If you were to drive through any neighborhood paying close attention to accent lighting, you would begin to notice a pattern of beautiful homes with lighting systems that are either too small or cheap looking. On the other hand, you would start to see smaller houses where the owners installed oversized lighting systems. In other words, while everyone loves the ambiance provided by decorative outdoor lighting and the enhanced safety of lighting, many people simply don’t make the right choices. As a result, the home and lighting system are unbalanced, distracting from the beauty of the property.
The goal when shopping for decorative outdoor lighting is to have a plan that includes the size and style of the home. From there, it will be much easier for you to purchase a lighting system that enhances and complements your home rather than creating an awkward look. One of the next steps is to determine the appropriate size of outdoor lighting for your needs. Please note there are no hard and fast rules regarding size, walk outside and stand at the roadside to view the house. Try to focus on architectural features that stand out, such as a lamppost, statue, pillars, etc. Using good visual judgment, determine the size of the decorative outdoor lighting that would create balance.
Another important aspect when choosing decorative outdoor lighting has to do with lighting. Typically, you want the exterior to be illuminated for safety reasons, but you also want to avoid glare. For this reason, we recommend you again look for decorative outdoor lighting that provides balance. After all, this type of lighting must be fully functional.
If you plan to place light fixtures along a driveway or stairs leading up to the front door, the lighting should be bright enough to make walking safe while not so bright that the lighting is actually distracting. If you need brightness, then it would be better to light a wide area so that the light is not so concentrated. Most outdoor decorative lighting systems come with a minimum capacity of 100 watts, either as a single light or multiple lights. To create light outside, this is enough.
In addition to the size and lighting, you need to consider the material of the decorative outdoor light. Today, the five most popular options include iron, brass, copper, cast aluminum, and composites. Although there are other options, these are used because they can withstand the elements and still be beautiful and functional. The hardest material to find is cast iron, but something hand forged would be great. Just make sure the metal parts of the system are zinc coated to eliminate rust development.
Brass is a popular choice simply because it looks classy. However, decorative options made of brass also ensure a durable system that can handle all kinds of environments. The only exception is that brass doesn’t hold up to extreme heat, but choosing fixtures that are powder coated would eliminate any issues. Solid brass might also be worth spending a bit more for. Regardless of the choice, brass goes through a unique oxidation process in which the surface color changes, but for decorative outdoor lighting, it adds to the charm.
Even if you were on a tight budget but desperately want new outdoor lighting, remember that companies have sales all the time, but you can also make your purchase directly from a manufacturer. Also, we suggest you look at outdoor decorative lighting options online. Because online-only businesses don’t have the same overhead as brick-and-mortar businesses, they can pass incredible savings on to the customer.