Here Are Some Ways To Come Up With Great Landscape Lighting Ideas

Are you trying to think up some new landscape lighting ideas for your outdoor areas, but you keep coming up with a big blank? If so, then you'll be glad to know that finding new ideas isn't really as hard as you might think. Here are seven tips to help you think up your own unique lighting ideas, using your creative imagination and some pre-planning.

Consider Different Landscape Features You May Want to Light

Some landscape features may look mundane - even boring during the day. But at night, a few tastefully placed lights can bring those features to life with a hue of rich colors and effects.

Places that can benefit from lighting include driveways, walkways, walls, steps, statuary, water fountains, trees, shrubs, patios, decks, and borders.

Use a Flashlight to Simulate the Effects of Lighting

When it gets dark, get a flashlight, put fresh batteries in it, then go for a walk through your yard, flower beds, walkways, and other landscape areas you would like to light. The reason for bringing the flashlight along is to simulate different lighting effects.

Point the flashlight at objects you would like to light, and shine a beam of light on it. As you point the light on various landscape elements, such as wall, shrubs, trees, and so forth, observe the different kinds of lighting effects, shadows, and contrasts that the light creates. If your flashlight has variable settings, change the width of the beam between floodlight and spotlight, and make note of positioning and angles that you think look best.

Visualize Effects Mentally

Use your mind's eye to visualize how you can use various lighting methods to re-create the effects you simulated with the flashlight.

Lighting methods commonly used today include shadowing, wall-wash, path lighting, downlighting, uplighting, spotlighting, floodlighting, and backlighting. Putting a few light fixtures in various strategic places can bring your landscaped areas to life during the night.

Write Ideas in a Notepad

After you have some lighting ideas, don't forget to write them down in a notepad or organizer. You shouldn't assume you will remember all of those ideas you have in your head, because you may forget something important.

Draw a simple map of your landscape layout, and plot each point where you want to place a light fixture. When you are ready to purchase your light fixtures at the store, take your notes with you so you can refer back to them if necessary. This holds true if you buy online as well.

Search for More Ideas Online

An online search is your next step for getting more ideas. Online, a virtual treasure trove of information about landscape lighting awaits you. Performing a few quick searches online is a good way to find more ideas.

Use Specific Keywords in your Search Online

Entering a keyword phrase into the search box that is very general in nature, such as "landscaping lights" may return some results that are not that helpful or relevant, for example, sales product pages. To get more useful results from a search, use specific keyword phrases such as "how to put in landscape lighting" or "landscape lighting tips." Check out forums, DIY and How-To, and other informational websites such as Yahoo Answers, E-How, and Google Groups for more good ideas.

Look at Magazines and Books

Besides searching online, don't forget about home-and-gardening books and magazines for even more helpful landscape lighting articles and advice. You can find these books and magazines at your local landscape nursery, or home improvement store.

With a virtually endless number of landscape lighting ideas, you will find there are limitless things you can do. Be creative, use your imagination, and go for it! Improve the safety and security of your home at night, and beautify the landscaping by illuminating it with outdoor lights.