Lighting Styles
Spending most of daylight hours away from your home, you might want to consider installing outdoor lighting to extend the time you are able to enjoy the outdoors after dark or if you just want your house to stand out on the block. The addition of light will allow you to discover the hidden beauty of your landscape and enjoy your entire living space day and night.
A well planned lighting design does much more for your home and garden than provide a way to see and enjoy your outdoor space in the dark.
Safety and Security - Lights are known deterrents for thefts and can also brighten pathways to prevent accidents.
Style and Beauty - Careful planning and positioning of various lighting techniques within your landscaping can accent your home and increase the visual appeal of your yard. Outdoor lighting can also add value to your property.
 Silhouetting - Displays a dark image of the subject by lighting a vertical surface directly behind the subject. Effective to show shape but does not show the color or texture of subject. Choose a subject that is close to a wall and place the fixture out of sight behind the subject. Flood beam spreads work best.
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Shadowing - Creates a shadow on a vertical surface by placing the fixture directly in front of the subject. The closer the light fixture to the subject, the larger the shadow. General-purpose lamps create a better effect.
Tree Up Lighting - Up lighting from base of tree. If flowers are on the outside of the canopy or foliage is dense, fixtures must be placed outside of the drip line. If flowers are allover branches or foliage is light, fixtures can be placed under the tree close to the trunk. The addition of a pale blue or mercury vapor lens to Halogen lamps adds a subtle moonlight color to the trees, or use a Cool White LED lamp.
Step and Deck - Lights high traffic areas. Run cables along or under the existing structure to reduce clutter. Consider placing fixtures under built-in benches for a clean look. All changes in elevation in the landscape such as steps or terraces should be illuminated for safety.
Path Lighting - Creates a symmetrical pattern of light for illuminating walkways & steps. Use in open area where plant growth will not interfere with light distribution. Avoid the runway look by staggering spacing.
Grazing - Enhances texture of a vertical surface by placing a fixture directly against the surface and aiming the beam directly up or down. Try grazing on brick or stone walls. It is not effective on siding, due to the shadows caused by the siding not being a flat surface. Wide floods work best. Fixtures should be placed 6-8" from wall, aimed straight up.
