Finding Landscape Lighting Ideas - 7 Helpful Tips

Thinking up a few good landscape lighting ideas may be a bit challenging for some people. However, it need not be that hard, and it can actually be a pleasant if not fun experience. These 7 easy tips will show you how to use your creative imagination to easily come up with your own great lighting ideas for your landscaping.

Think About Any Unique Features That Would Benefit From lights

During the daylight hours when the sun is shining bright, some landscape features may look rather unremarkable, if not mundane. But at nighttime, tastefully placed lighting can bring out a spectacular variety of colors, hues, and effects.

Places that can benefit from lighting include driveways, walkways, walls, steps, statuary, water fountains, trees, shrubs, patios, decks, and borders.

Use a Flashlight to Simulate Nighttime landscape lighting Effects

When nighttime falls, get a flashlight, put in some fresh batteries, then take a walk through the landscape areas such as lawn, garden, and pathways that you would like to light. The reason for bringing the flashlight along is to simulate different lighting effects.

Point the flashlight at objects you would like to light, and shine a beam of light on it. See how the beam of light creates various lighting effects, contrasts, and shadows on the wall of your house, on trees, shrubs, and other elements of the landscape. If your flashlight has variable settings, change the width of the beam between floodlight and spotlight, and make note of positioning and angles that you think look best.

Visualize Effects Mentally

Next, try to visualize in your mind a few different ways you can re-create the flashlight simulated effects with common lighting methods.

Some of the popular lighting methods include path lighting, wall-wash lighting, shadow lighting, floodlighting, spotlighting, backlighting, downlighting, and uplighting. See your landscape come to life at night after you install some low voltage light fixtures in a few strategic locations onsite.

Write Your ideas in a Notebook

When you have some good lighting ideas, write them down in a notebook or personal organizer as soon as possible. You shouldn't assume you will remember all of those ideas you have in your head, because you may forget something important.

Draw a simple map of your landscape layout, and plot each point where you want to place a light fixture. When you are ready to purchase your light fixtures at the store, take your notes with you so you can refer back to them if necessary. This holds true if you buy online as well.

Use Online Search to Find More ideas

For even more ideas, go online to conduct a search. You will find a virtual goldmine of information online about many different topics, including that of landscape lighting.

Performing a few quick searches online is a good way to find more ideas.

Search Online With Specific Keywords

A generic phrase like "landscape lighting" may return some results that are not completely relevant to your search, such as product sale pages. Do a search with targeted keywords, like "landscape lighting methods" or "outdoor lighting ideas." Home improvement sites, DIY sites, forums, and answer sites such as eHow, Yahoo Answers, and Google Groups are good places to search for more ideas.

Books and Magazines - Take a Look!

Besides searching online, don't forget about home-and-gardening books and magazines for even more helpful landscape lighting articles and advice. So be sure to check out the books and magazines in the self-help section of your local home improvement store or landscape nursery.

The things you can do with lighting are virtually limitless, given the endless number of landscape lighting ideas available today. Let your creative juices flow, use your imagination, and go for it with gusto! By lighting your landscape at night, you will increase the beauty of your outdoor areas and improve the level of security and safety.

Using Bollard Lights for Landscape Lighting

Bollard lights are a very specific type of outdoor light, sometimes referred to as post lights because of their design. The word bollard stems from the nautical term used to describe the specific type of post that ships would tie to when they were docked.

The earlier fixtures, keeping with this sailing theme, had a nautical look to them with a cylindrical post and rounded top. This style is still readily available but as the demand for outdoor lighting increases and the styles evolve to meet the needs so have the available styles of bollard lights. You can now find a variety of styles and sizes of these type of lights.

Residential Uses

While bollard lighting is most commonly used for outdoor commercial lighting or in public areas these lights can also be used quite effectively in residential areas as well. Residential bollard lighting can be used to create an attractive lighting design that will help create a cozy outdoor environment. It can also be used for added security or to increase visibility at night.

The residential areas are where most people want to take advantage of the newer decorative styles available like the zen, mission or column style bollard lights. Some of these styles can really add distinction to your yard while adding better visibility. They can also be incorporated into a landscape design that will enhance both the look of the light itself and the landscaping.

They can be used at the beginning of a driveway, by the entrance to the home, to light outdoor stairs or around the deck or patio. How to use them best will depend on the size and shape of the yard. Mini or compact bollards can also be a great addition to a garden or landscaped area of the yard.

