HOW TO PLAN YOUR OUTDOOR LIGHTING

First and foremost, your outdoor lighting should create a safe and inviting atmosphere outside of your home. With so many styles of outdoor lighting available today, how do you select the right fixtures for your home? Read on to find out more about the basics of selecting and placing your outdoor lighting.

Lighting Your Home's Entry

• At your home's main entrance (usually the front door), your outdoor lighting should illuminate the lock and help you identify visitors. A good choice is using an outdoor wall light on either side of the door. Secondary entrances should also be well-lit, but a single fixture will normally suffice.
   
• Although many homeowners prefer decorative outdoor lights at the home's entrance, the most important thing is that the fixture provides enough light, without causing glare. Higher wattage is not always the answer; it is better to choose a design that lets plenty of light pass through.

Lighting Stairways and Passages

• At steps and passageways, be sure that your outdoor lighting reaches steps, slopes, or other changes in the grade.
   
• To light breezeways or other passages, you'll want to use fixtures that use lower wattage bulbs. Choosing a fixture that is too bright makes it harder to see the ground at night, or anything around you! If necessary, use a series of outdoor lighting fixtures with lower wattages to light these spaces.

Lighting Your Deck & Patio

• To ensure that your deck/patio is a functional social space, mount outdoor lighting fixtures at the height of your patio furniture cushions to avoid glare in the eyes of people who are seated.
   
• When planning outdoor lighting for your patio or deck, pay special attention to areas where activities are performed (like around the grill); consider adding extra task lighting here.

Lighting Your Driveway

• At the turn in, consider using a pair of outdoor post lights to "announce" your property. They don't need to be overly bright to be effective, but you don't want to skimp on quality here.
   
• Consider adding extra lighting over the garage door for an added measure of safety. If your driveway has a basketball hoop, it can be easily illuminated from the roof line.
   
• For easy maintenance and energy savings, you may want to consider a light with a photocell.