Outdoor Lighting: Which Fits What?
Homeowners should not forget about outdoor lighting because it dramatically affects the aesthetic and visual of their homes come night time. This is especially essential for those homeowners who frequently entertain guests in their gardens, gazebos, backyards and other outdoor spaces.
If you are planning on revamping your outdoor space to make it more liveable, you need to know the various types of outdoor lighting fixtures and what specific purposes these lights serve.
Spotlights
From the name itself, spotlights serve one purpose only and that is to illuminate and give emphasis on a particular outdoor feature you want to highlight. Say example, you want every guest to immediately see your newly installed fountain or pond. Putting a spotlight would help draw everyone’s attention to this element that you want to accentuate.
Flood lights
As opposed to spotlights, flood lights are called as such because they “flood” or illuminate the area where they are installed. Their main purpose is to brighten large areas that need to be lit constantly such as driveways and patios.
If you want your flood lights to still be aesthetically pleasing to the eyes particularly those that you want to install in your front doors, go for gooseneck outdoor light or other decorative outdoor wall mounted lights and fixtures. When choosing for flood lights, remember that you need one with high brightness and an extensive range of coverage to illuminate a sizeable area as possible.
Step lights
This type of outdoor lighting fixture is important because it deals with you, your family and your guests’ safety. This is the outdoor lighting that you should not skip because it brightens stairs which needs to be bright when someone is ascending or descending to prevent serious injuries. Despite how it is called, it does not have to be literally installed in front of the stairs’ steps. It could even be installed at the side, just as long as it provides ample lighting for the users.
String lights
String lights are not strictly outdoor lights because it is versatile and are used mostly in bedrooms, work stations/home office spaces and or in reading nooks. They give off a more subdued glow invoking an atmosphere of cosiness and warmth. If they are to be used outdoors, string lights are usually draped around trees or hanging from gazebos or porches’ covering. You must not rely on string lights alone if you want your backyard to be illuminated. String lights are mostly decorative and mood inducing.
Accent lights
Never underestimate the importance of accent lights and even if they are called as such, they do more than serve as accent pieces. One of the important jobs of an accent light is that it fills the void of dark corners that are not reached by flood lights or spot lights. Accent outdoor lights are usually installed in porches, pool deck areas and walkways.
A home that is brightly lit not only makes the home visually appealing, it also sets the tone and ambience of your home. Selecting outdoor lights that are warm and bright would also define your home as such.