Outdoor lighting is an important part of a home’s landscape plan. Many people only think of it as a safety feature and fail to realize the beauty it can bring to their natural and manmade outdoor environment. The use of outdoor light has been part of creating a home for hundreds of years, well before it became an aesthetic part of the home.

Initially outdoor light was provided simply to light the outside areas of the home so the pathway to the house, barn and other structures could be easily seen. As time passed and the ages progressed, outdoor light became a necessary safety feature that allowed homeowners to be able to see out into their yard and to help ward off unwanted strangers.

Finally, the use of outdoor lighting began to be a part of the beauty of the home and its surroundings. Today it is just as common to hire a landscape architect to plan the outdoor lighting and landscape surroundings, as it is to hire the architect who designs the house.

Landscape architects look at the whole picture when designing the lighting system to beautify the yard. Plantscapes and hardscapes are taken into consideration and the placement of lighting is determined based on how the light will enhance the yard. Safety lighting for paths and entryways are also included but are now available in decorative forms that add to the beauty of the home rather than simply being a light fixture on a pole.

Outdoor lights can be installed so that only the light is visible, not the fixture. These lights are used to enhance areas of the yard such as planting areas that are played up by the light. These lights are intended to highlight the plants or yard fixtures. Often these types of light are colored in warm neutrals or even soft colors that add a vibrant effect to the area.

The use of outdoor light to display pool areas, planting beds and walkways adds value to the home and makes the yard a usable place to be even after the sun goes down. Lights that are added for safety also add a sense of security to the homeowner.

The homeowner who is designing the landscape lighting with the help of a landscape architect or is designing their own has many options in outdoor lights to choose from. There are traditional lights that are meant to be seen and recessed or hidden lighting that is not visible to the eye but casts its glow when darkness comes.

Regardless of the type of outdoor lights used to complement the home, this lighting is an important part of any landscape that should not be ignored. A simple plan that lights the way to the safety of home or an elaborate scheme that creates ambience for summer evenings are both outdoor lighting choices that will bring beauty and security to any home.

Sharon Chapman