Outdoor Lighting for Houses: Tips to Upgrade Your Home's Exterior

Buying the proper outdoor lighting for houses can do so much more than you think. From increasing your home's curb appeal and possibly value to providing extra security and safety benefits, with the perfect fixtures, you can upgrade your house.

From pathway lights to flood lights, decorative lighting, and more, there are many options to consider when shopping for landscape lighting. Outdoor wall lights, fixtures for walkways, deck lights, post lights, and accent lighting with string lights are just a few ways to illuminate your home. Exterior lighting brings beauty to your home while providing excellent functional purposes.

At Old Time Pottery, we have a variety of exterior lighting in our yard decor collection. Our friendly associates help meet your needs, enabling you to find the best ways to brighten and highlight the most loved areas of your home. Visit us today and get your home in the spotlight for all to see.

Keep reading to learn more about where to place exterior lighting and why it's a great idea. Additionally, review the variety of outdoor lighting options available and how to find the best selections for your outdoor space.

Exterior Lighting: An Overview

There are many purposes to installing outdoor lighting, no matter your goal. Uplighting helps showcase the amazing details of your home, so they're visible to all. This type of lighting helps elevate the view, adding an element of classy chic you love to see.

By strategically placing outdoor lighting for houses, you can create an entirely new nighttime vision and improve security and safety at the same time. The brighter your home and the surrounding exterior appear at night, the less likely dangerous intruders are to enter the property. Floodlights and outdoor wall lights help ensure that no one remains in the shadows. The possibility of being seen and identified can ward off potential crooks and criminals. When implemented with a camera or security system, you can keep your home as protected as possible–even under the deepest, darkest night skies.

Another benefit of lighting up your outdoor space is to protect your family and guests from unexpected injuries and surprises. Whether dad is arriving home late for work or you're hosting an after-hours soiree with loved ones, people need to see where they're going. Help everyone to safely follow the pathways to your door or up the front steps. This can help avoid slips and falls or surprises around the corner. It also adds an element of comfort to your outdoor space, making it feel more inviting and warm. Everyone will feel welcomed and at ease before they even enter your home.

Where to Place Outdoor Lighting

Knowing where to place the pieces is essential if you love the idea of putting in some exterior lighting. Even accent lighting, used for decoration, has proper use. The first tip is to begin with practicality. Identify the darkest places outside your home or most vulnerable to intruders.

Identify the Darkest Places in Your Outdoor Space

Places like these include near all doors that lead to outdoor spaces, especially flood lights over the garage. If dark spots or areas around the sides of your home and property are hard to see, adding lighting to those areas is crucial too. A home illuminated as best as possible offers the most security.

Look at Areas That Get the Most Nighttime Use

Next, identify the spots in your outdoor space that are most used at night. Walkways, decks, stairs, and the like. This is where you want to add exterior lighting for personal safety. Prevent missteps and injuries when everyone sees where they're going.

Choose the Places You Want to Accent and Decorate with Lighting

Lastly, choose an area or two that may benefit from the accent lighting. Using uplighting to shine on areas like doorways, beautiful windows, or along the deck in your backyard are excellent options. This type of lighting provides a comforting feel to your outdoor space. String lights give the area a feeling that reminds you of warm tropical vacations, celebrations, and togetherness. They can also add an air of calm and tranquility if you like to bask in the moonlight with a cup of tea after a long day.

A Variety of Outdoor Lighting Options

When looking at outdoor lighting for homes, the possibilities are virtually endless. Whether shopping for security or decor, there are many ways to brighten your space with simple solutions. Sometimes, lighting can serve both purposes at once. This is part of what makes exterior lighting an essential part of your home's installations and design.

Here are a few suggestions for exterior lighting placement and each offer's benefits.

Pool Lighting

Pool lighting is one of the most common types of accent lighting to add to your warm-weather oasis. Not only does it make the area look chic, but it's essential for safety for those who like to swim at night. Add lighting around the pool's pathways to help avoid slips and improve vision when swimming under the moon.

Deck Lighting

Another great area to add exterior lighting is your deck. This serves both a decorative and functional purpose. String lights add a party vibe when having guests over to celebrate and are also soothing at the end of a long day as you kick back in your outdoor chase to take in all the stars have to offer.

Additionally, deck lighting, especially around stairs, boosts safety. And deck lighting that surrounds the doors, like flood lights, shines brightly on strangers who may be sneaking around.

Walkway Lighting

Walkway lighting frames the paths to your house, making it look inviting and classy at the same time. It's great for those who are coming in after hours and can be seen from the street to improve your home's curb appeal. These lights are usually installed directly into the ground and often run off solar power for ease. You can set and forget them, and they'll do their job.

Balcony Lighting

Do you enjoy reading in the evening solace while the sunsets or early in the morning as a meditative start to your day? Lighting for small spaces like balconies is totally possible. Add a few accent lights here and there–it doesn't have to be extravagant, but it will make a huge difference.

Fence Lighting

Fence lighting might not come to mind immediately when considering outdoor lighting for houses, but it's another excellent way to add to your property. Let the dogs out at night without worry of losing track of them in the pitch black, or give your kids more time to play outside after the sun goes down.

Lamps and Post Lights

Lamps and post lights go great by mailboxes, front doorways, and the bottom of stairs. They make a prominent statement; you can easily decorate them with holiday garnish each season. At the top of the driveway, they can serve as a landmark to tell guests which house is yours—they look classy, timeless, and classic.

Flood Lights

Flood lights provide the ultimate safety factor for your home. They also help family and friends who pull up after the sun sets. When everyone is home and awake, a parent may get home during darker hours, or kids may get dropped off from practices or rehearsals. When the floodlights activate automatically, they can enter the house safe and sound as the outdoor space illuminates.

Additionally, flood lights are among the best ways to scare off intruders. The lighter and brighter the space, the less likely a criminal is to remain in the area for fear of being seen and caught. That 4 am flood light activate may save your family and home from quite a scare.

How to Pick Outdoor Lights for Your Home

Picking the best outdoor lighting for houses can be challenging. The best strategy is to start small before building up to a bigger project. Start with one area in your outdoor space where you want to add lights. Walkways, pools, and floodlights are among the most popular. Consider whether you want the lighting installations to blend in with the surrounding landscape, or contrast a bit, to help pick a color.

Then, think about what size lights you'll need and how many. Generally, accent lighting on patios should be approximately 12 to 18 inches apart, and pool lighting may be up to two feet between lights. You'll likely need just one per area for flood lights, so decide how many dark corners you want to keep protected.

Once you have these answers, the fun of shopping can begin! With the right set, you can bring home and set up outdoor lighting for houses and spaces in no time.