Today, more than ever, residential homeowners are looking for unique and unusual ways to enhance their outdoor living space. One of the most popular ways to accomplish this goal is to consider all that path, step, and deck lighting has to offer. For example, well-planned path lighting can create subtle nuances in what would otherwise be a dull walkway. Best of all, lighting pathways enhances safety and reduces the chances of slips and falls.
Pathway Or Walkway Lighting
Path lights help draw attention to changes in grade and other types of similar hazards. Typically, outdoor path lighting is low-voltage and makes use of low-intensity lighting. Pathway or walkway lighting is also usually cast downward so that the light doesn’t shine directly in anyone’s eyes. Also, good pathway lighting strategies often use diffuse lighting. Diffuse lighting produces the best effect for lighting a paved, gravel, or even grassy walkway.
Lighting A Walkway
Most experts recommend staggering outdoor lighting fixtures along the edges of a walkway. Whether using LED lights, solar lights, or traditional incandescent lighting, the fixtures should alternate from one side of a pathway to the other. Alternating avoids the landing strip effect created by matching parallel lines of lights.
This is not to say that you can’t use a more balanced arrangement. Because each project is unique, use what works best for the situation at hand. As a note, when lighting a walkway, it is important to spread fixtures far enough apart so that lighted areas do not overlap. Pathway lights should draw you from one light to the next, like stepping stones.
Lighting Up Hazardous Areas
Although you don’t want lighting that is too crowded, avoid placing lighting fixtures too far apart. If the distance between fixtures is too great, you can create hazardous dark areas. Striking a balance between safety and overcrowding is typically the best approach. With the right distancing, you can light an entire walkway without leaving hazards or overdoing it.
Deck lighting is another essential type of hazard lighting. It is also a crucial aspect of any overall outdoor landscape lighting strategy. When properly used, deck lighting and step lighting can enhance and highlight an outdoor living space. But just as importantly, they can illuminate stairs, railings, and edges.
Deck and step lighting don’t just look good. They also increased safety. As you would with pathway lighting, use deck and step lighting to light up hazardous areas. Professionals always recommend adding lights at elevation changes and edges.
Unique Exterior Lighting
Finally, deck lighting and outdoor step lighting can accentuate architectural elements. You could highlight a patio, veranda, or other outdoor space. And in most cases, deck lighting and step lighting make use of small, unobtrusive outdoor lighting fixtures. Many homeowners and lighting designers choose rail lights and in-step lighting. Post-top lighting, hanging lights, spotlights, spread lights, and a host of other types of unique exterior lighting combine to create the perfect outdoor experience.
Contact Night Vision Outdoor Lighting today to learn more about Atlanta landscape lighting products and services. We always design to impress.
