The exterior of a house’s visual appeal can suffer severely at night. Showcased trees, sculptures, or landscaping often blends in with the rest of the darkness to create a bland, indiscernible swath of nothingness. This foreboding scene can make venturing out into the yard at night an uncomfortable prospect.
By adding outdoor lights, you are not only increasing the distinctiveness of your property, you are also adding safety, and encouraging mingling outdoors at all hours. Spending some quality time in your yard, after all, sure beats sitting in front of the TV every night.
Lighting Tips for your Okotoks Home
Planning Ahead
To start the process of adding exterior lighting of your home, begin by choosing several areas to focus on. Is there a walkway or garden path that can be illuminated? Perhaps there is a tree or sculpture that could do with some accenting? Maybe you have an area that swallows up light and feels dangerous to walk through at night?
These considerations determine the scope and direction of your project.
Transforming With a Transformer
The first thing most outdoor lighting projects need is a transformer to adjust the high-level current from the house into a low-voltage current that can be used for lighting. Your transformer should have the wattage capability to support your current project, as well as any expansions that may take place in the near future.
Make sure to choose a quality product that can exceed your current needs without putting a strain on your power bill. Also, take all safety precautions necessary when installing, and consult a professional should you get confused or nervous during the process.
Low Wattage Lighting
A simple lighting project would be to install some pathway lamps that only use 12-20 volts. These are relatively inexpensive, and require less effort to put in than higher-capacity fixtures would.
Another, similar lighting technique would be to purchase string lights on a flexible wire that could be wrapped around a tree, shrub, or sculpture. These lights tend to mimic the appearance of starlight or shiny dew shimmering around the chosen object, creating quite an impression from a distance and a nice, soft light up close.
Uplighting
Another lighting idea would be to angle small fill lights upwards from the base of trees. This type of light can be quite dramatic, transforming any outdoor area at night into an impressive scene.
Some people also choose to employ this type of lighting upon the exterior of their house, creating a “scalloped” effect along the walls and giving an ambient effect to the outer geometry while also providing safety lighting for foot travel.
There are many other possibilities for utilizing outdoor lighting to make your home more inviting, fun, and safe at night. The natural beauty of Okotoks’ real estate can only be enhanced by savvy application of illumination.
To inquire about adding value to your home, or to find the house with a yard that’s just begging to be lit up, contact us so we can make the outdoors better for you and your family at all hours.
