Exterior Contemporary Lighting: Tips for Your Gazebo

Adorning your gazebo with exterior contemporary lighting can make a big difference to the space. Come nighttime, you can use this space to throw an outdoor party, or just relax after a long and tiring day. Well-lit  gazebos look like little ships at night, and it is hard to not get envious when your neighbor’s gets the full treatment.  . With some helpful tips, there should be no reason why you cannot do the same to your own. If you are considering buying lights for your gazebo, you could use a few helpful tips. The following should guide you into finding the perfect lighting for your gazebo. First of all, consider your budget. Once you know who much you can afford and how much you are willing to spend, it will be easy to identify the options available for you. If you are looking for a cheaper option, you can go with Christmas lights, ensuring that you get one that is made for the outdoors. If you are simply looking to improve your outdoor lights but do not too much to spend, consider simply changing the shades or bulbs. This can already make a big difference. Look online and should come across numerous ideas for lighting a gazebo. Now that you know your budget, you can now limit your search for find something that is appropriate. Unless you are an electrician, be careful with installing lighting on your own. It is highly recommended that you get someone qualified to do this, so you know that the job is done correctly. But if you want to do things on your own, ensure that you take the necessary safety precautions before you get started. Here are some great examples of lighting fixtures for your gazebo. Cristal De Lisbon 9+2 Light Chandelier by Uttermost. Rows of crystal clear glass fill the channels of this chandelier’s narrow ribs with bouquets of same-cut crystals spill over the edges. This would be a perfect centerpiece for your gazebo. Burnaby Small Lantern by Kenroy Home. Sporting a Mercury Bronze finish, this lantern will look great when installed on the posts of your gazebo, effectively giving you ambient lighting. It is beauty adorned by leaves detailing. South Pacific 33″ Outdoor Table Lamp with Sesame Sunbrella Shade by Patio Living Concepts. Add casual elegant stylish to the center of gazebo table with this lamp. Completely waterproof, it has a sesame Sunbrella shade cover, two-level dimming switch and a 16-feet cord. Cambridge 80″/85″ Single/Four Lantern Patio Lamp by Patio Living Concepts. Install these poles on both sides of the entrance, creating a regal entryway for your guests. It features black or white texture powder coated aluminum construction with a resin base. Adding lights to your gazebo can make it very attractive, giving you so many praises for a job well done while making your garden look much brighter. With...

Stunning Do-It-Yourself Exterior House Lighting Ideas

Lighting is one of the easiest and least expensive  ways to cast an enchanting spell to warm  any outdoor space. If you are someone who is good with do-it-yourself projects, here are some exterior house lighting ideas if you are looking to illuminate a setting and create a distinctive mood. Bottle Beauty. Outdoor buffet tables and bars have to be adequately lighted, but they are usually located far from electrical outlets. One easy and inexpensive solution is to gather apothecary bottles and fill them with lamp wicks and lamp oil. Arrange the bottles under a big hurricane for protection, like on a sturdy glass cake stand. Light columns. Place geometric topiaries that are inspired by the paper sculptures of Isamu Noguchi near your swimming pools. Tie weighted lines to a few plastic beach balls so they float on the pool like pearls. For safety, do not cover the surface of the pool with too many balls. Shell candles. Those shells that brought home from your last trip to the beach can be put to good use here. Simply put candles formed inside them to make a lovely remembrance of the season. Deep shells like quahogs, clams, and scallops work best and should burn the longest. Fire and ice lighting. To create such an illuminating centerpiece, put a glass vase inside another that is slightly bigger and pour tinted water in between them. Pillar candles are best for this project because, aside from looking pretty, their  weight will further anchor the interior vase. To give extra light play, make a series of these centerpieces in various shades of the same hue. Votive place cards. Your guests would love to see their names in lights. Make glowing place cards with votive holders wrapped in paper and inspired on opposite sides. This way, their names can be read f even from across the table which is helpful for people meeting for the first time. Cut a piece of parchment to fit around a votive holder. Using a pencil and ruler, mark two guides for the names and write on them with a felt-tip pen. Erase the pencil marks and wrap the paper around the votive, securing it with a double-sided tape. But if you are too handy  with tools and crafts, spare yourself the hassles (and frustrations) and just buy beautiful yet affordable outdoor lights. Below are some great picks. Tonga 30″ Table Lamp with 2″ in Weave Antique Honey Wicker Barrel Shade by Patio Living Concepts Perfect as a centerpiece for your table, this lamp features an antique honey diamond center pattern shade enclosing an opal cylinder. This carefree and durable lamp is weather-proof and features all-resin construction. Moonlite 64″ Floor Lamp with 3″ with White/Bronze Globe by Patio Living Concepts This contemporary outdoor lamp will be perfect for general or path lining on your walkway or driveway. It is available...