Business Uses

bollard lights are popular type of outdoor commercial lighting. They are most commonly used to light pathways; typically a row of evenly spaced lights are used to illuminate the path. But they can also be used in landscaped areas of the parking lot to add additional light to the parking lot and to the landscape design, or at the entry of a building to add light and create a safer environment at the entryway. Sometimes they are used to light the company sign or logo at a business.

Other Uses

Bollard lights also work well at parks, pedestrian malls or in community owned neighborhood association areas. They can be used to create a distinct separation between pedestrian areas and areas used for vehicle traffic. They can be used along paths. They can also simply be used strategically to add light for increased safety and visibility.

Landscape Lighting To Enhance Your Yard At Night

Landscape lighting has become increasingly popular in recent years. Not only do we update our bathrooms and kitchens, we now also pay a great deal of attention to our outdoor spaces. Specific areas that can benefit from well-designed outdoor lighting include walkways, patios and decks. Adding specific types of lights, like LED step lights, can increase both visual appeal and safety. With increased use of things like outdoor fireplaces and outdoor rooms we are slowly moving our focus to that valuable space outside of our home, essentially increasing the square footage of our living space. This also allows us to spend more time outdoors.

Lights For Functionality And Visual Appeal

As we spend more time outside in the evening and at night landscape lighting starts to become more important. Using things like LED step lights to improve visibility on our deck stairs becomes important for increased functionality and safety. But outdoor lighting can also create an attractive look when done well, and this can enhance the look of your entire yard making your home look more appealing from the outside.

Up lighting or down lighting can be used to highlight certain trees or other plants in your yard. This can create a dramatic effect with great visual appeal. Post cap lights can be used on a deck to enhance the atmosphere and provide increased visibility at night. Patio umbrella lights can create a pleasant light to use for dining on the patio at night or enjoying evening conversation outside.

Using LED accent lights can help illuminate landscaped areas, entryways or pathways providing both a warm, cozy light while also making them safer at night. They can also be used to highlight special features in your yard like a fountain or a statue.

Don't Overdo It

While outdoor lighting can be a lot of fun to use and it can provide a lot of value, too much of a good thing isn't such a good thing anymore. Too much light will simply make your yard look bright and washed out. Besides making your yard look like a parking lot using too many fixtures means the individual lights you took the time to choose won't be as noticeable anymore. Part of good landscape lighting design includes using shadows as part of the design. You want some darker spaces in your yard to show the contrast.

With good use of landscape lighting you can create a yard that looks beautiful at night while also increasing the functionality for use during those nice summer evenings.

Solar Power Your Landscape Lighting

Lighting should be a part of any good landscape design. Lighting can light a path you walk on to get to your door. You can have a motion sensor by the door to help you see to put your key in the lock. Solar powered lights have can accomplish all these functions and cost you nothing more than the cost of the lighting fixture.

Designing your landscape with light as part of your garden, patio, pool or pond creating the atmosphere you desire. Giving you the ability to enjoy it even after the sun sets. Making it safe to walk about in the dark. Creating a play on light that can be pleasing and comforting.

You have many choices when it comes to landscape lighting. You can set a party mood on your deck just by lighting it up. Create a romantic atmosphere by back lighting an outdoor seating area. Solar powered lighting has come a long way in the last couple of years. Installing solar lighting is simple. You never need to dig or play around with wiring.

Have a shady yard with just one sunny spot? Did you know that there are portable solar units available today. These panels can be discreetly placed and will run the lights in your yard for hours. You can purchase one of these units for a few hundred dollars. The units are simple and portable to install. You can take them with you on your next outdoor adventure and light up your camp spot.

Artists have taken solar in a whole new direction with beautiful colored lighting. They have created garden sculptors that light up in the dark. They have created everything from playful fairies to industrial spheres. Glass artist have created their art in colorful glass that looks like flowers after dark.

Llighting up the bones of your garden will give it structure and create depth. Back lighting some of the plants that remain year round in your garden will keep visitors eyes enthralled with the atmosphere you created for them to enjoy.

The only limit to solar powered lighting is your imagination. Your budget for lighting your landscape will come into consideration for most people. Remember, once you install solar lighting you will not be paying for the electricity to light your yard. Established plantings will not have to be disturbed with digging. You can create safety for your family and friends as the walk to your front door.

Landscape Lighting - Low Voltage Systems

So you went to the big home improvement store and brought home a box of little solar powered LED landscape lights. After an afternoon out in the yard sticking them in the ground the result is... well, probably a little disappointing.

