An outdoor lighting plan can make outdoor areas more useful and safer.  Consider lighting outdoor areas you’ll enjoy using on warm summer nights or simply beautify your home by highlighting design accents.

Increase Your Safety

Use lighting to increase your safety and security.  Protect yourself from hazards you may not see in the dark and discourage intruders with motion detectors.

• Light stairs and walkways to clearly mark a safe path to your door, decreasing the chance for trips and falls.
• Use outdoor lights to eliminate dark spots, shadows and hiding places for intruders.
• Use motion detectors to discourage prowlers.
• Light pool areas, decks, and other potentially hazardous areas to prevent accidents.
• Place outside fixtures on both sides of doors or use a fixture with 2 bulbs. You get better lighting and, if one bulb burns out, you still have light.
• Install outside lighting that can illuminate your yard when needed - for example, to investigate the source of unusual noise.

Beautify Your Home

Use outdoor lighting to beautify your property and accent the design features of your home.

• Use pathway lights and post lanterns to highlight a walkway or the entrance to your home. A well-lit front entrance will beckon guests and allow you to identify visitors quickly.
• Use a variety of lighting techniques to soften, highlight, reveal details, and create landscaping shadows or silhouettes.

Enjoy the Outdoors in the Evening

With outdoor lighting you can enjoy grilling, recreational activities or just relax outside long after the sun goes down. Lighting locations might include:

• Decks
• Patios
• Swimming pools
• Hot tubs
• Docks
• Pathways and trails
• Gazebos
• Gardens and plantings
• Driveways