Jazz up your home’s curb appeal with smart outdoor lighting design

You’ve no doubt invested a lot of time and money into your home’s curb appeal. Perhaps you’re readying your home for market and wanting to make improvements that give your home an edge among homebuyers who are looking in your neighborhood.

Make sure your home shines as the brightest on the block, even after the sun goes down, by adding a few smartly placed lights to your landscaping. A well designed outdoor lighting plan can highlight your home’s best architectural and landscape features, improve your home’s security and extend the entertainment hours of your outdoor space.

Getting started…

There are tons of lighting options available — landscape lighting that showcases your plants, shrubs, trees and flowers; outdoor hanging lights; outdoor wall lights; outdoor post lights; flood lights; torch lights; cove lights. You get the picture. Choosing the right kind of lighting can feel overwhelming.

To get started on your outdoor lighting plan, first survey the exterior of your home and yard. Walk around your property after dark and take a flashlight with you. Take note of areas of visual interest as well as areas that pose potential safety threats.

Highlight your home’s best features

Outdoor lighting can create a glowing focal point out of your home’s best features. Techniques such as uplighting and downlighting create drama and enhance your home’s architectural features.

For example, upward facing bullet lights can be used to cast a warm glow over your home’s facade, highlighting various architectural elements such as porch columns, deep eaves and dormers. A weather resistant well light can be used to highlight the underside of foliage.

Use lighting to turn the front porch into a grand entrance. Installing wall sconces on either side of the front door and a ceiling pendant light is one idea. A well lit front porch not only extends a warm welcome to your guests, it also increases their safety.

Improve safety

When it comes to home security, proper lighting plays a big role. Deck and step lights help to illuminate walkways and stairways. Outdoor hanging and ceiling lights make it easier to see the front door. Motion sensors on lights help to deter would-be intruders.

Your outdoor lighting plan should also take into consideration those areas around your property that could pose a safety risk. Improperly lit walkways can create tripping hazards and invite intruders.

Install outdoor wall sconces or lanterns on either side of the garage. Use spotlights, lanterns and wall sconces to shine light into any areas of your home hidden by shadows at night. Flood lights can be used to illuminate a large area of yard, deterring would-be intruders and also making the space useful for fun after sunset.

Extend entertaining hours of outdoor space

The new generation of homebuyers want a space for entertaining where their dogs and small children are also welcome. They want barbecues and lawn games and an outdoor space where they can host all their friends (who also have dogs and small children).

Use sconces, pendants or ceiling fixtures around eating and conversation areas. Install task lighting on either side of the grill. Extend the sense of outdoor space by lighting a tree in the yard to draw the eye outward.

Having a home with outdoor space for entertaining is incredibly attractive to homebuyers. And by investing in a dramatic lighting plan for your outdoor space you can distinguish your home from other homes on the block without having to invest a whole lot of money.

DIY or work with a pro?

When planning an upgrade to your home’s outdoor lights, consider if you want to do it yourself or hire a professional. This is a very manageable DIY project that most homeowners can knock out over a weekend for $500 or less.

The Realtors Who Redux can assist you in developing an outdoor lighting plan and choosing the right kind of lighting to ensure your home looks appealing to prospective homebuyers day or night.