A better option might be low voltage landscape lighting.

There are professional outdoor lighting designers and lighting installation contractors who specialize in knowing all about landscape lighting. These are the best people to contact about low voltage landscape lighting for your home. If you're ready to try it yourself, keep in mind that nothing is better than years of experience, but here's an outline to help guide your process.

Here are the steps to creating your low voltage landscape lighting:

1) LIGHTING DESIGN

2) WIRING PLAN & INSTALLATION

3) ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS

4) LAMP & FOCUS

5) MAINTENANCE

Although it's an electrical application, low voltage lighting takes very little energy to run and is relatively safe. You will need a GFCI outlet outside or in the garage, and a transformer that converts 120-volt to 12-volt power. It's important that the outlet is a ground fault circuit interrupter - to protect from electrical hazards. Your transformer needs to be the right wattage to accommodate the lighting you plan to install.

If you're planning to have a professional quality landscape lighting system installed, the best time to consult the designer is when you are still in the landscape planning stages, or as you are winding up your planting plans.

A professional designer will choose the optimum lighting effects, select the light source and locate the fixtures and wire runs, and calculate the appropriate electrical load and circuits for you. With professionally installed landscape lighting system you'll get the maximum effect for your money, and the satisfaction will last for years.

If you're going to try it yourself, the first thing you need to think about is how you are going to use the space. Choose light sources that will be bright enough to satisfy the needs of the area, but that can be installed without producing glare or shining into someone else's yard. For safety reasons, do not put the lights closer than 10 feet from a pool, spa or pond.

LIGHTING DESIGN Plan your lighting design by selecting features to enhance, and areas that need light. Attractive plants and trees, walkways, statuary, fountains, and the façade of your home - all are great features to light. Select a good, reliable, energy efficient light source - professional LED fixtures or MR16 halogen and xenon lamps are very popular options. Buy good quality fixtures and equipment. Professional and contractor grade materials will serve for many years.

Use flags or marking stakes to indicate where you will place your fixtures. Mark the locations for your fixtures, placing lights where they do the most good illuminating the space, shining on the walks, highlighting the plant material, skimming across rock surfaces. Tour the site and look from different angles. Try to hide the fixtures when possible. Aim the light so it doesn't make glare and you can't see the light source.

Professional lamp charts are available to help you select the right light source for the application and to see what wattage will provide the desired brightness and throw. Beam spread refers to the size of the pool of light and is measured on a chart at varying distances.

WIRING PLAN & INSTALLATION Next, begin to consider where you can best place the wire runs. Along the edges of hardscapes is often a good choice. Make right angles for wire turns and arrange your plan not only for maximum efficiency, but also in a way that makes sense to you as you work in your property. A good way to try this is to run string or twine from the location of your transformer (by your GFCI outlet) to the fixtures.

There are several methods of laying out the wiring. The better and best ways are by using a "T" style installation or a "hub" installation. Most professional quality LED installations can use a series or "daisy chain" method. The method you choose will depend on the type of fixtures, the distance from the transformer, and the type and size of wire.

Don't make your wire runs too long, and don't start your fixtures too close to the transformer. You want even distribution of power.

Sketch your wiring plan and the lighting placement. Write it all down to make the project go much more smoothly, and to keep a good record of your project for the future.

You can purchase low voltage landscape lighting kits from the home improvement store, and these kits will probably include the transformer necessary to match the fixtures. It's usually a small unit and has only one voltage available, so you will have some effect from "voltage drop" - a kind of line loss that occurs from fixture to fixture or over any amount of wire distance.

You'll also need to use the specific wire intended for outdoor direct burial and for use with landscape lighting. It is generally sold separately in reels or spools. For most purposes, 12 or 10 gauge is fine; there are other sizes available.

After you've determined your wiring plan, an easy way to determine your wire footage is to measure how much twine you've used in your practice wiring plan. Add a few feet for each fixture so you have some slack and the ability to relocate the fixtures slightly. Add another foot or so per fixture so you can bury the wire easily.

Before you do any digging, call a professional locator service, and carefully look around your property for where sprinkler lines, water mains, cable TV and phone wires are buried. Tree roots can be a problem to get through. It's best to dig around large roots - hacking through them can damage your trees and make entry points for insects. You can dig furrows about 6 inches deep to put the wires in, or slice the grass or sod with a shovel to the depth required by NEC code or your state or municipality (if different).

ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS The electrical connections are very important and can be the weak link in your system. Click or pierce-squeeze connectors can easily allow moisture into the wire. Moisture and corrosion are the enemies of electrical systems. A waterproof splice is necessary for all connections that will be placed underground. A soldered connection with a waterproof electrical connector is a primo connection.

Make the connections at the transformer. Most consumer quality transformers have only one voltage tap. Professional and contractor grade transformers have multiple taps, to that the optimum operational voltage can be achieved.

LAMP & FOCUS Finally, put your light bulbs in the fixtures and aim them. Do this around dusk so you can see where you are pointing them. As you put the light bulbs in, moisten the ends of each bulb with lamp grease. This prevents dielectric corrosion and makes the light bulb easier to remove when time to change it.

Aim your fixtures carefully, making sure not to overshoot the features or aim any fixtures into the neighbor's yard. If you find that there is no better placement to prevent glare, install accessories like hex baffles, shields or louvers. Some in-ground fixtures come with covers, leaf-guards or gravel screens. Be sure to install them if they are needed.

Finally, you may enjoy the addition of softening filters, spread lenses or color media. Colored glass filters are available in a variety of hues, and dichroic-coated lenses are available in practically any wavelength.

MAINTENANCE Most importantly, keep your beautiful landscape lighting system maintained. As with any other home system, your outdoor lighting system requires maintenance for proper working order and safe operation. Most professional installation contractors offer an annual or semi-annual maintenance plan.

Clean the fixture housing and lenses regularly, re-lamp and re-aim the fixtures as needed. Check the area around the electrical wiring for wear, corrosion or insect infestations.

Look into the fixture at least every year to check for water seepage or corrosion around the socket. Lubricate o-rings and replace o-rings that are dry, worn or torn.

Trim away foliage that is overgrown or blocking the fixtures. Add extension stems to raise the height of the fixtures in groundcover areas or adjust locations as the landscape material matures.

Low voltage landscape lighting is a beautiful way to enhance your home and outdoor environment. You get what you put into it - so hire a landscape lighting professional if you can, learn as much as you can to prepare yourself for the Do-It-Yourself Project if you can't.

Remake Your Outdoor Space With Landscape Lighting Design or Swimming Pool Wiring Help

Get expert assistance from a qualified electrician when you're updating your outdoor space. From landscape lighting to swimming pool wiring installation, having the right electrical contractors on your team can make a world of difference!

When you want to establish a beautiful outside space, having the right electrical components at your disposal can make all the difference. From solar powered landscape lighting to underwater pool lights, electricians who specialize in exterior electrical work can help you achieve the perfect look for your property.

Not all electricians will be able to tackle outdoor jobs, so when you're serious about making your outside space livable, functional, and beautiful, call a professional who offers specific outdoor electrical services. These electrical contractors will survey the areas in question, talk with you about what you want, and design the right lighting or wiring scheme to achieve your ideal outdoor space. With all of the necessary experience and tools at their disposal, these experts in landscaping lighting and other outdoor electrical needs will be able to tackle whatever project you have in mind.

Outdoor landscape lighting is, in fact, one of the most common projects that exterior electrical experts undertake. With beautiful lighting fixtures configured as part of a cohesive design throughout your outside space, you can enjoy the expanse and beauty of your garden or yard throughout the evening, no matter how dark it gets. Your outdoor lighting specialist can install this type of system with only minimal disturbance to the space. You won't have to dig up all your plantings or sacrifice your garden to workmen for weeks to install these features. Your electrician will have the tools and experience to put in the lighting that you want quickly and in the least invasive manner. The result will be a stunning lighting scheme that will increase the overall beauty of your property and will allow you to see, enjoy, and use your outdoor space at any time of day or night.

Swimming pool wiring is another job frequently undertaken by outdoor electrical contractor specialists. The combination of water and electricity makes this a particularly dangerous line of work, and one that you should certainly leave to the professionals. With swimming pools, there's more in play than just the lights in terms of electrical components. There are also filtration and circulation systems to be taken into account, which, along with the lighting, help keep a pool functional, pleasant, and attractive. Whether you want dramatic lighting to emphasize the pool as a feature of your property, or you just want the basics in place for the sake of aesthetics and safety, electrical professionals will work with you to design the appropriate pool wiring for your property and will install it so that you can enjoy a clean, well-lit pool all summer long.

