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 many cities have implemented special building codes related to the kind of lighting that you can use outdoors. Make sure that you first check with your local building inspection office before you install outdoor lights.