As a homeowner, there’s so much focus on creating a warm and inviting space inside your home, but what about the exterior? In all honesty, it needs just as much attention because your home’s curb appeal defines its value more than you realize. Let us bring your outdoor lighting ideas to life!

The exterior of your home should actually be an extension of your inside space. It’s an opportunity for you to reflect your personal style for everyone to see from the street. It’s a chance for you to portray how proud you are of your home.

And with these outdoor lighting ideas, you can truly bring your home to life. Check out this guide on how to light up your home and do it justice. Good outdoor lighting ideas can showcase the features of your property and your home.

Home Safety and Value: The Importance of Outdoor Lighting

This might seem like a pretty obvious point, but the primary purpose of your outdoor lighting is for safety and security reasons. It sounds contradictory, right? Why attract attention to your home with outdoor lighting? But here’s how it can help keep your home safe:

  • When you aren’t home, outdoor lighting illuminates pathways and walkways so that you can access your home safely in the dark
  • Outdoor lighting also helps visitors find your home by illuminating key features
  • Timer/sensor triggered lighting protects your property against burglars who are usually startled by sudden illumination

In addition to safety, outdoor lighting increases the overall value of your property. This is because you can use lighting in a strategic way to highlight some of the best elements and features of your home. You can also use outdoor lighting to add function to certain areas, such as a patio or entertainment area. Outdoor lighting ideas can be very beneficial to your property.

A beautifully lit entranceway makes your home look warm and inviting, therefore bolstering its curb appeal. And when it comes to the resale value of your home, curb appeal is everything.

Outdoor Lighting

Practical and Aesthetic Outdoor Lighting Ideas

Before we dive into the aesthetics of choosing outdoor lighting, let’s begin with the practical side of things. Here are a few important pointers to keep in mind to ensure your home lighting not only looks good but serves a purpose:

  • Try to prioritize lighting the most commonly used and important walkways, as well as your driveway (if you have one)
  • Lighting the rear and sides of your home is essential in protecting it from intruders
  • For larger areas, consider a larger light — such as a floodlight for your driveway, for example
  • Think about how a light fixture will illuminate an area — if it can light two areas at once, opt for the multi-purpose option
  • Overhead lighting is far more natural and warm and is a good option for adding ambiance to an area
  • Upwards-facing lights tend to cast shadows and create a more ”eerie” atmosphere

Finally, there’s no point in trying to use a small light fixture to light a large area and vice versa. Always think about the size of the area and choose an appropriately-sized light to match. Now that the practical stuff is out of the way, let’s take a look at some of the best types of outdoor lighting. We can assist you with your outdoor lighting ideas and make sure the proper setup is being utilized so you can maximize the over look and feel you are wanting to achieve.

Light Fixtures

Fixtures are stand-alone, ornament-type lights that you mount to a certain type of surface. They’re also some of the most common because they look great and cast a good amount of light. Outdoor light fixtures might not look it, but they’re all-weather proof and help to highlight the architectural aesthetic of your home.

There are numerous variations of fixtures, such as post lights, hanging pendant lights, ceiling-mounted lights, free-standing outdoor lamps, and outdoor wall-mounted lights.

Fixtures are the best option for lighting up a home entranceway as you can hang them above your doorway. They’re also great for lighting up your driveway by wall-mounting them on either side of your garage door. Light fixtures can be an important part of your outdoor lighting ideas.

Outdoor Wall Lights and Wall Sconces

These are similar to light fixtures but outdoor wall lights serve more of a practical purpose. Although there are several variations, the most basic option sits flush against your exterior wall. They generally have a hard plastic covering to protect the inner bulb.

You can find a number of different wall light designs ideal for lighting up your porch or your garage. They’re also perfect for awkward corners of your home that need illumination, such as a side door and the rear end of your home. Many outdoor lighting ideas include the use of outdoor wall lights and wall scones.

