The Outdoor Solution That Brings Character To Your Home's Exterior

The features of the exterior of your property work together to create curb appeal. When you want visitors and passersby to get a favorable first impression of your home, don't overlook the importance of your exterior lighting. The right outdoor lighting can increase visibility, enhance security, create ambiance, and add charm to the outside of your home. Upgrading your outdoor lighting is a great way to bring character to your home's exterior; just be sure to avoid outdoor lighting mistakes that everyone makes.

If the exterior of your home is poorly lit, lacking character or curb appeal at night, it may be time to upgrade your lighting. Well-designed exterior lighting should be both visually appealing and functional. The right lighting can highlight architectural features or focal points, add depth, and increase the upscale look of your home. You can customize color choices for the holidays, construct creative displays, and amplify the impact of trees and landscaping.

Creating an outdoor lighting plan that includes different layers of lighting can improve overall illumination, focus lighting on specific areas, and include accent lighting to bring attention to elements of your home that you want to accentuate. The average cost to install landscape lighting ranges from $2,000 to $6,000, according to Angi, depending on the size of the project and the fixtures you choose. Improving curb appeal can also boost your home's value. The average return on investment for these projects is between 50% and 70% when quality fixtures are professionally installed.

When adding lighting to bring character to your outdoor space, consider what you want to highlight that makes your home unique. Some features and elements that you may want to accentuate include interesting architectural features, the landscape, water features, yard sculptures, or textured surfaces, such as stone or stucco walls. If you want to add character to your patio, consider trying beautiful DIYs to light up your backyard patio.

Next, consider the best light fixture styles, materials, and lighting techniques to create the desired effect. Exterior light fixtures should complement the architectural style of your home to create a cohesive look. Sleek, minimalist light fixtures in matte black or stainless steel work well with modern home designs. Copper or brass light fixtures and lanterns in more ornate styles add character and enhance the aesthetic of traditional home designs.

Uplighting, downlighting, and transverse lighting are techniques that refer to the placement of fixtures. For example, if you want to highlight an architectural or landscaping feature, spotlights can be set to beam light upward. When you want to illuminate a unique tree structure, you can use tree lighting with fixtures set to shine light upward or a downlighting technique known as moonlighting to shine down from the branches. The grazing technique is used to accentuate the texture of a stone or stucco wall by placing a fixture close to the wall and casting light upward. And illuminating paths with unique walkway lighting ideas can add ambiance and make your yard safe.