Your outdoor spaces should never be an afterthought. They present the first impression of your home, create a welcoming atmosphere, and offer an excellent place to relax with friends and family. You, therefore, cannot afford to underestimate the importance of decorating and styling your home’s exterior in a fashion that matches the space’s aesthetics and functional requirement, as well as your home’s style.

Among the best decorative and functional elements you can leverage for your yard is outdoor lighting. That said, the following are the top considerations to remember when choosing outdoor lights for your home.

1.

Durability

Many outdoor lighting fixtures feature metallic construction; however, not all metal fixtures are similar.

Aluminum is a popular option among homeowners on a tight budget due to its affordability and durability. Besides, the material is rust- and dust-resistant. However, paint placed on aluminum tends to fade over time due to oxidation. But you may opt for powder-coated aluminum; however, expect to spend more money.

Whereas stainless steel often looks fantastic in modern homes, it is highly susceptible to corrosion and dust. Choose this material only if you have time and resources for regular cleaning and maintenance.

A combination of copper and zinc, brass can last for years but comes with higher investment costs. Although brass is more robust than copper, both materials are identical in beauty, weather resistance, and color. However, copper outdoor lighting fixtures are more affordable than their brass counterparts.

2.

Size

Whereas large lighting fixtures can bring more light to your large yard, they will likely dwarf your dwelling and take away attention from it. It helps to choose a lighting fixture size that blends well with other elements in your yard. For instance, you will want to avoid fixtures that block the doorway. Talking of garage wall lighting, pick fixtures that are a quarter or third of the door frame’s width.

Another ticket to getting fixture size right is choosing lights that cover a particular area sufficiently and not excessively. For example, opt for some floodlights if you want to illuminate your lawn.

However, floodlights are not the best choice for illuminating a pathway; instead, install a few path lights.

3.

Intended Location

There exist three types of locations for outdoor light installation: dry, damp, and wet. In line with this, distinguishing the difference between dry-, damp-, and wet-rated lights is the key to ensuring the safe installation of your outdoor lighting.

Easily damaged by moisture, dry-rated outdoor lighting fixtures are best suited for areas far from dampness, such as covered patios.

Contrarily, damp-rated lights are perfect for areas with no direct exposure to water, snow, and rain. Such locations may include outside the bathroom window, outdoor kitchen, and carport.
Wet-rated outdoor lights are designed to withstand stormy conditions, heavy rains, and harsh breezes. You can install these devices in pergolas, verandas, and exposed gazebos.

You will also want to consider the prevailing weather conditions in your region. For example, if the area experiences sunshine for the larger part of the year, it is not a bad idea to install dry-rated lights in slightly exposed places in your yard.

4.

Types

Note that there are numerous outdoor light options, and it may be highly tricky for you to pick the right choice if you do not know what you need. Following is a roundup of the different types of outdoor lights to make the selection process more manageable:

» Post lights:

You install these fixtures on top of posts or poles. When choosing a post light, look for a wet rating to take home a waterproof product.

» Wall lights:

As the name suggests, wall lights are installed on walls or any vertical surfaces. Ideal places to install these fixtures are patios, garages, and porches.

» Hanging and ceiling lights:

These models are an excellent alternative if you lack room for wall lights. Additionally, they are best suited for damp spots due to their tendency to hide from the rain.

» Landscape lights:

Usually low-voltage, these fixtures are an excellent choice to accent your landscape or your home’s façade. Among the ideal areas to install landscape lights are pathways, driveways, and gardens.

» Security lights:

Pick these variants if you want to add some sense of safety and security to your home’s exterior. Security lights tend to be brighter than most outdoor lighting alternatives.

5.

Style and Color

Admittedly, you want outdoor lights to illuminate your home’s exterior at night. But remember that your lighting fixtures are visible during the day. Therefore, pick a lighting style that delivers a coordinated visual appeal to your yard.

