Summer is here which means longer evenings, frequent gatherings, and more time spent in your outdoor living space. Landscape lighting allows you to highlight special areas like courtyards, gardens, decks, patios, pergolas, fountains, and swimming areas. Maneuvering to and from these areas requires properly placed lights to gently guide your guests while avoiding hazards and injuries.
Walkway lights serve several purposes. Here’s our tips for choosing the right path lights for proper illumination while enhancing your landscape.
Footpaths guide traffic and lead the way to your home’s entrances and to your outdoor living areas. Often, pathways are used after dusk, early in the morning, or in inclement weather, therefore lighting is essential to aid in their primary function. Think about all the areas your family and guests use, especially parking areas and outdoor entertaining areas, all of which require clear visibility. It’s important to make path lighting an integral part of your landscaping design.
Illuminating your walkways increases safety by defining path borders and casting light on potential tripping hazards. Keep in mind that steps need more light than flat surfaces, high traffic areas need a lot of light, and uneven, unpaved areas require complete illumination. Also, put some thought into transitioning from indoors to outdoors. If you are stepping out from a brightly lit room into another well-lit outdoor area, your eyes require less time to adjust. As a bonus, any type of landscape lighting increases the security of your property by making your house less appealing to potential intruders.
Adding walkway lighting is a great way to upgrade your outdoor paths and add that finishing touch to your landscape design. Brick, steppingstones, gravel, concrete, bark mulch, are all examples of different pathway designs. Choose the right lighting to accent and highlight the architectural features of your walkway.
Consider add-on options that are convenient and save electricity. A timer will automatically turn lights on and off each night. So, no need to manually control them. Plus, the lights are always on when guests arrive or if family members return home late. Solar-powered options are efficient, easy to install, and you don’t need transformers or electrical lines.
Other options include photo-electric sensors, wireless remote controls, and even multiple circuits for different landscape lighting features. It’s worth noting that while all these options are useful, they may not be a good fit for your design. Our outdoor lighting professionals can help you determine the best lighting options for your landscape.
There’s no limit of creativity and style when it comes to choosing walkway lighting. Some fixtures sell for $25, while others cost $250 or more, depending on craftsmanship and materials. Consider your budget along with your aesthetics. Do you prefer copper, cast-aluminum, metal, or solar fixtures? Are you wanting a warm glow or a cool, vivid effect? Will you choose xenon, halogen, or LED bulbs to get the job done? Researching your options is the first step to planning your ideal layout.
Some walkways require extra attention due to their unique features and location. Floodlights can be mounted 10 to 20 feet above your walkway, focusing on the most hazardous areas, such as a sharp turn or slippery area. Wall-mounted fixtures can be used where a walkway runs right beside the home, garage, or wall, creating a custom field of light. Downlighting from trees (moonlighting) simulates the whimsical light of the moon. When skillfully placed and aimed, these lights illuminate through branches and leaves, providing additional aesthetic lighting for your footpath.
Inspired walkway lighting helps control foot traffic and can instantly improve the look of your property. Contact Mobile Illumination for a FREE NIGHT DEMO to see the transforming effects that landscape lighting can provide for your home.
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We’re here to help! Give us a call and we’ll answer any questions you have about your string lighting.