Wall sconces are another variation of the wall light, just with a little more flair and aesthetic. Wall scones are also mounted and should sit at shoulder height. They serve the purpose of shining light downwards, so they’re a great option for your porch or backdoor area.

There is a huge variety of wall scones available today, but some of the most common include coach lights that resemble lanterns of yesteryear. Coach wall scones are a brilliant way to add character to your home.

Post Lights

These are a popular option for illuminating smaller areas of your exterior, such as a pathway leading up to your front door/porch. They’re also a good option for lighting up architectural focal points of your home. Post lights are a good addition to most outdoor lighting ideas because it not only adds nice ambient lighting but it improves safety as well.

You can find post lights in the form of classic lamp posts, or sleek, angular designs that are solar-powered. The great thing about post-lights is the versatility. They also cast downward light so they add a beautiful ambiance to your outdoor area as well as good pathway lighting.

The light radiates in all directions, so they’re ideal for larger, expansive areas too. Remember, that the taller the post, the greater the cast of light.

Post Lights Patriot Landscape Solutions

Flush-Mounted Ceiling Lights

Similar to indoor flush-mounted lighting, they shine light directly downwards. They’re one of the best options if you need to illuminate a larger area, such as an outdoor entertainment spot. They are also great for lighting up a larger porch area.

Flush-mounted lighting is quite concealed so it’s a more discreet option too. They do not cast much light sideways, so you’ll still need to add pathway lighting if you’re using them in your entranceway, porch, or backyard area.

Hanging Pendant Lights

These are the types of lights that most homeowners tend to hang indoors, above a kitchen island, for example. But yes, you can use pendant lighting in an outdoor setting, too.

You want to opt for a hanging pendant light if you have a large porch area to illuminate while adding a touch of charm to your entranceway. They also work well if you need to light up an entertainment area. You can hang them above your outdoor table, in-between furniture, or above a seating area. Hanging pendant lights can add a lot to your outdoor lighting ideas, you can use them in a pavilion, lanai, Florida room, etc.

But bear in mind that you will need a ceiling that’s high enough to hang a pendant light as they usually hang down from a chain/stem or chord.

Landscape Lighting

If you have a large, beautiful yard then it’s worth highlighting its best features with landscape lighting. This type of system runs on a low voltage, so you don’t have to worry about paying a huge power bill each month.

Landscape lighting includes path lights, floodlights, and spotlights. The overall aim is to create layers of light that highlight your garden’s features, including tall trees, shrubs, sculptural aspects, and unique architectural features.

You can also add well lights, which are recessed lights that sit in the ground if you prefer to keep lighting fixtures minimal throughout your yard.

Step/Deck Lights

As the name suggests, this is another option for lighting up areas such as steps, staircases, and decking around the outside of your home. In short, these types of lights sit in the hardscaping of your yard, i.e. the ground or directly in the wood of your decking.

They’re a sleek, minimalist option that also adds an additional layer of safety and security to your exterior. They’re also a good option for highlighting feature walls, fountains, and water features.

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Motion Sensor Lights

This lighting guide would be incomplete without a mention of motion sensor lighting. If you’re looking to amp up the security factor of your home exterior, you need to invest in these lights. Outdoor lighting ideas can include motion lights which can greatly add to security.

Motion sensor lights react on a movement trigger, making them the best option for high-traffic areas of your home. They’re ideal for areas that are most vulnerable, such as your front entranceway, your back door, garage, and the sides of your home.

Bring Your Home Exterior to Life With Patriot Landscape Solutions

Whether you’re a new homeowner or looking to makeover a property for resale, these outdoor lighting ideas can make all the difference to your home’s appeal. If you are looking for outdoor lighting ideas for your backyard or front yard we can help!

If you’re in need of expert services in the fields of landscape design, outdoor lighting, or a patio overhaul, Patriot Landscape Solutions is your go-to. Check out our extensive list of services and start planning your outdoor makeover today!