Although we’re entering summertime and enjoying the outdoor weather away from our homes - it is easy to neglect the outdoor lighting within the garden of your home.
Winter is a time when you usually want or have to stay inside - but completely forgetting about the exterior of your household at any time of the year is leaving many benefits on the table.
In this blog, we will run through some potential ideas that can spice up your lighting outdoors leaving others feeling cosy and safe when visiting your household. Read along to learn more!
What is the Purpose of Outdoor Lighting?
The change in seasons every couple of months has different uses within a commercial property or household. The need for proper and effective outdoor lighting is becoming more prominent than ever for various reasons. Whether it be added to your decking, patio or even having your plants lit up - taking your outdoor lighting seriously will only add value to your home.
Installing outdoor lighting, whether that be your residence, town or city has the purpose of increasing the efficiency of human activities (even when it is dark). This adds time on to everyone’s day to be more productive outdoors - if that’s for using transportation, construction tools, city beautification, etc.
This added time allows for people to move around in areas that would not usually be safe, comfortable or efficient if there was no outdoor lighting - generating longer days of mobility and getting things done!
However, within your household, there are many contradictions and controversies of which some lighting can be expensive or glare on neighbours’ windows at night time. But, on the other hand, complete darkness would not be an option as this will be a detriment to everyone’s safety and a nighttime aesthetic.
Exterior lighting should be just as paramount as your interior lighting as it should provide everyone with a relaxed atmosphere - but also ticking off the health and safety accidents that may occur without LED outdoor lighting. The lighting will greatly influence the whole look of your garden and patio - therefore, ensuring you make the right purchases is essential. However, what can LED outdoor lighting provide for your home?
Aesthetic
When putting together a plan of action for the lighting you want to install in your home - a form of lighting that will set the perfect ambience for your property is key. Making your exterior standout to look more dynamic for people walking past (or neighbours looking in) adds an extra dimension of elegance compared to anyone else.
Security of Your Home
If you have an extremely dark street, garage or entry - illuminating these potential risk points will help you feel a lot safer. It will also be much easier to view and catch a potential intruder if this ever did happen as they will most likely never go to a home with too many lights, for the risk of getting caught. Even if it is just your deck or patio that is lit up, this will prevent them from trespassing.
Safety
We have all tried to do something in the dark and it has never gone to plan and you end up hurting yourself or breaking something. Therefore, illuminating your pathways, patio or decking will certainly add an extra layer of protection for homeowners or guests coming over to find their footing.
Ideas For Your Outdoor Lighting This Winter
Thinking of outdoor lighting for winter can be presented to you as a whole gallery of choices. However, a lot of these options are either not sustainable or may not suit your household. So, here are the only ideas that you will need to consider for the winter coming up - when it comes to outdoor lighting:
Installing Decking Lights
Just because it isn’t sunny outside and warm all the time doesn’t mean this will restrict you completely from using your garden in the winter. Who said you can’t enjoy your decking area on a nice evening in the winter? As you know the nights will go darker, earlier in the winter - therefore, recessed decking lights are supreme.
Not only will they supply you with extra safety hazard prevention - but producing relatively bright light in the winter helps you to enjoy the darkness of the nights without feeling like you constantly can’t see anything. Gazing up at the stars with a heater and blankets have a special type of feeling on a cold, winter night - so installing something like decking lights will help this emotion be attained.
LED Strip Lights
When looking for one of the easiest types of outdoor lighting to install instantaneously - LED strip lights or LED rope is the ideal choice. This is due to the safety and convenience of this type of lighting with the average lifespan being around 30,000 hours - meaning you will not have to replace this anytime soon!
With LED light bulbs, there is no risk of overheating as they will preserve and use their energy extremely efficiently. In terms of where you want to place your lighting - this is completely your choice. Be creative - for example, lining them up to the pathway of your drive towards your car or wrapping them around your decking. Making your garden look out of the ordinary and creating a holiday ambience - even during the winter will be sure to impress any visitors to your home.
String Lights
If you want versatility with your outdoor lighting, then string lights are certainly one of the best for that. However, they hit their peak performance during the winter months. Although they may be seen around your city - virtually nobody will have these in their home, making it your time to create a magical environment around Christmas time.
Of course, when it comes to Christmas, string lights are always going to be colourful and festive. However, in your city or town - they are commonly known to hang from tree to tree which may be something you opt for. Wrapping your own personal string lights around trees or from post to post (or railing to railing) will fabricate an other-worldly feeling for you and your loved ones this winter.
