4 Mistakes to Avoid When Planning Your Landscape Lighting Project

Get Top-Quality Results for Your Property with Tips from Our Pros

We can list several reasons why a landscape lighting system is an essential addition to any property: It extends your time outdoors, increases home safety and security, raises property value, and transforms an otherwise dark and vacant house into a welcoming and beautiful home.

But installing a landscape lighting system takes planning and know-how. Otherwise, you may end up with incompatible components, imbalanced lighting, and angry neighbors who wince at the glaring light shining into their windows.

Before you add outdoor light to your Jonesboro, AR home, be sure to avoid these landscape lighting design mistakes and take note of the tips provided by our lighting pros.

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Limiting Lighting Techniques

Before you plan your project, keep in mind that lighting isn’t just a tool to help you see. It’s also an accessory that adds to and enhances the beauty of your home and landscaping. The best landscape lighting designs incorporate a variety of techniques to showcase different parts of the property.

Spotlighting highlights focal points, downlighting casts illumination over wide areas, uplighting adds depth and drama to trees or plants, and wall washing shows off architectural features on your home’s exterior. These are just a few of many techniques that work together to create a complete design.

Not Concealing the Light Source

Some outdoor light fixtures, like unique path lights and wall sconces, are meant to be part of your landscape design by day. But the true magic of a landscape lighting design is its ability to cast beautiful light among your property at night while disappearing into your landscape when the sun comes up.

The accessory is the light itself, not the fixture. Choose small, dark-colored lighting fixtures that are easy to blend among plants, trees, and soil. Consider discreet fixtures like well and niche lights that mount flush with the ground. Wires should also be buried to keep them from view and out of harm’s way.

Forgetting About Your Neighbors

If you have close-by neighbors, keep them in mind as you place lights throughout your property. You may have spotlights on trees and pillars, but are they also casting off onto adjacent properties? Maybe your floodlights are aimed too high, causing the bulbs to be seen from across the street. Like noisiness, light pollution is a nuisance that affects your neighbors. Be sure to consider them as you design your lighting system and be open to adjustments if they alert you to a potential lighting issue.

Using Halogen or Incandescent Bulbs

Traditionally, halogen bulbs were the primary light source for landscape lighting systems as they were more efficient than incandescent bulbs. But even better than halogen bulbs are LEDs, which not only emit far less heat but can achieve the same light output using up to 85% less energy. LED light sources also last between 40,000 to 60,000 hours, which means you won’t need to replace bulbs for years.

Tunable LEDs offer even more advantages by allowing you to fine-tune the color temperature and intensity of your light sources to elevate your home’s exterior and landscaping. Select hues ranging the full white and color spectrums to achieve any look you desire. Our team works with Colorbeam, which offers a complete portfolio of outdoor RGBW fixtures that effortlessly tune and dim to your liking.

Add a sparkle to your property by partnering with a professional landscape lighting designer and installer like HomeTroniX. We’d love to help you with your project. To schedule a free consultation, contact us here or send us a message in the chat box below.