Flood Lights
Floodlights are used to cast a wide net of lighting and help illuminate larger spaces. Single- or two-bulb floodlights are usually considered the best landscape lights for large driveways and parking areas, but this may change according to your unique layout. There are a couple of things to remember about floodlights:
- They help light up large areas like your driveway or carport.
- They can light entire walls or large areas of landscaping.
- Motion-activated lights are useful for driveways, garage doors, and other utility areas
Spotlights
Spotlights cast a focused beam of light, unlike floodlights. Here are a few things to remember:
- They’re a great option for lighting architectural accents and tree uplighting.
- Use two spotlights and illuminate large areas by placing them on opposite sides, aimed to meet in the center of a wall or point of interest.
- Spotlights can be quite bright, so try not to point them toward a walkway or other common paths.
Ground Lighting
Recessed ground lights are designed to be placed directly in the ground as part of your exterior lighting scheme, which can brighten your yard and garden areas or be used as accent lighting around your home.
- Recessed lights are hardwired and utilize LED bulbs.
- They can be easy to program and set to a timer.
- Some good lights can be totally submerged and used in and around pools to illuminate fixtures.
Wall Lighting
Wall lights and sconces can add a decorative touch to your outdoor lighting ideas as well as indoors. It’s easy to find one that works with your decor:
- Hang wall sconces near your front door and they can give just the right amount of light for this area. This can help give your outdoor space more visual interest.
- Add a sconce to your deck/ patio. Wire deck lights to a wall switch for easy access.
- Use them around your garage for a simple, understated look.
Outdoor Lighting
- Mix lights instead of using only the same type of light in your entire yard and combine a selection of outdoor lights.
- Make your yard feel bigger with cool, blue- or white-toned lights in your spotlights, floodlights, and well lights and add pops of warm, yellow- or orange-toned lights in wall lights, deck lights, or garden lights.
- Install a fire pit; not all of your landscape lighting has to come electrically.