Tag Archives: outdoor lighting

Everything You Need to Know About Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting is vital for safety. It doesn’t hurt that the lighting can also be part of the landscaping design in your garden and even reduce your electric bill. In fact, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that LEDs are the primary light type in 47% of homes in the U.S. If it’s been a while since you installed the lighting you have now, it’s time to take a look at some upgrades and new installations. Outdoor lighting has changed quite a bit.

It’s All Gone LED

Outdoor lighting nowadays relies on LED bulbs for long-lasting illumination. The LEDs are cool, which eliminates the chance of adding heat near sensitive plants, and they don’t need to be changed for years. The bulbs come in all sorts of colors, allowing you to create effects in your garden, such as amber-colored lights for a footpath and whiter lights for spotlights in the landscaping, such as when you want to showcase a decorative trellis or install a security light by the door. LEDs are compact, too, so the light fixtures don’t have to be very big.

Much of It Is Solar

In addition to using low-wattage LEDs, many of these lights get their power from solar energy. This is particularly true of garden and path lights; security lighting is often hard-wired into your home or runs on batteries. Solar lights are wonderful if you live in sunny areas that also have high utility prices, but they can really benefit anyone who wants to save electricity and money. The solar panels are small and integrated into the design of the light fixture, so you don’t have to worry about having a separate panel dedicated to your outdoor lighting.

Less Light Pollution

Having all these lights in your yard and on the exterior of your home creates a nice, bright environment at night for you, but that light also ends up leaking upward if you don’t contain it. Combine lights from every home and commercial building in a city, and nearby observatories and stargazers can’t see the night sky very well. Many cities have taken steps to require specific types of light fixtures that aim light down at the ground, where you need it, instead of up into the night sky. Manufacturers of outdoor lighting have responded by creating wonderful fixtures that don’t contribute to light pollution; they have caps and lids that contain light and are often motion-activated, instead of being on all the time.

When you’re ready to upgrade your outdoor lighting, take a look at what Premier Lighting offers. From path lights to security lights, you can find fixtures for every outdoor lighting need.

Posted 4/7/23

Light Up Your Backyard with Outdoor Fixtures

So much focus is put on lighting every room in the home, but what about those outdoor spaces in the backyard? Lighting up the yard and patio areas may be put on the back burner for most, but considering how much time is spent outside all year round, it really should be top priority.

Just as you would with any other room in your home, think about what you use that space for. Do you read out back on your patio or have family dinners outside? Do your kids play soccer on the grass once the sun has gone down? No matter what you use your backyard for, decide how much lighting you need and go from there. Then choose what types of lighting fixtures will best meet your lighting needs.

Wall Lanterns: One of the most popular outdoor lighting fixtures, outdoor wall lanterns can provide you with ample lighting while also being a decorative focal point.

Solar Lights: Solar lights are a great option for yards with lots of landscaping. They can be strategically placed throughout your yard to light up the landscaping. This not only looks great, but it can be extremely helpful for finding missing soccer balls at night. Just remember that solar panels need direct sunlight to work.

Pier and Post Mount Lights: Pier and Post Mount Lights help to add style and design to any backyard, while also lighting up the space. These lights can be placed throughout the yard to light up even the darkest of corners.

Outdoor fixtures are great for adding style and light to any backyard. They can turn a boring backyard into a lovely outdoor living space that homeowners will be excited to use and spend time in!

Outdoor Lighting 101

Lighting outside the home is just as important as lighting inside the home. Outdoor lighting enhances the beauty of your yard, increases safety and improves the time spent outside.

In addition to outdoor lighting attached to the home itself, landscape lighting can add another layer of drama and security to your home.
Outdoor lighting can be placed and used just about anywhere within a yard, emphasizing various focal points throughout. What you emphasize is entirely your choice – have a unique water feature, garden, or pathway that you want lit up to draw the eye in that direction? Outdoor lighting can do just that.

How does a dark sky ordinance affect my lighting?

If you live in a city with dark sky ordinances, make sure you’re aware of the fixtures you’re looking for. Dark sky fixtures are designed to only point down to not obstruct the night sky. If you want to light a patio, a dark sky fixture is not for you.

What size lantern is appropriate around a door?

The size of an outdoor lantern depends on the number of lanterns being used. If one lantern is being used, it should measure approximately one-third the height of the door. If two lanterns are being used, they should measure approximately one-fourth of the door. Also, the center of the light bulb should be approximately 66″ above the bottom of the door.