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Four Things Not To Do with Outdoor Lighting Designs

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Installing landscape lights themselves isn't technically hard work. Solar lights just require that you stake them into the ground. Low voltage lights do require a little bit more installation effort to install the cables and the light fixtures themselves, but this is still relatively simple. The real skill in installing outdoor lights is coming up with the right lighting plan. Here are a few things that you need to avoid when you're making your own lighting design.

The first thing that you need to avoid in your outdoor lighting designs is placing your light fixtures too far away from the subject that you want to be lit. Placing your light fixtures closer to the object will keep the light right where you need it and make sure that the light doesn't splash over into areas that you intend to be dark. If you do have to place your light fixtures a little further away from the structure you're lighting, make sure that you use shields to direct the light more accurately.

Another important thing to keep in mind if you're using outdoor accent lights is to make sure that the lights aren't too highly powered. Accent lights should add a soft and subtle glow to your landscape, not overpower it. Make sure that the fixture and the bulb that you install both are appropriately powered – not too bright and not too soft.

Never make your light fixtures the key focus point of your lighting plan either. While there should be some attention given to your light fixtures, especially if they are of good quality and accent your house very well, you don't want your lights to draw too much attention from what they are lighting. Keep a few lanterns visible, but if you are using accent lights, make sure to hide them as well as you possibly can to keep all the attention on the thing that you are lighting.

Finally, never favor accent lighting over functional lighting. While it might not look as good, functional lighting will give you a lot more benefits in the long term that just looking at your garden lights. Don't overdo it, but don't be afraid to put the lights you need on your deck or patio for fear of over lighting your landscape.

Hopefully these four tips of what not to do with your landscape lighting designs help you to better install your lights and accomplish the hardest part of installing your lights – actually planning where to put them.