Craftsman or Colonial homes do well with traditional outdoor lights, which tend to have ornate designs augmented with fancy details like flourishes and curved hooks.

For a modern home, choose contemporary outdoor lights commonly distinguished by their straightforward and minimalistic aesthetics. These fixtures often feature geometric touches such as rectangles and spheres to improve consistency in their minimalistic look.

Also available are transitional lighting fixtures, which fuse the elements of contemporary and traditional models. Most homeowners feel safe with these variants because they are not as simple as modern models nor as ornate as the conventional fixtures.

To consistently display a gorgeous exterior, be sure to use colors that blend well with your property’s theme. For example, pick outdoor lighting with gold or bronze elements if your walls have warm, earthy colors. Conversely, pewter or black outdoor lighting fixtures go well with blue-painted walls.

Also Read: 15 Outdoor Lighting Trends For 2021

The Bottom Line

Keep in mind the above considerations for the right outdoor lights that match your needs and home’s style.

Hevi Lite is your one-stop shop for top-quality outdoor lighting products and solutions. In our commitment to helping our clients find the best lighting fixtures for their outdoor spaces, our experienced professional design and manufacture unique lighting products that match the desires and needs of many residents and businesses in the region. Whether you need wall & surface lights, accent lights, sign & post lights, in-grade up lights, or floodlights, rest assured we have any outdoor lighting product you need to reinvent your home’s or office’s functional and aesthetic appeal.

Also available in our collection are lighting accessories and power supplies you need to complete your outdoor lighting project. Contact Hevi Lite today at 818-341-8091 or drop us a message here for more information about our products and a personalized, heart-to-heart discussion about your next outdoor lighting project.

How to Buy Outdoor Lighting – Planning and Design Tips

The right outdoor lighting should be as useful as it is beautiful. This guide shows you how to buy fixtures that meet your needs and create solid curb appeal for your home. You can browse and shop all outdoor lighting here.

Designing the Perfect Outdoor Lighting Plan

Three Reasons to Buy Outdoor Lighting

Knowing the benefits of outdoor lighting will help you create a lighting plan that works best for you. Here, three reasons you might need lights around the outside of your home.

1. Outdoor Lighting Adds Curb Appeal
Great lighting outdoors adds ambiance to any home. Little extras, like a post light at the end of the driveway, add a welcoming touch. Install lights in multiple locations for a layered look with maximum curb appeal.

2. Outdoor Lighting Creates a Unified Look
For even more curb appeal, use fixtures in the same style or from the same lighting collection to ensure a cohesive look.

3. Outdoor Lighting Adds Safety and Security
Make sure there’s ample light where you need it, especially near doorways, patios and walkways.

            

How to Buy Outdoor Lighting Buying Guide

How to Choose the Right Outdoor Lights

Depending on the location of where you want to install lighting, there are a number of choices available.

Wall Lights
Best Uses: Porches, Patios, Entryways, Garages
The classic front or back porch light, wall lights can be mounted on virtually any vertical surface. One of the most commonly seen outdoor fixtures, wall lights are a durable and attractive way to brighten your home and the area surrounding it.

Ceiling Lights & Hanging Lights
Best Uses: Porches, Covered Patios
Need more light on a covered porch or veranda? Or don’t have room for wall lights? Ceiling lights and hanging lights are the perfect options. Built for damp locations (where they’re never directly exposed to rain), these fixtures can be a bright and beautiful addition.

Post Lights & Pier Mount Lights
Best Uses: Walkways, Driveways, Patios
As the name suggests, post lights are fixtures that mount on top of posts. Because they’re usually placed in open-air settings like driveways and pathways, most post lights are “wet rated,” meaning they are designed to withstand direct exposure to rain and moisture.

The diameter of the post (also called a pole) needed may vary according to design. See individual product detail pages for specific recommendations.

Pier mount lights look much like post lights, but are designed to be installed on top of columns or walls. In some cases, we offer adaptors, allowing you to install post light fixtures atop columns or walls.

