Types of Outdoor Landscape Lighting
Selecting suitable types of outdoor landscape lighting can transform your outdoor spaces into a serene getaway. The good thing is that there’s no shortage of outdoor lighting options to choose from for your yard. They come in a wide range of types, sizes, and styles. No matter your personal preference, you can find outdoor lighting for your unique needs.
However, not all types illuminate your landscape in the same manner. Choosing the best outdoor lighting for your home will depend on your landscaping, architectural styles, and personal preference. So, whether you’re looking to highlight specific yard features or complement the rest of your landscape, here are the most common types of outdoor landscape lighting to incorporate into your outdoor space.
What Are the Different Types of Outdoor Landscape Lighting?
Here are the different types of outdoor landscape lighting to help you decide the right one for illuminating your outdoor space.
Spotlights
Spotlights are also known as up-lights, directional lights, and bullets. This kind of landscape lighting usually illuminates in one direction. A spotlight’s light beam is typically narrow and no more than 45 degrees wide. Spotlights are an excellent choice for highlighting a specific area within your yard.
They can be helpful in uplighting trees and illuminating plants, patios, statues, and other outdoor features. They also support various wattages and beam widths, making them a versatile lighting option.
Path and Area Lights
Path lights are probably the most common type of landscape lighting. They are usually lamps capped with a diffuser set on small posts. Path lights focus the beam of light down and to the sides. They are best for lighting pathways to ensure the safety of your guests at night. But also work well for highlighting other outdoor parts of your home like a landscape bed or a pond.
Floodlights
Floodlights are the best type of landscape lighting for illuminating large outdoor areas. Unlike spotlights, the beam of lights from a floodlight can spread up to 120 degrees wide. Floodlights have a higher wattage than spotlights and are excellent for commercial applications. They are most useful as security lighting for driveways and patios at night.
Wall Wash Lights
Also known as outdoor wall lighting, wall wash lights are low-voltage yet bright lights. Wall wash lights provide accent lighting for recessed parts of your landscape and are an excellent option for outdoor wall lighting.
Well Lights
This landscape lighting is also known as inground light as they are installed at or below ground level. They are designed for hardscape applications or in a turf area with vehicular or foot traffic. That’s why they help illuminate driveways and walkways. You might also consider using well lights if you want the light beam to start close to the ground. For instance, well lights can be an ideal option when lighting a column. You can use them to improve the visibility and heighten the sophistication of the features in your landscape.
Deck Lights
As the name suggests, deck lights illuminate decks. They usually attach to fence posts or can be mounted on the sides of adjacent structures. Besides improving safety, deck lighting can help boost your home’s security. They also enhance your home’s aesthetics and improve your entire backyard’s ambiance.
Step Lights
Step lights illuminate dark stairs to ensure safe passage at night. They are usually installed on the vertical part of steps to illuminate the flat horizontal parts where you step. They can also be mounted to the sidewalls of steps. In addition to illuminating steps, they highlight the steps’ architectural details. You can also use them for deck lighting or illumination of entertainment spaces.
Hardscape Lights
Hardscape lights are a relatively newer type of landscape lighting. They are tiny LED lights that feature flanges or brackets installed onto structures. Most of these lights appear on the underside of overhangs and capstones. They give subtle floodlighting of hardscape surfaces and are excellent for washing walls with light.
Underwater Lights
This type of landscape lighting utilizes a design that works underwater. They are a great addition if you want to add real drama to your outdoor water features.
What Type of Lighting Is Best for the Outdoors?
The best type of lighting for the outdoors depends on different factors. Where you want to place your lights can help you choose the best outdoor lighting for your needs. How you intend to power the lights plays an important role when selecting the best outdoor lighting. Also, you need to determine whether you need the lighting easy to move around or permanently installed. Lastly, you need to know what you need your lights to do before settling on a specific type of outdoor lighting.
What Is the Most Common Type of Landscape Lighting?
Walkway and pathway lights are undoubtedly the most common type of landscape lighting. They are useful alongside the pathway or down a walkway. You can use path lights to guide your guests to your front door or between different outdoor spots at night. They illuminate potential tripping hazards in the dark, helping enhance your home’s safety. They also improve your home’s visual appeal by complementing your architectural features and landscaping.
Paradise Using Different Types of Outdoor Landscape Lighting
As you’ve seen, there are many different types of landscape lighting. Installing the right kind of lighting can turn your backyard into a perfectly relaxing and entertaining spot.
Whether you want to light up your walkway or transform your backyard into a serene getaway, PRO Landscape Lighting, Inc. can help! PRO Landscape Lighting is a family-owned and operated company that designs and installs landscape lighting in Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties.
Are you looking to enhance your home’s beauty, safety, and value with the best landscape lighting? Contact us today at 914-690-7798, and we’ll custom design your landscape lighting specifically for your needs.