Tips For Choosing Exterior Lighting

Posted on: 8 April 2018

The right lighting outside of your home can accomplish several goals. From a functionality perspective, you want the right lights on your deck and porch if you enjoy sitting in these areas after dark. Visually, the right lights at the front of your home can add curb appeal, which can especially be something you want if you host a lot of gatherings. Finally, outdoor lights can also add a security-focused element, which is important. When you're choosing the lights for the exterior of your home, it's advantageous to balance these different factors to end up with lights that suit you. Here are some tips for choosing them. 

Preferred Glow

Think about what type of glow you want from the lights. While the design of the lights is important, the glow is what you and your visitors will see first at night. Some homeowners favor the bright, clean look of LED bulbs, while others prefer the yellowish, warm appearance of incandescent bulbs. Although many types of exterior lighting can take both styles of bulbs, this isn't always the case. Thus, knowing the type of glow that you want to get from your exterior lights before you choose the style of light is important. 

Suitable For Your House

As you browse the various styles of external lights that are available to buy, you'll see those that range from modern to vintage. You may immediately gravitate toward one style based on your preferred look, but you should first think about how well that style suits the exterior of your home. For example, perhaps you have a number of modern design elements inside your house, but the exterior looks traditional or rustic — for example, perhaps your home looks like a log cabin from the outside. Even if your first instinct is to go with modern exterior lights, they may not match well. 

Security Features

Keep security in mind when you shop for exterior lights for your home. The lights can be a deterrent to prowlers and burglars, but only if they're on. An obvious choice is buying exterior lights that have motion sensors. You can also find some models of lights that have built-in security cameras. Unlike conventional security cameras that are visible, these cameras are difficult to detect, given their position within the light. Some models even sync to an app on your smartphone, allowing you to monitor the feed whether or not you're at home.

For more information on lighting design, contact your local 

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