When people think of landscape lighting, visions of illuminated trees, accentuated architectural features, and planned patios with inviting fixtures fit for social gatherings are bound to come to mind. However, the benefits of lighting your landscape extend beyond pure aesthetics. In the best-planned landscape settings, the lighting design provides equal parts beauty and safety.
Of course, there are several ways to improve the look of your property while also increasing your landscape safety. Read on to discover several reasons landscape lighting is worth it for your overall home safety.
The first and possibly most important reason to install landscape lighting for home safety is to identify potential tripping hazards. After all, a poorly lit exterior can increase the likelihood of trips and falls. One of the best ways to avoid hazards is to ensure the areas with the most potential for such accidents have proper lighting features. It’s not just for your safety, but also your guests – people who may not know the outdoor spaces as well as you.
To prevent trips and falls outside, consider the following for added safety:
- Add deck lights to illuminate entertainment areas with soft light and position them on rails to provide subtle illumination for outdoor staircases
- Choose LED step lights to guide guests and signal elevation changes
- Install well-placed path lights to help avoid any raised roots, concealed cracks, or other obstacles along a path
- Add a spotlight to open landscaping and shed light on areas with possible roots or even an obstacle like a child’s left-behind toy or bike
With the proper landscape lighting, you can ward off wildlife, which will help keep you, your family, and your beloved pets safe. Flood lights are often used for landscape lighting techniques like wall-washing and grazing, but with the ability to mount flood lights at a height greater than 20 feet, they are perfect for illuminating decks, patios, or lawns to deter animals.
You can even use flood lights to prevent dark areas and shadows, making it more difficult for unseen obstacles (or perpetrators) to cause an accident.
Finally, when creating a landscape lighting plan, it is critical that you improve the visibility around your pool or other water feature where the possibility for an accident — such as drowning — could occur. Installing outdoor pool lights will help reduce the chances of an accident. To improve your poolside lighting, you can illuminate the walkway surrounding the pool with path lights.
You can also light up darker spaces that sit in proximity to a pool, pond, or other water feature. For extra light that increases visibility in larger spaces, spotlights, flood lights, and downlights are perfect options. The latter also are ideal for illuminating garages and driveways — spaces where safety is paramount, yet sometimes overlooked.
A bonus safety feature of outdoor lighting is the ability to enter your front door with ease. To do this, consider illuminating your entryway.
Options for making this focal point of your exterior safe and inviting include wall mounted lights and hanging lights, each offering their own styles and functionality.
Whether you’re trying to prevent a fall or accident, or you’re hoping to keep wild animals at bay, adding the proper light fixtures in your outdoor landscape design will help improve safety and offer peace of mind.