Security Lights
Best Uses: Walkways, Alleys, Garages
The best solution for a safe and secure property, motion sensor lights are triggered by movement. Security lights, in particular, offer a bright, flood-like light that helps ward off would-be intruders. A photocell light design is a great option as well. These lights, which are also called dusk to dawn lights, have a sensor that turns the light on automatically at night and then off at sunrise.

However, motion sensor lights can be decorative too. These designs are perfect for high traffic areas as they automatically turn on whenever needed. Read more in the section below.

Landscape Lights
Best Uses: Gardens, Landscape Features
Landscape lighting is a low voltage system separate from the wall and ceiling lights listed above. Path, spot and floodlights can be used in combination to give your property a rich, layered look.

Picking the Right Size Outdoor Lights

Front Porch Wall Lights

This is usually the most visible fixture on your property, so let’s get it right! Here’s a simple formula:

• One fixture? Your light should be approximately one-third the height of the door.
• Two fixtures flanking the front door? Your wall lights can be as little as 1/4 the height of the door. Go a bit larger if you have double front doors.
• Remember – most consumers choose a light that is too small for their area, especially when it comes to porch lights and patio wall lights. Use the rules above as a guide.
• You might find it helpful to cut out a piece of paper the size of the light you are considering purchasing, taping it to your wall, then standing back a distance to get an idea of what it will look in place.

Ceiling and Hanging Lights

• Choose a design that is in proportion to the dimension of the covered porch or patio.
• Make sure your space is tall enough to accommodate a hanging light.
• For lower ceilings, use a ceiling mounted light instead.

Post and Pier Mount Lights

• Fixtures may be of different size depending on the number of bulbs.
• For post-mounted designs, 84” high (or 7 feet) is standard.

Don’t Over Light

A little light goes a long way outdoors. A common mistake most homeowners make is using too bright a bulb outside. A bulb that uses a lower wattage or has a lower lumens output is generally adequate in the dark. We include either bulbs or recommendations with all of our outdoor fixtures to ensure you’ll enjoy a beautifully lit (but not glaring) property.

            

Outdoor Lighting Size Guide – Outdoor Lighting Guide

Security Lighting and Dusk to Dawn Lighting

Safety & Security: Are there any dim spots on your property such as seldom-used side walkways or entrances that may attract potential burglars? Security lights are the perfect solution.

• Motion Sensor Lights are triggered to turn on by nearby movements, making them ideal as security lights and for high-traffic parts of your property like entries and walkways. The range and angle of motion sensor vary by design.
• Dusk to Dawn Lights are fitted with special photo sensors which trigger them to automatically turn on and off with the setting and rising of the sun. They are a hassle-free way to ensure your outdoor lighting is on only when needed.
• Motion Sensor and Dusk to Dawn Lights – These designs combine both features in a single fixture. Furthermore, these features aren’t just for security lighting. Many types of outdoor lighting offer both dusk-to-dawn and motion sensor operation.

Do You Need Wet or Damp Rated Outdoor Lights?

Most outdoor fixtures are designed for either Wet or Damp location use. Here’s the difference between the two:

• Wet Rated (or Wet Location) fixtures are designed for use anywhere that’s directly exposed to wind and rain. Outdoor wall lights, post lights, and motion sensor lights are wet location rated.
• Damp Rated (or Damp Location) fixtures are designed for use in covered patios, pergolas and any place that’s not exposed directly to rain and moisture. Outdoor ceiling lights and hanging lights are damp use rated.

More Outdoor Lighting Ideas and Advice

Layers of Light for Outdoor Lighting 

Quick Guide: Choosing the Right Sized Exterior Lighting

Create Outdoor Ambiance with Deck Lighting

Outdoor Party Basics

Outdoor Lighting and Curb Appeal

A Guide to Dark Sky Lighting – 6 Quick Tips

3 Must-Haves for Installing Low Voltage Landscape Lighting