For many of us, our home is a place of peace. It’s an escape from the world’s busyness and intrusiveness, and somewhere where we can express our creativity. Perhaps that’s why we put a lot of time and energy into it, from cutting the lawn and trimming bushes to planting beautiful flower beds and making other exterior enhancements – except that people can hardly see them at night.
Thankfully, strategically-placed landscape lighting can transform dark and unknown outdoor spaces into warm and inviting ones. Landscape lights can illuminate walkways, lawns, patios, gardens, driveways, steps, curbs, and other external features. They can also cover various outdoor lighting fixtures, that when used together, can bring your property to life beyond the daylight! But that’s not all. Outdoor lighting also brings a host of other incredible benefits to your home, five of which we will be discussing in this article.
1. Enhances Visual Appeal
Most homeowners invest in outdoor lighting mainly for its aesthetically-pleasing beauty. When installed correctly, it can enhance your home’s natural beauty and curb appeal, which would otherwise get lost in the dark at night. Outdoor lights can also be used to highlight your home’s architectural and landscaping details by revealing different perspectives and shapes. The various lighting techniques, such as silhouetting, highlighting, and shadowing, create different visual effects for a remarkable nighttime experience. Additionally, lighting is one of the most effective ways to add an alluring ambiance to your home.
Landscape lighting can impact your home’s interior appearance, too. When a home has no outdoor lighting, the windows usually appear black when viewed from inside. This can make the house feel smaller at night and somewhat less attractive. By adding outdoor lights, your home may look more spacious and engaging when the gentle glow of the different light accents peaks inside. You can also capture the calming nighttime reflection of a pool, fountain, or other water feature with underwater lights or floodlights positioned at varying angles to the water.
2. Illuminates Outdoor Spaces
There’s no better feeling than driving up to your home and being greeted by warm, beautiful, well-lit outdoor spaces. What’s even better is being able to relax and re-energize in your front or backyard, especially after a long day. A well-lit exterior sets the tone for amazing nighttime experiences, whether you’re spending time with friends and family, having a meal under the stars, having a cup of tea, or sipping a glass of fine wine before bed. You can even install outdoor lights that come with the dim feature that allows you to use brighter lights when the kids play outside and low light for romantic evenings.
Further, strategically placing landscaping lighting can guide people to your front door over paths and walkways. Another excellent option is using lights through your flower beds to show off all the vivid, beautiful colors. Who said you couldn’t enjoy your garden at night? Moreover, outdoor lights can be used overhead on porches, incorporated into railings or posts on staircases, or placed in the ground. To take it up a notch, consider hanging brightly colored orbs around your porch to create mood lighting and highlight anything that matches your patios décor.
3. Increases Home’s Safety and Security
Landscape lighting is not only for beautifying your yard. It is also an excellent way to make your home a safer place for friends, family, and guests visiting your property. Installing lights near high-traffic areas like stairs, uneven areas, walkways, paths, and driveways can help prevent injuries from falling or twisting an ankle. The last thing you want is for a passerby to slip and fall near your property and sue you for damages. Lighting those areas also allow family and visitors to find and enter your home safely and without trouble.
While outdoor lights can help avoid the “runway effect” at night, they are an effective way to upgrade your home’s security. They can help deter unwanted visitors or would-be criminals from your property. When dark areas around the property and near doors or windows are adequately lit, it becomes difficult for people to approach your home unnoticed. A well-lit landscape also gives the impression that someone is home, and that your property is well taken care of.
4. Extends Use of Outdoor Spaces
Outdoor lighting is essential for homeowners who want to enjoy their yard space even after sunset. Landscape lights can light up areas around your home when spending time on your deck or patio, swimming late night in the pool, or grilling outdoors. Plus, as the seasons change, the lighting element remains the same, bringing different light effects.
5. Increases Property Value
Adding lights to your outdoor spaces to boost curb appeal is one of the most accessible and affordable ways to increase your home’s value. According to the National Association of Home Builders, about 41% of potential buyers consider outdoor lighting an essential quality of their desired home, and 49% rate it as desirable. The survey also revealed that outdoor lighting systems could increase property value by up to 20 percent. Imagine potential buyers at an open house viewing seeing the home as the sun goes down and the lights come on. This can have a dramatic emotional effect and may further increase their interest in your home. It could also drive compelling offers for the home.
Conclusion
Whether you are looking to enhance your home’s visual appeal, increase its security, or increase its resale value, landscape lighting is essential. Siesta Lighting offers some of the most innovative, reliable, and affordable low voltage landscape lighting systems to help you realize the remarkable benefits of a well-illuminated exterior.
If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know. We will be happy to provide specific information and expert assistance for all your outdoor lighting projects.
