For most of 2020, many of us have spent more time than we could have ever possibly imagined (or wanted) at home. Now that our homes have become our central location for work, exercise, and even vacation, many of us are finding that our pre-COVID homes are not meeting our needs in the current environment of the world.
Why exterior lighting? In the article below, Alfresco Landscapes shares with us the 4 biggest benefits their clients experience after installing new residential lighting.
#1 Relaxation
When you’re trying to unwind from a long day, do you want to walk into a room with warm, ambient lighting? Or do you want to be blinded by bright white lights?
Our bodies respond quite dramatically to not only what kind of light we’re exposed to, but also how vibrant it is.
In 2014, a study found that installing warm, subtle lighting fixtures outside helps guests calm their nerves, ease into the surroundings, and relax more easily. We recommend lighting fixtures that can be dimmed, or have colors changed, as color and brightness can greatly affect mood.
Well-thought-out lighting can help transform your home from a dark, dreary place, to an otherwise welcoming outdoor space for people to hang out and socialize. It’s also a guide to defining communal areas for people to gather.
#2 Visual Charm
Imagine walking up to your home with beautiful glowing orbs lighting up a peek of space in the otherwise mysterious black night; guiding you, emanating a magical and relaxing sensation as you move through the path of soft lights.
Your favorite tree can light the branches and yard below with downlights that emphasize its shape, and outlines the circular mulch bed surrounding it. Garden walls and other focal points can spring to life at night with well, bullets, and floodlights that fill space and emphasize color and texture.
Soft outdoor lighting and making your home look better to have been scientifically proven to increase happiness and induce relaxation. In fact, throughout the pandemic, many people have been hanging up Christmas lights to brighten up the mood!
Thoughtful lighting makes the house more inviting to guests and increases your use of the outdoor space. You can even control the mood by adding dimming lights, color-changing lights, and unique fixtures.
When installed properly, front and backyard lighting can accentuate the best aspects of your home exterior and surrounding landscape. A well-thought-out lighting plan can transform your dark home into a bold, illuminated showplace.
#3 Curb Appeal
In a study by the National Association of Home Buyers (NAHB), the most requested outdoor feature is exterior lighting, which was rated desirable/essential by 90% of buyers, followed by a patio at 83%, and a porch at 80% desirable.
If you’re on the market to sell your home, exterior lighting is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to capture someone’s attention and give your house a desirable flare. This can in turn increase your property’s value, making it seem more luxurious and expensive.
If you’re not in the market to sell, you can enjoy your house being the talk of the street as it glows proudly in the dark night, all of its best features standing out thanks to your elegant exterior lighting.
If done properly, your home lighting should accent different parts of your house or landscaping such as trees, pathways, fire and water features, plants, and even the home itself.
#4 Safety
While it’s not totally possible to make your home burglar-proof, you can take some relatively inexpensive steps to make a home invader think twice before getting near your home.
Outdoor lighting tends to portray this idea of security because it exposes anything lit up in its path, making it pretty difficult for anything or anyone to approach the house without being seen.
Do you have children? We all know that most children love the outdoors, but after dark, it isn’t safe for them to be out there because well, they can’t see! And children are constantly prone to getting themselves injured due to their bravery and experimental curiosity.
In West Michigan, a large increase in the number of requests for backyard patio design, outdoor living construction projects, and especially exterior lighting has been keeping premium residential landscaping companies like Alfresco Landscapes busier than ever.
A well-lit backyard gives you peace of mind when children are outside playing after dark, and it makes it easier for guests to maneuver around the property after dark, overall reducing the risk of injury.
Having outdoor lighting can also reduce home insurance costs as most companies give a discount for having it. It can save energy by installing light-efficient LEDs, timers, and motion sensors. And to top it off, some insurance companies can also give a discount for never reporting a claim.
Conclusion
So now that you’re itching to add exterior lighting to your own home, we recommend that you consult with a professional landscape company, to answer your questions and to help you manifest your vision for your landscape.
It’s okay if you have no idea where to start, as long as you know you want it, the professional landscape company will be thrilled to help you generate ideas for your space. With the coronavirus giving us a plethora of free time, there is no better time than now to finally make those home renovations. We encourage you to learn some home renovation skills and DIY, but if that’s not for you, consult a local professional.
