Are You Looking to Enhance Your Yard with Outdoor Lighting?
Clay Creek is ready to illuminate Owings Mills, Westminster, and New Market Maryland with great ideas about outdoor lighting. If you’re like most homeowners, you think about ways you can enhance your yard and have that perfect curb appeal. It may be a moment when you pull up in the driveway or check out the neighbor’s yard when walking the dog. But, one thing is for sure homeowners take pride in their property. You may be considering a beautiful patio surrounded by a lush green lawn with a backdrop of flowerbeds filled with vibrant colors and stately trees. But have you ever thought of showcasing that beautiful yard with outdoor lighting? Our years of providing superior lawn maintenance have taught us that one of the best ways to enhance your home is to illuminate your yard with outdoor lighting. That’s why we want to give you some great ideas to make your home shine more than any other house on the street.
What are the benefits of having outdoor lighting?
Having outdoor lighting is the perfect way to showcase both the architectural and landscaping features of your home. In addition, it helps to add a safe environment for you to come and go without the worry of intruders. Outdoor lighting also provides areas of your yard like pathways, stairs, and driveways with easier access so everyone can safely walk around your property. Another advantage of having outdoor lighting is that it helps you utilize your outdoor space like a patio, deck, or pool during those evening hours, which only adds to those wonderful celebrations that always end up where no one wants to leave!
How do I know what to choose when planning my outdoor lighting?
Let’s start with taking a walk around your yard and identify what you want to showcase. For example, is it the path leading to the front door or backyard, or maybe it’s the driveway so that when you make that turn from the street, you know how far to pull around. Could it be the stairs leading up to the deck or the flowerbeds that are ready to create a light show in the corner of the yard? Whatever the reason is, choosing the proper lighting will add value to your home and give it that star quality at night!The goal when adding outdoor lighting is to strategically place it in areas of your yard that will benefit the overall appearance and provide safety both during the day and night. Remember, you don’t need to have an excessive amount of lighting to get that star-studded appearance. You need to have a contrast of dark versus light. You want to create shadows, so it accents the exterior of your home against your landscaping. Now that you know exactly what you want to showcase in your yard, you probably need some floodlights. Because floodlights can cover a wide area and tend to be brighter than other outdoor lighting, most homeowners prefer to use them near driveways. They also work on a motion sensor which is a great safety feature in your yard. Another outdoor lighting that can accent your yard is a spotlight. Because they come in different size beam widths and wattages, they can create different dimensions in your yard like moonlighting, silhouetting, or shadowing. For example, have you ever passed by a home and noticed a beautiful shadow of a tree on a home’s exterior? A spotlight installed precisely at the right angle in front of the tree would have created that to happen.If you really want to get the most benefit from your deck and patio, you should get step lights. Step lights mount on the front of the steps or the side walls next to the steps, which helps create a safe environment for everyone to move freely around in the evenings. It also is a great way to accent any hardscapes in your yard. When you want to light up the areas with the most traffic, like pathways or entrances to the front of your home, you should install Path and Area lights as they will give you the best results. Because the lights aim to the side or down, it creates a safe passage so all your guests can move freely around your property. It also is a great way to pop those fabulous colors that are coming off your flowerbeds. String light always brings to mind visions of huge gatherings sitting around the yard celebrating that special occasion. But, it also gives the aesthetics of your yard a new dimension by creating a soft glow that will accent your landscaping and soften hardscapes. The fun part of string lights is that they can be added anywhere, especially if you string them across posts in your yard.
Should I use LED Low voltage or solar lighting?
Solar lighting has many benefits, but the top one is that it saves you money on your utility bill as it really is free energy! In addition, solar lights don’t require any wiring, so they are the perfect solution for trying to get light into those tight areas between trees and bushes.A disadvantage is that it needs to have sunlight to work, and it isn’t as bright as a low voltage system. Also, if you are using solar lights near pathways and driveways, you need to keep in mind there may be times when you won’t have a lighted area, which may cause a safety issue for your family and friends. If you are thinking of installing an LED low voltage lighting system, you may consider having it done by a professional. It does require electricity so planning the layout is essential to getting good results. The advantage is that LED bulbs last up to 50,000 hours, so the maintenance is minimal. Are you ready for your home to shine? We provide premium landscaping and hardscaping services throughout Central Maryland.