Today’s 3 Options for Home Exterior Accent Lighting

Whatever the size or complexity of your landscaping is, exterior accent lighting is used to highlight  certain stylistic and architectural features of your home’s lawn or garden. With accent lighting, you do not flood the area with light. Rather, it is the artistic placement of the elements,  creating an atmosphere is that is garish, usually imitating the soft and warm glow of the moon, casting shadows and illuminating select features. In order to properly adorn an outdoor space with accent lights, you need to have an artistic eye and a philosophy of natural sparseness. There are so many options in the world of accent lighting today, from recessed walkway lights to solar post lights and everything in between. You will need to consider some of the following in the planning stages to ensure that you are on the right path. Uplighting As a  great way to illuminate architectural fixtures, shrubs and trees, uplighting uses ground lights that shine upward. Conically-shaped ground accent lights create a glow from the ground up, expanding light as it softens. It does not have to be glaring, but it should have enough wattage to give a delicate yet visible illumination. Ground lighting has to be placed where it cannot be trampled by by feet or lawn tools. Also, if possible, hide the source of light. Ground lights are supposed to be unassuming, although you can position them stealthily behind obstacles. Path Lighting If your outdoor area has a pathway of some sort, whether it winds through your lawn, surrounded by decorative foliage, or lined with flowers, lighting up the path using soft solar lantern lights or recessed lights will provide  a lovely atmosphere and, at the same, a measure of safety. With solar lights like the 6 LED Solar GardenGlo Planter by Patio Living Concepts, though, you have to make sure that they are completely exposed to sunlight during daytime. Another option is to connect them to a large solar panel that sits under direct sunlight. Recessed lights partially buried in mulch or gravel create  a warm glow that will define the features of the path so you do not trip over steps or pavers. Lantern lights hung on small stakes like the Solar Stake Light – Espresso Finish by Outdoor Greatroom Company create a similar glow, but they are higher off the ground. What’s great about these is that they are contained in decorative features so you do not have to hide the source. Downlighting Producing the opposite effect of uplighting, downlighting illuminates surfaces and landscape features from the top moving  downward. They are usually overlapped with other accent lights that shine up, down or along surfaces to help make the shadows appear softer in the dark. Downlighting like the Fairbanks Small Lantern by Kenroy Home works best when it is concealed, so putting it in a tree or along the roof of...

