External Lighting – Everything You Need To Know

It is strongly recommended that LED outdoor lights are chosen to work as external lighting. LED lights have many more benefits over halogen and other forms of lighting. Here are the main types of exterior lights that are commonly used within homes:

Spotlights

Spotlights are a singular light that is used to highlight one point of the exterior. They are called spotlights as they act in a similar way and will brighten one area and make it stand out. There are many different ranges of brightnesses to select from to highlight areas in different ways. Most of the time feature-walls, statues, plants and overall focal points of a home’s exterior are lit using spotlights. 

Flood Lights or Bunker Lights

Bunker lights and floodlights are common ways for homes to brighten a large area outside. Models offer a wide range of lit areas and come in different brightness options. Most of the time flood lights or bunker lights will illuminate the driveway, backyard, patio or other large space. 

Uplights and Downlights 

Similar to spotlights, uplights and downlights point in one direction to highlight a specific area. These will be commonly used next to hedges that are close to the wall to allow the house to appeal safer. Uplights and downlights are great ways to have a specific feature of the outside to brighten and be highlighted when it is dark. 

Bollard Lights

These lights stand on a single pole or post and have a light situated at the top of them. They will cover a small area and are often smaller in its height. This is why bollard lights are commonly used alongside pathways or in yards. They will shine in all directions to help with people’s view of where they are walking. Bollard lights come in different styles to help blend in with the specific home aesthetic. 

String Lights

String lights are commonly used across trees and hardscapes to add subtle lighting to an area. They are perfect for areas where people will often relax and spend time outside, such as over a deck. There are many different types of string lights that offer different lighting and colour options. 

Spike Lights

Spike lights are similar to spotlights but have the light situated on a spike. This means that it is easy for them to be installed in the garden, backyard and around the home. The spike light will help illuminate one area of the exterior and can be easily relocated to another place when needed. 

Outdoor Wall Lights

Outdoor wall lights sit on the wall of the house and will help light up that particular area. They can be facing multiple directions to help light up in a specific way, such as vertically light up a wall. There are many different types and styles of wall lights to help blend in and add to the aesthetic of the exterior. 

Step Lights

When stairs need extra lighting to help walking on them to be safer then step lights are the best light to install. Step lights can also be installed to allow staircases outside and the overall home to be brighter. The step light will be installed on the side of the stairs or directly on the face of the step. 

Garden Lighting

People’s gardens come in many different shapes and sizes and adding lights to them can help them glow. Garden lighting will often be pointed downwards for lower plants and flowers and pointed high for taller plants and vegetation. Adding the lights will illuminate the garden at night and offer a different perspective to the garden compared to what it looks like during the day. 

Outdoor Security Lighting

Lights can be used for security purposes and be installed to alert people of movement outside. To know more about outdoor security lighting our blog provides more details on the different types of security lights and how they can be used.

External lighting will help increase the overall value of the home because of:

• Curb-appeal – the home will look more beautiful and the features are highlighted at night. The landscape of the house is illuminated and the overall aesthetic of the home is increased. Adding lighting, even if it is subtle, can also make the home appear larger.
• Security and safety – adding lights help light up darker spaces which allow people to feel more secure. Installing security lighting and having other areas lit up through external lighting is beneficial to the home’s value.