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RSS FeedLight Up the Night |
Posted at Helpful Tips by Marty Bautista
Jun. 9, 2008
Tagged with: outdoor lighting enhance home feeling value
If you’re looking to spice up the outside appearance of your home, exterior lighting offers many options. To get you started, the lighting pros at GE explain some basic lighting techniques.
Ambient lighting, such as yard lights and porch lights, provide overall illumination, while task lighting consists of low-voltage lights along sidewalks and paths. Accent lighting includes spotlights and other types of special- effect lighting to dramatize outdoor sculptures and fountains.
To add depth and drama, try uplighting trees, landscape features and architectural elements by placing lights at an angle so objects are lit from below. Backlighting, which is achieved by angling a light against a wall or fence behind an object, creates a beautiful silhouette.
For security, make sure patios, porches and other outdoor living spaces are well lit, especially where there are steps that can be a potential tripping hazard. To prevent uninvited pests from crashing your next patio party, use bug lights, which contain a special coating that makes the light invisible to bugs, so they aren’t drawn to it.
Whichever lighting technique you use, use Energy Star bulbs, which use up to 75 percent less energy and last 8 to 10 times longer than ordinary incandescent bulbs. Outdoor timers and motion sensors also can save money and conserve energy. To get maximum effect from your outdoor lighting, clean exposed bulbs several times during the season.
Once you master these few lighting techniques, your home will exude a warm glow that attracts admirers and would-be buyers.
