Every year homeowners busy themselves with an array of home improvement projects. Beautiful trees, gardens and landscaping are once again a source of enjoyment and home beautification. But a little outdoor lighting can increase the value of the investments these homeowners make in their landscaping.
Outdoor lighting is an easy and cost effective way to make a dramatic improvement to your home’s landscape. Not only can you enjoy the landscaping after dark, but the lighting itself creates an elegant, unique atmosphere.
Outdoor lighting not only adds warmth and beauty, but also valuable curb appeal. Landscaping can increase the value of a home by 15 percent, and can allow homeowners to recoup 100 to 200 percent of their investment. Landscaping is one of the first things people notice, so there’s no reason to let some of the most beautiful features of your home and yard be shrouded in darkness half of the time. First impression is so important that some realtors estimate that 95 percent of house shoppers will not even consider a house that lacks curb appeal.
Here are some tips to help improve upon normal landscaping:
Uplight to create depth
A light on the ground, pointed up towards an object is perfect for showcasing a beautiful tree, sculpture or an architectural feature like a gazebo or arbor. Setting an uplight behind an object emphasizes that object’s silhouette, while setting an uplight in front will cast an interesting shadow on the yard behind it. This not only highlights the object, but also creates a layered look, extending the yard.
Downlight for safety, security and aesthetics
Another technique is downlighting, or moonlighting, where lights are mounted high above eye level. When light comes from above, the effect looks natural. Mounting lights high in trees or on walls will cause light to shine down through tree branches, creating a unique, layered look. Illuminate a flowerbed by mounting a downlight closer to the ground on a tree trunk, fence or wall.
Downlighting is also an effective way to illuminate spots where someone might stumble or dark areas that may look inviting to an intruder and the elegance of the soft light will add a look all its own.
Path lights
Small, low voltage lamps create a third layer of lighting in your yard, and also can be used to effectively line a path to help you and your guests safely navigate through your yard at night. Placing lights under railings, benches and stairs can help eliminate accidents and increase the usability of decks, porches and patios.
Landscape lighting is less expensive than painting or remodeling, but can deliver powerful and dramatic results at a fraction of the cost. The right outdoor lighting bathes your home and yard in a warm glow and enhances your home’s charm and adds to the curb appeal all year long.
