Tips for Making the Most of Your Landscape Lighting Project

Have you considered adding or renovating your outdoor landscape lighting? Perhaps you’ve scoured images online, talked to your neighbors, and started jotting down ideas. Achieving the landscape lighting of your dreams doesn’t have to be difficult, but planning is key. Below are three easy tips you can get started with right away. In no time, you’ll be well on your way to having the landscape lighting that’s the envy of all your neighbors!

#1: Come up with a budget.

Figure out how much you’re willing to spend on your outdoor lighting project. Like any home improvement project, however, it’s important to remember that you may end up spending more than you originally intended. So having a realistic budget is important.

#2: Prioritize what elements to focus on.

Decide which aspects of lighting for your outdoor space is most important. Consider the following to help guide your ideas:

• Where do you spend the most time outdoors in the evenings?
• Are there specific elements you wish to highlight such as an architectural element or garden?
• Is security your primary focus?
• Is safety around the pool or water features important?
• Are you using lighting for aesthetics or personal enjoyment?
• If you want enough light to cook and entertain by, perhaps functional lighting is the way to go.
• If you wish to highlight a water feature or trees and shrubs, aesthetic lighting may be more of a priority.

Deciding on your priorities from the start will help you set your budget and give direction to your lighting designer.

#3: Meet with a landscape lighting designer.

There’s a lot to know when it comes to landscape and lighting design. And, while looking through ideas and coming up with ideas can be fun, it can also become overwhelming quickly. Working with a landscape lighting professional can make the process more enjoyable and less stressful for you!

Your lighting designer will work with you based on your ideas, priorities, and your budget. Talented lighting designers can create really impactful landscapes with just about any budget.

They will also work with you on how to optimize your lighting design. For instance, you may have imagined pathway lighting along the side of your home. When the designer arrives, he notices that along the path are some mature trees and shrubs that could really be breathtaking with downlighting. You’d get a beautiful dappled lighting effect as it shines through the leaves, which seems to suit your romantic outdoor lighting style.

Lighting designers can help you reconsider features to focus on and other lighting possibilities to really showcase your property in its best light.