Introduction
When it comes to outdoor lighting, you might feel like there’s no right or wrong way to go. You can choose any type of light you want and place it anywhere outdoors that you want. However, if you really want to impress your guests with a well-lit home exterior, here are some tips that will make all the difference:
Use the right fixture
When it comes to exterior lighting, it’s important to use the right fixture for the right space. If your house is modern and sleek, consider using a contemporary outdoor lamp or lantern–just make sure it doesn’t clash with other features like architectural details or landscaping. If your home has an older feel, opt for traditional fixtures that fit in with its style (and don’t block windows).
You’ll also want to think about how much money you want to spend on lighting and whether or not any special needs need met by the light source itself (like security). Here are some ideas:
- Lanterns are great if you want something simple but classy; they come in all shapes and sizes at various price points so there’s something out there for everyone!
- Security lights offer great value since they do double duty as both security devices and sources of illumination around the exterior of your house!
Make the most of your outdoor spaces
- Use lighting to draw attention to your landscaping.
- Use lighting to highlight architectural features.
- Add a special touch to your patio, porch or deck by using lights in unexpected places like hanging flower baskets or birdhouses with lanterns inside them! This will create an enchanting atmosphere that is sure to make all who visit feel welcome and at home in this space you’ve created just for them!
- Create a relaxing atmosphere with dimmer switches so that guests can adjust how much light they want depending on what they’re doing (e.g., reading vs enjoying conversation). This way everyone gets exactly what they need without having too much light shining directly into their eyes while sitting down together around one table (which tends not only look bad aesthetically but also causes eye strain).
Light up the entrance
- Use a light fixture that illuminates the entrance.
- Make sure it’s not too bright; guests shouldn’t have trouble finding their way in and out of your house.
- Don’t use a dimmer or motion sensor, because then you might find yourself locked out at midnight with no way to get back inside!
Create contrast
Contrast is the difference between light and shadow. It’s what makes your features pop, and it’s what creates depth in a space. You can create contrast with lighting, materials and landscaping.
Contrast can be used to highlight features of a space–such as the beautiful columns on your exterior! Or you could use contrast to create drama by illuminating one side of your house while leaving another in darkness (think Halloween).
Use reflective materials
When you’re trying to light up a dark area, reflective materials can be used to reflect light into the space.
For example, if you have a porch or deck that’s in need of some extra illumination at night, try installing some mirrors on the walls or ceiling. This will bounce any available ambient light back into your space so it doesn’t feel so dark and gloomy!
Give your guests a way to find their way home
If you have a small garden and want to give your guests a way to find their way home, consider installing a path of lights. You can place these along the entrance to your home or even on top of it if it has an overhang that will keep them dry.
If there are any dark spots in your garden, make sure that they are lit up as well. Also light up the path leading from the street into your front yard so that people can see where they’re going when they arrive at night time or in bad weather conditions
Maintain an overall blend and consistency throughout your home exterior
Use the same materials and colors in your house exterior.
You can use the same style of fixtures throughout your home exterior, but you don’t have to. If you like a certain type of lighting fixture but it doesn’t match other parts of your exterior decor, go ahead and use it anyway! Just make sure that everything else–fixtures included–follows through on this theme or style so that there is an overall blend and consistency throughout your home exterior.
Use the same type of lighting bulbs for each light fixture too!
Avoid harsh shadows, bright spots and dark spots.
Avoid harsh shadows, bright spots and dark spots.
This is a common problem with the exterior lighting at homes. To avoid it, you should make sure that there are no harsh shadows or dark spots on your house and lawn. You can also avoid bright spots by making sure that all of your lights are evenly distributed across the exterior of your home so that no one area is brighter than another area.
A well-lit house can make your guests feel more welcome.
Lighting your house can make it look more welcoming, help you see at night, and even make you feel safer.
It’s also important to consider how lighting affects your mood. When we talk about “good lighting,” we aren’t just talking about brightness levels–we’re talking about how the light makes us feel inside our homes.
Conclusion
As we’ve seen, there are so many ways to light up your home exterior. You can use different types of lighting for different purposes and make sure that every room is well-lit by installing the right fixtures. This will help you create a beautiful scene for guests as they arrive at your house at night or even make them feel more welcome when they enter through the front door during daylight hours.