Outdoor Blog

Most of us, at one time or another, have driven through neighborhoods and looked at homes along the way. If the drive was at sunset or at night, most of us will point out and comment on those homes that are not like the others. Often it is something unique about the home’s architecture, or the way the home seems perfectly situated on the property. These distinctive features are recalled later by prospective home buyers. Properties with landscape lighting bring out a home’s distinct personality and make it visually appealing. Things to consider if, or when, the home is put up for sale.

There is also a lot of other advantages to landscape lighting besides increasing the value of a home. The home itself is transformed and takes on a new “persona” when lit by outdoor lighting. There are so many ways to use landscape lighting that homeowners can personalize their lighting choices to their own tastes.

One of the greatest advantages of outdoor lighting is that it allows spaces such as decks and patios to be used after the sun goes down. Taking in a cool nighttime breeze outdoors or having a pleasant evening with guests on the deck for an outdoor party, are some of the ways outdoor lighting provides more options to homeowners.

In homes with children, outdoor lighting now only allows for more area to be functional around the property but allows children to safely play after dark. Landscape lighting brightens previously unused play areas. Dark corners and blind spots are lit, and children playing in these areas can be seen from indoors.

There are major improvements seen when using landscape lighting around the home.

• Aesthetic Appeal – enhances the beauty and visibility of properties

When driving through a new neighborhood at night, either house hunting or taking a different route, drivers and passengers are immediately attracted first to houses that have landscape lighting on their property. It is much easier to determine the dimensions of a home’s property while still illuminating the home itself.

Well-lit home exteriors are inviting, and exude the warmth of the home, naturally enhancing its beauty.

• Boundary Lighting – Establishes a visible property line

Sometimes a tree, a shrub or a small row of hedges established an “invisible” property line between neighbors. With well-placed LED lights at the boundaries, the home’s property size is now firmly established.

Homes with landscape lighting appear to have more size, because the places that were once blind spots are now artistically illuminated, often surprising homeowners who were not aware of the actual larger dimensions of their yards.

• Larger space for family activities. Outdoor lighting gives families more options for outdoor rest and play

Many parts of the country experience temperate, outdoor weather at least 9 months out of the year. A home equipped with outdoor areas such as patios, porches or decks, can be used even at nighttime using outdoor lighting. Darkness no longer needs to be a limiting factor for family activities.

With landscape lighting, parents can sit outdoors on their decks and children can play in well-lit areas that parents can see. Parties can start later in the day and not restrict partygoer activity after sunset.

• Increases Home Value

Homes with exterior lighting, especially artistically designed landscape lighting, are appealing to the eye and stand out with greater visibility in subdivisions. This is referred to as “curb appeal.”

When a homeowner is in the market to sell their home, landscape lighting will make the home’s boundaries and property lines more pronounced (making a home and property appear larger in some cases). As a result, interested parties see a home and its property well-defined, rather than a home with boundary lines that are hard to see or conceptualize.

The value of a home appreciates with landscape lighting beyond the investment. A home can build equity when its exterior becomes part of the home itself. The livable space of the home is increased significantly when outdoor common areas are illuminated. Outdoor landscape lighting makes the home’s exterior an extension of the interior.

• Safety: Well-lit exterior increases outdoor visibility

Late at night, dark homes appear vulnerable. There are corners and crevices around every home, blind spots where an intruder can hide. Even in homes with advanced security systems, once inside, an intruder only needs seconds to carry out a theft, especially if the home has been “cased” or studied by the perpetrator, ahead of time.

A well-lit home exterior shines a light on areas of darkness, making the home a more daunting challenge for any would-be trespasser. Security is enhanced greatly when areas once in darkness are lit by LED lights.

Accidents are avoided when areas are well-lit. Corners walls, landscape additions such as ricks and fences, can be seen clearly by guests and the homeowners themselves.

Product Quality and Expert Installation

Landscape lighting should be installed by experts who use high-quality materials. Most of these companies specialize in outdoor lighting installation, so they can be counted on to do the job right.

There are many creative choices available for landscape lighting colors that match the home’s exterior can be used. Additionally, specific property areas the homeowner wishes to “shed light on” (such as a property boundary), can be established indisputably when outdoor lighting is used. Finally, the brightness of the landscape lights can be decided upon by the homeowner. Someone may wish to make their home as bright as a movie marquee, while another looks for a more subdued or quaint appearance. Crafting outdoor lighting choices is a creative way to bring out the beauty not only of the home itself but also of the property that surrounds it.

Making this area safe and usable makes an investment in a home more palatable. Once landscape lighting is installed, the area of the home is significantly increased.