Choosing the Best Landscape Lighting for Your Home in Canmore, Alberta
Landscape lighting is the use of artificial lights to bring a colour and texture to outdoor spaces. While most people are familiar with outdoor lights for safety and security purposes, landscape lighting in Canmore is about more than just illuminating your walkways. Here’s what you need to know about using them. There are three main reasons to add landscape lighting to your property: safety, security and aesthetics.
Safety Lighting
One of the most common uses for landscape lighting is to add safety in outdoor spaces where people might be after dark. Many people have a walkway pathway where they sit and relax and sip their coffee in the shade, others have rock gardens and perhaps a patio area that’s used for entertaining. If you have areas like these that are still useful during daylight hours, it’s important to think about how people will be able to navigate them at night as well.
Providing proper lighting on your walkways and pathways is an important safety precaution to take for any homeowners who use these spaces in the evening or at night. It can help people avoid tripping, keep them visible to passing cars, and also just make it feel safer to use space at unusual times. Pathway lights can be installed on the ground and in your trees to ensure that no matter where you are on your property, you’ll have access to light.
When it comes to safety lighting, there’s a few different types of options:
- Reflective outdoor lighting – Reflective outdoor lights, commonly called pathway lights, can be purchased in a number of styles and colours. These are commonly used for pathways or walkways and are usually bright enough to be seen from long distances. They are placed at regular intervals, spaced roughly 7 metres apart.
- Lanterns – Lanterns are another type of outdoor lighting that is often used for safety purposes. They tend to be bright and have coloured lights (often in the orange or red range) that cast a soft glow. A number of shapes are available, but they vary slightly in their effectiveness and cost.
Security Lighting
Another reason that people might choose landscape lighting is for security purposes. It’s important to note that this is different from safety lighting in that it uses many more lights and for areas near the perimeter of your home. Landscape lighting can be installed on the exterior of your property to create a buffer zone that keeps intruders and potential burglars at a distance. It’s also important to note that many completely enclosed homes have very little light around their property, while those with open spaces will have large walkways with more light available and more visibility.
A landscaping contractor will be able to advise you on the type of lighting setup and arrangement that is appropriate for your needs. When it comes to security lighting, there are many factors to be taken into account, for the best results, it’s worth speaking to a professional.
Lighting in combination with surveillance camera systems is a powerful means of keeping criminals off your property. If the light give them away, they won’t want to get caught on camera trespassing, and if they can’t see where they are going, they won’t be as likely to come around in the first place. Lighting in the absence of cameras can have a strong deterrent effect. The psychological impact of lighting around a home will often be enough to make potential robbers think twice. Security lighting is often designed to run on a timer, coming on whether you are at home or away. This can help to maintain peace of mind when you are away from home, knowing that your home doesn’t look uninhabited.
Security lighting comes in many forms:
- LED security lighting – LED lights are an excellent option for outdoor use because they use very little power, last a long time, and produce light that is 100% visible from a distance. They also tend to be very durable and able to withstand harsh weather conditions.
- Lantern lights – Garden lights are an older concept that has been adapted to LED technology and are still used in many home landscaping projects. They tend to be about the same size as outdoor pathway lights, and tend to be used for perimeter lighting.
- Backyard wall lighting – Security lighting also refers to a type of system that is sometimes mounted on the exterior of your home. It can be a cable, wireless or solar-powered option, and uses motion sensors to turn on the lights if they detect movement in specific areas. These systems are often installed around your swimming pool or spa area.
Aesthetic lighting
Landscape lighting isn’t just limited to lighting walkways and pathways. Aesthetic lights can also be installed on a number of other surfaces in the landscape such as driveways, paths, patios, and decks. They are often installed in low-profile fixtures that are concealed, or bolted to the structure itself. Larger and more visible fixtures can add a decorative touch to your property and create a bright impact that’s sure to be noticed.
While most people think of walkways when they consider landscape lighting, the fact is that this lighting can be used to enhance the features and setting of just about any outdoor space on your property. It makes it easier to enjoy all of the benefits of a well-lit outdoor space, whether you’re relaxing, doing yard work or entertaining.
Lighting is often used by landscaping contractors to add a finishing touch to an outdoor space, highlight certain areas or add definition to edges. It can also be used to help protect your property with security lighting. For more information, get in contact with Pine & Pillar about landscape light installation. Landscape lighting is an affordable amenity that can add a touch of elegance to any property. It should be used to create a soft light that highlights a particular area without casting any harsh shadows. There are many light fitting and bulb options, which give rise to numerous options when it comes to lighting your outdoor spaces. A landscaping contractor will be able to advice you on what type of lighting will achieve the best results in your space.
Whether you’re looking simply to create a beautiful setting for your home or you want to keep your property safe and secure, landscape lighting offers many benefits. If you already have a lot of lighting in place on your property, adding landscape lights is a powerful way to give it a boost and bring it in line with modern safety standards. Pine & Pillar are happy to provide free quotes to discuss your landscaping and lighting needs, be it for security, safety or aesthetic purposes.