Outdoor Lights Can Create Magic

Now that we are entertaining our friends and family outdoors even in the darker hours of winter, a well-lit landscape can make all the difference. Lights enable us to dine and relax into the evening and even late night hours. They draw our eyes upward and outward to the amazing structure of mature trees, focal points and fountains, and line our paths to keep us safe and invite night time strolling. They can create a sense of magic and wonder as well as a sense of security.

The right outdoor lighting plan can increase safety when walking around at night, boost home security and allow you to enjoy your outdoor spaces long after the sun sets.  The best plans incorporate a variety of fixtures and lighting types to highlight different features, such as trees or shrubs, pathways, fountains, and the architectural details of your home. A combination of spotlights, underground well lights, wide-angled floodlights, and pathway lighting will illuminate your home and landscaping, becoming an investment in beauty and safety, pushing out the boundaries and extending the entertainment-value of your outdoor environment.

5 Benefits of Professional Landscape Lighting:

Illuminate Your Outdoor Living Space

Spend more quality time with friends and family by extending your living space outside! Your patio and backyard are perfect places to entertain guests, have meals, and spend time with the kids. Outdoor lighting can add the right ambiance to your space whether you are enjoying time with the family or simply having a cup of tea before bed.

Highlight Your Landscaping Features

By strategically placing lighting, you can highlight many of the features you have in place. Lights can guide people to your front door, mark property lines and even create visual barriers. By placing lights next to water features like pools, fountains and ponds, or spotlighting trees and colorful flower beds, you draw attention to the features of your landscape that make it unique and special. Lights can be used overhead on porches and pergolas, incorporated into railings or posts on staircases, or placed in the ground along pathways.

Enhance Property Value and Curb Appeal

Any improvement to your home increases its property value.  According to the National Association of Home Builders, over 40% of potential buyers rate outdoor lighting as an essential or desirable quality for their next home. By strategically placing outdoor lighting, you can showcase your home’s best features and increase your curb appeal.

Keep Everyone Safe

Not only is outdoor lighting beautiful, it is also an excellent way to make your home a safer place for everyone on your property. Illuminating paths, walkways, and even your driveway can help prevent tripping and falls. Putting lights near stairs or uneven areas and in high traffic areas will guide people at night, helping to avoid injuries.

Increase Security

The installation of outdoor lighting adds security to your home and helps deter crime. Guests will also feel more comfortable coming to your home at night if they can see a clear path to your front door and your porch is well-lit. Well maintained landscape lighting shows people that your home is well cared for, which can deter trespassing and theft. Low-voltage LED lighting is extremely cost-effective. Timers and sensors can turn on your lights as soon as it gets dark outside, even when you are away.

Need Help Creating or Updating Your Outdoor Lighting?

At SFLA, we know the value of a well-designed lighting plan that is magical as well as energy efficient and cost-effective. If you would like help creating or updating your outdoor lighting, please send us an email or give us a call. We’d be happy to help you bring more light into your landscape.