exterior surfaces. Planning and placing your landscape lighting at night will help to eliminate misplacement mistakes. Being able to accurately identify areas of weakness and problem spots can help to save you time, frustration, and additional trips to your local Omaha lighting store.
Covering The Essentials
At the very least, it is essential for you to light up your home’s landscaping to provide illumination for safe travels across the property. Simply parking your car in the driveway and questing for the front door can be risky if safety lights are not present. Be mindful of your traveling paths, steps, entrances, driveways, patios, and more. Wherever foot traffic can be expected at night, plan on installing a lighting fixture. Once you have covered the basics, you can move onto more exciting lighting elements such as spotlights for water features and beautiful landscaping elements.
Avoid Light Pollution
One prevalent problem that plagues homeowners is light pollution, or any issue that is the result of any artificial light source at night. Generally, light pollution consists of utilizing too many outdoor lighting fixtures on your home, creating an intense glare that can wash out the details of your property and obscure your view of the night sky. Light pollution can also source from the direction of your lighting features, whether that light is pouring in through a neighbor’s windows or shining directly into the faces of your property’s guests. This problem can be very debilitating to the final quality of your outdoor lighting project, but our experts can help! We offer advice based on our decades of experience, and our representatives can also provide useful tools for avoiding glare such as shields and guards to deflect light pollution.
Utilizing Modern Technology
In the days of old, homeowners had to design their landscape lighting schemes around the weaknesses of standard incandescent bulbs. Today’s consumers now have the choice of investing in LED options for their outdoor lighting needs. These bulbs are more costly up front, yet the long-term benefits make each LED worth every penny. LEDs are durable, safe, and extremely energy efficient. Modern technology has helped to produce products that are better able to withstand the elements, making LED lights a popular choice for both outdoor and indoor lighting.
When it comes to finding the residential lighting for your outdoor needs, it pays to plan ahead and utilize expert assistance when needed. The Light Palace is proud to be your go-to lighting store in Omaha, providing Nebraska homes with quality service since 1953. Our expert staff and expansive inventory ensure that you leave our lighting showroom satisfied with the experience. Contact us today for assistance or stop by our store to begin your lighting project!