Exterior Home Lighting Fixtures for Every Part of Your Yard

Exterior home lighting fixtures enhance the beauty of your property while offering security and safety. Outdoor lights also allow you to take advantage of your yard after dark, adding value to your home. Below are some suggestions on lighting for every part of your outdoor sanctuary. A properly-lit entrance will allow you to identify visitors and greet guests. Wall lanterns like the Flintridge Med Wall Lantern by Kenroy Home placed on each side of your door gives a welcoming look while ensuring the safety of those who enter. Under your porch or other overhand, use recessed, close-to-ceiling, or chain-hung fixtures while separate entrances can be lighting like  a wall lantern on the keyhole side of the door. Outside the garage, install a single fixture above to give lighting for security and safety. Consider getting a photocell that will turn the lights on at dusk and off at  dawn to save on energy. For added security, light the side of the house in shadows. Spotlights on your eaves would alsi  be a great idea. For a more dramatic look, get ground lights that point up to graze your walls. To conserve energy, install a sensor that will switch on the light upon motion. If you are using uplighting, aim it in a way that the light is captured by your eaves to lessen pollution. Driveways, paths and steps have to be illuminated so family members and visitors can move about safely and easily come nighttime. Install post lanterns or path lights, or attach lights to the side of your house. Path lights that spread circular light patterns, like the Cambridge 80″/85″ Single/Four Lantern Patio Lamp by Patio Living Concepts, will brighten your walkway. They can also define the boundaries of long driveways. You can also use bollards, which stand 30 to 36 inches, but make sure that you use shielded ones to avoid glare. Patios, porches and decks can be converted into romantic retreats during the evening by concealing low-voltage mini lights under benches, railing or steps. You can also install a spotlight in the branches of a nearby tree. Fountains and pools that are illuminated with underwater lights give beauty and safety for swimming and evening entertaining. LED and low-voltage lighting are also popular choices for ambient pool lighting. You can also install fiber-optic lights to create a starry background in the pool edges and floor. Floating lights like the LED Lighting Ball by Infinita are also available. Make sure that you check on your local building authorities for safety regulations before you install new lighting systems in your pools. Grilling and serving areas will greatly benefit from bright task lighting. In order to accomplish this, install an adjacent roof overhang or a recessed spot-light   Mount lights on a railing behind the grill or use a portable light fixture designed for outdoor environments. It is important to remember that...

6 Most Common Mistakes in Exterior Home Lighting Design

Exterior home lighting design can be very tricky, especially for beginners. Part of this difficulty is that it seems too straightforward than just putting some lighting where needed. It might not be tricky to light, but it is indeed tricky to light well. And because no one would want their outdoors to look like some child just tossed up some holiday lights, it would be useful to have a good knowledge of some common mistakes. Lack of a goal. When you make your outdoor lighting plan, you need to first think what you want to attain. From artistry to spotlighting to security, there are so many goals for exterior lights. Ensure that yours is in mind before you start. When you know your goal, you can plan more successfully, saving you money, time and annoyance. Lifeless light placement. In lighting a pathway, do not fall into the trap of a similar line of lights. Visually, it is uninteresting and will make it look like you are lighting a landing strip. Station lights like the European 80″/85″ Single/Four White Globe Lantern Patio Lamp by Patio Living Concepts at uneven intervals should be more pleasing to the eye. Incorrect light quality. More might not equate better, but do not leave pronounced dark areas. Spots of darkness in your outdoor space will direct the eyes to the lights, instead of on the things that are being lit. Never overstate your lighting; you would not want your yard to appear like a car lot. On the other hand, make sure that you do not under-do it. Unwise light direction. Lighting that is unsuitably targeted can create glare that can distract passing drivers or shine into the eyes of your guests. It would be embarrassing to ruin an evening backyard party because your visitors are blinded by your guests. The Java 60″ Floor Lamp with 3″ in Walnut/Antique Honey Wicker Shade by Patio Living Concepts has a shade that directs light downwards, lighting only the area that needs bright lighting. Wrong kind of lights. It might not be the most exciting focus but the kind of light that you pick can affect the whole look. A difference of a mere 10 feet can necessitate going  from a 20-watt to 30-watt bulb. Halogen bulbs imitate the bluish color of moonlight while low voltage bulbs like the ones in the Pembrooke Small Wall Lantern by Kenroy Home lights without overwhelming. Wrong light color. ou would not want your lighting design to look most like a circus than a backyard. Unless you are a pro, avoid colored lights altogether as they can look garish. You can use filters for a more pleasant effect, but make sure that you do it subtly and to use the same color in every fixture. If everything seems too overwhelming, it would be best that you contract a skilled landscaper. They will...