Most people only think about outdoor lighting when they've tripped over something in the dark or when some odd noise outside has made them wish they'd got a floodlight.
The good news is you don't have to choose between a nice looking backyard and a secure property. With a bit of planning you can have your cake and eat it too in the sense that your property can look very inviting from the street and at the same time have all the security you require with no dark corners.
Here are six practical ways to get both of them right.
- Stagger your pathway lights (don't build an airport runway)
The most frequent error with walkway lights is to line them up in straight, matching pairs on either side of the path. The result is that you end up with a miniature runway.
Instead stagger them (one on the left, a few steps down on the right). Keep the fixtures low and pointing down towards the ground. You need sufficient light to see where you're walking and to be able to keep an eye on the garden edges, without necessarily having it blazing out in your guests' faces as they come up the drive.
2. Uplight a couple of trees or house features
If you want your house to look absolutely fantastic from the curb at night then uplighting is by far the easiest trick.
Stick a small fixture at the base of a mature tree or near a textured stone wall and point the beam up. It immediately adds depth and makes the front of the yard look bigger. It also provides security in that it will wash the exterior walls in soft light, clearing away the dark shadows around the windows and side walls without the need to blind your neighbours with a floodlight.
3. Keep the patios and decks cosy
No-one wants to be sitting outside with their mates under the harsh glare of a spotlight. Your deck or patio should be more akin to an outdoor living room.
Go for warm white bulbs (look for 2700K on the box). They give that lovely soft 'fireplace' glow rather than a harsh sterile white or blue.
Hang string lights across the seating area for easy relaxed ambient lighting.
If you've got steps then tuck in some small flush mounted lights in the risers. That makes navigating the back yard at night a whole lot safer without in any way detracting from the ambience.
4. Put motion sensors only where they actually matter.
Motion lights are a necessity but you don't need your house looking like a prison yard every time a stray cat walks past.
Look at the vulnerable, unmonitored spots: the side alley next to the garage, behind the shed or near the back gate. Modern fittings are a lot better than the old plastic twin bulb things we used to have. You can get fairly standard wall lanterns which will be just dimly lit all evening for that ambient effect and then will switch right up to full brightness when someone walks into the driveway.
5. Highlight just one or two garden features
A cardinal rule in landscape design is that darkness is just as important as light. If you light up every single plant, bush and fence post then your yard is going to look completely washed out.
Pick one or two things you actually love looking at (a water feature, an interesting piece of sculpture, a twisty Japanese maple etc) and go at it with a focused narrow beam spotlight. It's the contrast of light and shadow that gives the garden its depth.
6. Put everything on timers or smart plugs
The ideal lighting setup is the one you never have to think about at all. If you find yourself walking around every evening fiddling with four different switches then you'll eventually stop using half of them.
Hook your exterior transformer or plug the lights into a simple smart timer or app. Set the pathway and patio lights to come on at sunset and go off at midnight, with the perimeter motion sensors remaining active until dawn.
The Takeaway
Good outdoor lighting is all about subtlety. You don't need a lot of wattage, you just need light in the right places. A couple of well placed fixtures will go a long way to making your home feel warm and welcoming when you get back, and will also give you that reassurance that your house is safe.