What should you keep in mind when planning the exterior lighting of your home?

At the stairs and front door, at the entrance gate and garage door, on the terrace, along the garden paths and on the facade – outdoor lighting plays a very important role here. So if you are wondering what kind of them to choose and what to pay attention to, read the following article. In it you will find the necessary information to help you decide.

What is the function of the exterior lighting of the house?

The exterior lighting of the house is an element that we cannot overlook. On the one hand, it affects the safety of householders – it lights their way, improving visibility around the property. On the other hand, it gives the body of the building and its surroundings a striking appearance, emphasizing curves or colors. It is worth noting here that modern lighting has a decorative function.

Outdoor lighting, or what kind – examples

Lamps for outdoor use should be resistant to changing and adverse factors, such as temperature fluctuations, rain, frost, snow, strong wind, dust, moisture and mechanical damage. We can divide this type of lighting into three main categories:

• LED lamps – energy-efficient, durable and long-lasting, cost-effective compared to traditional incandescent bulbs, which is definitely a plus, since sometimes selected points shine all night;
• lamps with sensors – here we have a choice of dusk sensors that turn on automatically when it gets dark in the yard, and motion sensors that we program according to demand. They turn on in specific situations when they sense movement in a given range and light up, for example, 30 seconds or longer. Recommended especially at the gate and at the entrance gate, as well as at the front door;
• solar lamps – environmentally friendly and the most cost-effective from an economic point of view, operating independently of the electrical system and wiring. They are most often used along garden paths and in areas of the garden or terrace that we want to highlight. Solar lamps come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.

Where to install outdoor lighting?

We already know what functions outdoor lighting performs, what lamps we have to choose from, then now there is still the question of where specifically to place the light points. We have already mentioned above, for example, the garden path, the front door or the entrance gate. A lot really depends on the design of our house and the budget allocated for lighting. We can put lamps in the ground in the garden, in pots on the terrace, while wall lamps and spotlights will be great on the facade of the house or on the underside of the roof. In addition, in the first two types we are dependent on the electrical system, unless we are just at the stage of planning and designing the house together with the surroundings – then we have more room for maneuver.

Last but not least, let’s still remember that all lamps should match stylistically with our house. This will make the whole arrangement harmonious and elegant.

main photo: unsplash.com/Reinaldo Kevin