The cooler weather means it’s time to think ahead to winter. Here are five outdoor lighting ideas tailored to winter landscapes in the Macomb and Rochester HIlls, MI, areas that go beyond holiday lighting themes and will brighten your landscape on the dreariest of days.
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Driveway and Walkway Lighting
Old-school driveway and pathway lighting used to solely involve a single post-mounted lantern where the walkway meets the driveway. While functional, this style means it’s necessary to use a very bright bulb in order to offer enough illumination for safety on what could be a very slick and icy driveway and walkway.
A more elegant and functional option is to install several lights along these two hardscape features. These path lights can help define the driveway or walkway on snowy nights, and create a warmer, more romantic atmosphere as guests come to your front door. Pathway lighting that’s about knee deep would offer attractive illumination in all but the biggest snowstorms; in fact, even if these lights have a light coating of snow, the effect of snow illuminated from below could be magical.
Tree Lighting
Illuminating trees helps to turn them into beautiful focal points after dark. One technique that transforms a snowy landscape into a winter fairytale is moonlighting. A bluish-white light fixture is mounted high in the tree canopy. In summer, the light filters through the leaves for a softly dappled effect on the ground below, mimicking the effect of moonlight. In winter when the branches are bare, the effect could be more dramatic, especially on snow-covered ground.
Spotlights against the trunk of dense evergreens such as spruces or cedars appear to illuminate the tree from within. The effect can be stunning, especially when the trees are covered in snow. As a bonus, you could look into having traditional white bulbs switched out for holiday-themed colors.
Outdoor Lighting of Special Hardscape Features
Achieve a sophisticated outdoor ambience by using light fixtures that are integrated into vertical hardscape features. These lights are positioned under the capstone of a seat wall, retaining wall, or pillar. These light fixtures are unobtrusive during daylight hours, and illuminate these features after dark, drawing attention to the walls’ textures. The richness of the textures can add incredible character to an outdoor living space.
The Effects of Uplighting
You could have an upward-facing light fixture placed directly against the trunk of a tree. Even in heavy snow, the “tree well” (the area immediately around the trunk) will remain largely snow-free, allowing the light to reflect off the surrounding snow while also highlighting the tree’s bark and lower branches.
Shrub and Decorative Boulder Lighting
Placing light fixtures under shrubs and around boulders brings attention to the less prominent vertical elements of your landscape. Opt for placing the lights at ground level and you’ll enjoy their warm glow in all but the heaviest snow storms.
Since snow is a highly reflective surface, be prepared for your landscape to attain a beautiful glow if you opt for combining several lighting techniques. Even on dreary days when the landscape seems to be a dull shade of gray, artistically placed landscape lighting will brighten it up as night falls.
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