Landscape lighting helps to beautify your outdoors whilst providing ample security and accessibility for residents and visitors. To get the best of what landscape lighting has to offer, you need to install your lighting right. To achieve that, these are 5 steps you need to follow.
1. Plan around your landscape layout
Since you’re illuminating your landscape, it is only ideal to plan your lighting design according to your landscape layout. Check if you have focal points in your landscape that need to be enunciated. These include fancy arts or flowers along your walkways.
Also, make sure that your lighting fits the theme of your landscape, and that it also covers important areas of your outdoor environment to provide adequate security.
Once you are clear on your focal points, you can start deciding on what type of lighting you need for the various areas.
2. Create a Sketch of your landscape
The next step is to create an exact sketch of your landscape perimeter by accurately placing the decorations and vegetation on your landscape on a piece of paper. Also, you should indicate the focal points and areas that need illumination. An accurate sketch will help implement your plans to satisfaction.
3. Choose Your Landscape Lighting Fixtures
No matter how exuberant you want to go with your lighting fixtures, always make sure they fit your existing landscape layout. You want the lighting to serve a purpose, be it aesthetic or security. Look at your sketch and deduce how much and the type of lighting your house requires. Going above or beyond would hurt your landscape lighting.
4. Maintain the right fixture spacing
Spacing is crucial in achieving the right landscape lighting for your outdoors, however, it is at this stage most people get it all wrong. If you’re fixing your lighting yourself, you’re likely to run into a deadlock when deciding on how to space your lighting. The same spacing doesn’t work for the different areas and focal points. For example, indicator lighting should have 2ft of spacing while pathway lighting should have 10ft. Asking the help of a professional would save you from errors and help you achieve the right lighting.
5. Implement your plan
This is the final stage where you get to layout the wires and make sure everything is working fine. So much depends on the type of lighting system you use.
