How to Do Landscape Lighting Installation the Right Way

Is landscape lighting easy? If you are a wiz at home projects, perhaps it is. But like most things, there's a right and wrong way to approach it. You probably know that DIYer in your Freeport, FL neighborhood that's very proud of their landscape lighting installation. You know, the house where you have to don your sunglasses when you pass it at night? You don't want that landscape lighting. 

In all seriousness, there’s an art and a science to all lighting design, indoors and outdoors. In this blog, we'll tell you what you might want to avoid. And if you just want someone to do it for you – the right way – GHT Group is glad to help!

SEE ALSO: Adding a New Outdoor Amenity? Don’t Forget the Landscape Lighting

Solar Lights

We're in Florida, and there's so much sunlight. What a perfect application for solar lights! Not so fast. Solar lights might be inexpensive and not require any wiring, but they're not particularly high-end. The first issue you'll encounter is that the solar panels and the batteries wear out quickly. Then you should know that a solar light that gets significant shade won't have enough juice for much light. Save your money and go for low-voltage LED lighting. LEDs use a small fraction of the power of older incandescent outdoor fixtures, and you won’t be filling landfills with your worn-out solar lights. 

How Much Is Enough? 

There can be too much of a good thing. Like the over-exuberant neighbor that strains the power grid with their holiday lighting, you can overdo it with landscape lighting. Your house should not look like Vegas’s Fremont street at night. The strategy is to meld form and function, providing functional yet aesthetically pleasing nighttime lighting that shows off the beauty of your landscape and home.

Blinded by the Light

If you’ve ever experienced that spotlight on the corner of your neighbor’s house that was so bright and ill-aimed that it shone into your bedroom half the night, then you know what we’re talking about here. You don’t want your landscape lighting to shine into neighboring homes or blind drivers or visitors. Surprisingly, this happens more often than you think. Some solutions to remedy this are careful placement and aiming of lights, using the right intensity, the right type of fixture for the job, and glare shields.

Plan? What Plan? 

You don't build a house without plans. You shouldn't have landscape lighting with no plan, either. Good landscape lighting designers first evaluate your house and landscape to develop a plan that shows it off the right way. It may involve showcasing your royal palms with soft uplighting, your colorful garden beds, or your winding walkway. Whatever the plan, it will be thoughtful, use the right lighting types, and not be too much or too little. If you want a landscape lighting installation that makes you say, “Wow,” bringing in an expert designer is the key. 

Are you ready for landscape lighting that creates the wow factor at night? Reach out to us here to get started, or click the chat below to connect with us right away. We would love to help you!