No matter what landscape renovation projects you have going in your landscape this summer, they all have one thing in common: the need for strategic landscape lighting. If your backyard is still lit up with a bright and wasteful floodlight, there are so many better lighting strategies to use that will make the space much more attractive and usable. When you plan the next steps in your landscape renovation, make sure to take advantage of a professional’s help. Here are six types of custom outdoor living projects that can greatly benefit from strategic landscape lighting in West Bloomfield Township and Sterling Heights, MI.
The Inground Pool
A poolside lighting system is necessary for safety reasons, but it is also an opportunity to make the space look well-designed and beautiful! Bring out the beauty of the pool itself as well as the surrounding features with layers of creative lighting such as spotlighting a favorite poolside feature, or moonlighting that casts an ethereal glow over the water.
The Outdoor Kitchen
Outdoor dining is one of the best ways you can spend time with friends and family in the summer and nothing beats a custom outdoor kitchen that highlights the way you really live. Great task lighting is necessary in food preparation and cooking areas, but remember to highlight the masonry of your outdoor kitchen as well. Downlighting will accentuate the textures of your outdoor kitchen walls and will also offer illumination of the immediate patio area for safety.
The Patio and Walkways
While you and your friends and family spend time around the patio as the sun starts to fall beneath the horizon, the beauty of your paved surfaces doesn’t need to fade as well. Your outdoor lighting strategy can amplify the beauty of your patio and walkways. For the most attractive and practical results, use walkway lights situated close to the ground to maximize efficiency and prevent hazardous shadows or glare, while maintaining the magic of the night time atmosphere.
The Entryway
First impressions are lasting, day or night. Create a warm welcome for your guests with attractive lighting that sparks feelings of safety. Low-lying walkway lights are a great solution for your front entry walkway, but add a “random” light fixture or two somewhere in your front yard—under a shrub or tree, for example—to add dimension to the space.
The Living Landscape
One of the joys of owning a home is being able to get closer to nature. Your outdoor living space can look vibrant during the day, but even after the sun goes down, you can still show off your landscape’s plant life. Raised masonry planters, vertical gardens, potted plants on the patio, or a series of plant beds can be enhanced with landscape lighting. Subtle lighting can help to create a dimensional effect in the landscape, reducing the huge disparity between a well-lit patio space and the surrounding dark landscape.
Special Features
Is there a beautiful old tree on your property? A masonry retaining wall? A water feature? An interesting fence? These can all be highlighted using small bullet lights set at ground level. Some light will bounce off the features to add ambient light, but the real magic lies in how the lights bring attention to textures and shapes.