Outdoor electrical work deals with the same elements as interior work, but in terms of design and successful execution, it calls for an expert to really do the job well. When you work with an electrician who specializes in exterior projects, you'll know that your landscape lighting or swimming pool wiring has been designed and installed with an eye to beauty, quality, functionality, and safety.

The Benefits Of LED Landscape Lighting

LED landscape lighting is the latest and greatest improvement in lighting in decades. It is eco-friendly, bright, and lasts a long time. The benefits of LED landscape lighting are many and no lawn or garden should be without them.

Safety and Beauty in the landscape - lighting the lawn and garden keep the family safe. Unexpected obstacles will not surprise family members when paths are bright and easy to see. Outdoor gatherings need not end at dusk. They can continue until everyone is too exhausted to party. LED lighting keeps the dark at bay and increases the usability of the yard. People put so much work into a beautiful landscape and then night comes and it disappears. LED lighting shows off your perfectly manicured lawn or dazzling perennial beds. Up lighting highlights specimen trees and bushes. Homeowners should use landscape lighting as an integral part of the design process. Adding vertical elements that they highlight after dark makes the landscape gorgeous at all times.

The Environment and Cost Savings - Keep your home green using LED landscape lighting. Eco-friendly products, such as LED lights, are a big draw in today's market. Even if one is not planning to sell, adding eco-friendly elements shows that a family is doing their part to protect and save the planet. If one is planning to sell a home, anything that saves energy is a great benefit for buyers. They want a home that is already environmentally conscious so they do not have to invest additional capital into the home. Although LED lighting is more expensive than traditional bulbs, homeowners can offset the cost on energy savings. It takes little time for LED bulbs to pay for themselves. A few electric bills later and the bulbs have paid for themselves and are now working for you. The cost is the main factor that causes people to hesitate when choosing new lighting. Homeowners come out ahead in the end it is simply a matter of education and research. LED lights last for hundreds of hours. It is not something that one needs to replace often. One bulb will light the way for several years before it burns out. Do not let your home get behind on the technology curve. The best lighting that is available today is LED landscape lighting. Incorporating it into the garden does take a financial investment but that investment pays off in safety, energy savings and creating a more beautiful landscape.

Outdoor Landscape Lighting As A Security System

Outdoor landscape lighting can be a very decorative addition to any garden. But what about the additional benefits of the security and safety that it can also provide.

Security
Outdoor landscape lighting is one of the best security systems you can install. Landscape lighting can be used as a deterrent to residential crime. Correct proportions of outdoor landscape lighting surrounding your home, has been shown to minimize crimes by as much as fifty percent. Landscape lighting has two great uses to aid in the security of your home. The lighting can intimidate possible intruders to avoid trespassing on to your property. Should this fail, the illuminated areas will also make it possible for you or your neighbor’s to see any intruders as they trespass.

As well as lighting an intruder visually, they will also create shadows. At night when vision is limited a moving shadow is easy to see. Even though you probably won’t clearly make out the intruder in the darkness, your eye will be drawn to the movement straight away which will put you on alert immediately.

When designing your outdoor landscape lighting it is a good idea to light the pathways separately as to lighting individual garden features. This can be done using separate wiring circuits. To save power the feature lighting can be turned off very late at night, say after 1.30 am and the pathway lighting can remain on for safety and security.

Also remember when wiring your outdoor landscape lighting, make sure to bury the wiring. It is common for intruders to see this wiring an cut it knowing that it will blow the lighting fuse which will turn off all of your lights.

Safety
Typically low voltage lighting systems are used for outdoor landscape lighting around the home. The preferred light fittings used to create outdoor landscape lighting, are low voltage, weather resistant fixtures. The low voltage used reduces the risk of electrocution if live wiring or terminals are touched. Also if power supply transformers are used to reduce the voltage, then they also isolate the low voltage system from the mains voltage which increases safety.

Low voltage lighting outdoor systems around the home garden also use low wattage lamps. These do not heat up as much as the larger sized lamps commonly used inside the home. The risk of burning anyone is reduced. Also the risk of burning and damaging plants by the directed light is also greatly reduced.

Maintenance
Always check your low voltage outdoor landscape lighting regularly. Say once every week. Lamps eventually burn out and require replacement regularly. Another problem is that plants outgrow their original shape and form and you will need to re-aim the lighting again to suit. The neighbor’s cat or dog may also knock your lighting over if it is loosely installed.