One of the easiest ways to get your home noticed is by installing exterior lighting. A few outdoor-lighting upgrades also provide an inexpensive way to boost your home's overall value. An added bonus is that a well-lighted home becomes a less-than-desirable target for prowlers.
If your home has a deck or a patio, you've got a party waiting to happen. But summer days can be so hot! Your best bet for outdoor summer entertaining is a late-afternoon or evening deck party - when your guests can relax and enjoy your hospitality, minus the oppressive mid-day heat. And the best way to extend the life of your outdoor gathering is to ensure the fun doesn't peter out when the sun goes down. The best way to accomplish that is with attractive, functional outdoor lighting.
Outdoor lighting doesn't just mean overhead porch lights anymore. Think creative! Think innovative. Think low-to-the-ground lighting to illuminate brick pathways and guide your guests' steps along drives and walkways.
Think inventive lighting options - perhaps in festive or whimsical complementary accent colors - to highlight particularly attractive landscape details... like the evening-blooming primroses gracing your garden.
Think striking. Nothing sets off a decorative outdoor detail (an exquisite door wreath, or an unusual shrub or tree, for instance) quite like the singular focus afforded by a well-placed spotlight.
Think romantic. Subtle outdoor lighting can give that moonlight dip for two in the pool or hot tub an extra touch of cozy ambiance.
But it's important to remember outdoor lighting isn't just inventive, striking or romantic. It's also practical and safe. It seems that not a week goes by that we're not hearing about another tragic home invasion. One of the easiest ways to prevent your family from being another heartbreaking statistic is to ensure you've got adequate outdoor lighting - to keep would-be home invaders from targeting your home in the first place.
For superior exterior visibility, invest in lighting along walkways, front and back porches and the garage. Consider installing lights along the rear of your home, as well. Prowlers won't go to a well-lighted area; and if you live in a wooded area, there's no better way to keep skunks and raccoons at bay.
If your busy schedule has you returning home after dark, a few timer-activated spotlights trained on your garage and all your entryways will prevent you from ever returning to a dark house; and they'll help eliminate potential threats to your safety. Motion-activated lighting provides another low-cost solution.
Whichever exterior-lighting option(s) you decide on, you're certain to love your home's new look - not to mention the enhanced feeling of security you and your loved ones will experience.
