Many property owners only put outdoor fixtures up for practical purposes as they do not consider the aesthetic value of a properly-lighted area. However, those who realise the importance of lights put them to good use. The right outdoor lighting solution can set the mood of your outdoor living areas and make your space come alive. There is no denying that strategically placed lighting can highlight the beauty of your property and surroundings. Besides aesthetics, adequate lighting is a very effective way to add security to a property. It helps deter criminal activities such as vandalism, theft, and robbery; after all, every criminal chooses a darkened property over a well-lighted one.
The first step to selecting the best lighting for your outdoor space is to learn what is available. You are in luck because you will never run out of choices regarding lighting fixtures for outdoor use. From inground to wall recessed, bollards to pole tops, and spotlights to deck lights, you will find numerous styles of lighting options available these days. But remember, every lighting design has an individual purpose, so they cannot be used anywhere you want. You need to carefully analyse your outdoor space where you want to install the lighting and then decide which will be apt for you. So to help you with this, this article discusses six popular outdoor lighting solutions used for different outdoor spaces. Continue reading!
Spotlights
‘Spotlights’ is a general term for lights that point only in one direction; they become a particular type of light when used in a certain way. For example, when you use the spotlight to point upwards, it becomes uplight, creating a wall grazing effect. Or when they are placed on the ceiling or on trees pointing downward, they become downlights. These lights are often used for illuminating statues, walls, patios, plants, or anything you want to point them at.
Path lighting
Path lighting is the small pole of light installed on the floor. As the name suggests, these are the lighting fixtures used to illuminate the path. These are the most common lighting solutions used in many areas like parks, mall parking, driveways, restaurants, etc. These are available in a myriad of designs and finishes to suit the taste of different individuals. From whimsical to modern, you can choose whatever you like, or that goes with your existing outdoor decor.
Floodlights
Floodlights come with an adjustable beam that can be adjusted to focus on any specific item like a flagpole or monument or to light up wide areas such as parks, driveways, sportsfields, stadiums, parking lots, billboards, etc. You can think of them as a spotlight with high brightness and a wide coverage range.
Wallpacks
Wallpacks are self-contained lighting fixtures installed directly on walls without a pole. Based on their beam shape, they are classified into two main categories-
- Full cutoff wallpacks, concentrate their lighting output in a narrow beam facing downwards.
- Semi-cutoff wallpacks, concentrate their lighting output in narrow beams facing downward.
Step lights
It is all in the name. Isn’t it? Step lights are an ideal solution for walls beside the stair or on the front vertical face of the stairs. These are very common lighting fixtures found in almost every home or outdoor landscape, as these are a perfect solution to light up the deck stairs and prevent incidents like falling, tripping, sliding, or stumbling.
Sconce
Sconces are classic examples of outdoor lighting that genuinely spruce up outdoor areas. These are wall-mounted lights designed like a lamp-holder. They are available in many designs like flush mount sconce, semi flush mount, wall lantern, barn light, and many more.
So, these are the six popular lighting solutions you can consider while finding lighting fixtures for your outdoor space. But while making your selection, you first need to identify the features in your outdoor area that you need to light up and then choose the fixtures depending on their functionality.
