Designing with Light
Outdoors
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Outdoor
lighting enhances the beauty of your property, makes your home safer and more secure,
and increases the number of pleasurable hours you spend outdoors.
And it is an investment that pays off handsomely in the value
it adds to your home.
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A
well-lighted front entrance enables you to greet guests and identify visitors. Wall lanterns on each side
of the door will give your home a warm, welcoming look, while
assuring the safety of those who enter. Under a porch or other
overhang, you can use recessed, chain-hung, or close-to-ceiling
fixtures. A separate rear or side entrance can be lighted with
a single wall lantern installed on the keyhole side of the door.
To conserve energy, consider post and wall lanterns that use
new compact fluorescent or high-intensity discharge light sources
such as mercury vapor or high pressure sodium.
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For
the safety and security of family members using the garage at
night, you can install a wall fixture on the face of the garage. Fixtures equipped
with high-pressure sodium bulbs will deliver more light per watt
and last many times longer than those with incandescent bulbs.
In addition, photocells are available that will turn fixtures
on at dusk and off at dawn, reducing energy consumption and providing
security when you're away.
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For
added security, illuminate any side of the house that would otherwise be in shadow. To conserve
energy, install a motion- or heat-sensitive control that will
switch on the light only if someone approaches that side of the
house. An automatic timer can control a portion of your outdoor
lights to turn off at a certain hour, while basic security lights
can be left on through the night. Another proven safety measure
is to use timers on interior lights to make your home look occupied
when you're away.
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Steps,
paths, and driveways should be illuminated to make sure family members and guests are able to move
about easily and safely after dark. You can install path lights
or post lanterns or attach lights to the side of the house. Low-level
path lights, which spread circular patterns of light, will brighten
your walkway, while highlighting nearby flower beds, shrubs, and
ground cover. These close-to-the-ground lights are available in
fixtures using energy-saving low-voltage current. They are simple
to install and can easily be moved to reflect changes in your landscaping.
Low-level path lights can also be used to define the boundaries
of long driveways. Bollards, which stand 30 to 36 inches off the
ground, also work well. Use shielded fixtures to avoid glare. |
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Decks,
porches, and patios can be converted into romantic evening retreats by concealing low-voltage mini-lights
under steps, railing, or benches.
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Another idea is to install a spotlight in the
branches of a nearby tree.
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Don't forget to add stronger light over the barbecue
or serving area. To accomplish this, install a recessed spot-light
on an adjacent roof overhang or mount spread lights on a railing
behind the grill.
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For more information on outdoor lighting, talk to one of our Certified Lighting
Consultants. Or, stop by our showroom to pick-up a copy of "Light Up Your Landscape," the ALA's 16 page guide to outdoor lighting.
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