Combining fixture and lighting types produces the most effective landscape lighting.
Landscape lighting can lead to an utter transformation in the way you enjoy outdoor activity areas such as decks, patios and playgrounds. Illuminated bulbs also make outdoor areas much safer, guarding against accidents as well as to shining an unwanted light on potential intruders. Brightening up your outdoor areas also may result in sitting at a dining table for good conversation hours after the meal ended.
Spotlights and Floodlights
Outdoor lighting to cast a glow over your landscaping essentially boils down to two choices: spotlights and floodlights. Within those large areas of interest are more specific options, and the difference between floodlights and spotlights can be extended to those specifics. Spotlights focus illumination upon a defined area. Floodlights, on the other hand, produce a more diffuse glow that spreads over a larger area.
Accent Lights
Accent lighting is used for decorative purposes rather than mere illumination. A combination of effects can produce an interplay that highlights your landscape's best features. Down-lighting directs light downward from above. Back-lighting creates silhouettes by shining a light onto an object that is in front of a solid surface. Moonlighting simulates the effect of lunar lighting through the placement of several fixtures in a tree or other high location.
Low-Voltage Lights
Low-voltage lights use bulbs ranging from 25 to 75 watts. These small lights use a transformer plugged into a household electrical current. Low-voltage lights are particularly effective in lighting walkways, patio edges and deck steps.
Shadows and Contrasts
Lighting your landscape is not accomplished best by flooding the entire area with illumination. After installing lighting to meet safety needs, leave small areas in shadow through placement of outdoor fixtures and through selection of lighting effects. Doing this will give your landscape more contrast because of shadows and a bit of mystery due to the darkened areas.
Temporary Candlelight
Light bulbs have the unwanted effect of attracting flying insects. If you have a landscape that is used infrequently for entertaining at night, you can cut down on that insect attraction while lending the landscape an element of romance by placing candles inside a glass jar. This impermanent solution is also inexpensive. As long as you keep a close eye on the candles and remember to put out their flames before heading inside, this lighting solution is just as safe as permanent outdoor fixtures.
Ambient Lights
Ambient lighting creates a more subtle effect than harsh floodlights or spotlights while using the same concepts. Examples of ambient lighting include stringing fairy lights around a tree, arbor or pergola. Globe lights may provide enough illumination to allow you to see what you eat while on a patio or deck without having to deal with the glare of other kinds of lighting.
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