Extend the Outdoor Entertaining Season with Lighting
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The days are getting shorter and the evenings
longer, but there’s still plenty of opportunity
to entertain outdoors. In fact, proper landscape lighting
can create a bold and elegant environment that will
keep you and your guests relishing evenings under the
autumn skies.
“Architectural lighting bathes your property in
a warm glow that enhances your home’s charm and
highlights the most beautiful aspects of your landscape,”
says Curtis Hogan, president of Texas-based Nite Time
Decor, Inc. “It sets a welcoming mood and makes
a dramatic impact the minute your guests arrive in front
of the home.”
Professional landscape lighting
also allows a homeowner to creatively showcase certain
aspects of a property -- or push unsightly features
back into the shadows. “Accent lighting can make
your property appear larger or even resort-like,”
Hogan says. “It can increase curb appeal while
adding safety and security to your home.”
Outdoor lighting also offers year-round
benefits, adds Hogan. “In the warmer months, landscape
lighting offers elegance and charm, setting the perfect
scene for outdoor entertaining. In the cooler months,
outdoor lights add life and create a warm, welcoming
atmosphere. It’s so appealing, you’ll just
want to put on a sweater and stay outside.”
Hogan offers these tips for adding
lights to your landscape:
Uplight to Create Depth: With
light fixtures mounted on the ground, Uplighting can
create a layered look, adding depth to the yard. It
is particularly effective at bringing garden sculptures
and fountains to life. “Set up an uplight directly
behind a statue or plant and aim the light at a wall
to create a distinct silhouette of the object,”
says Hogan. “Or, bring the light around front
of that same object to cast its shadow onto the wall
instead.”
Watch Your Step with Path Lights:
Soft lit paths are especially appealing to the eye,
and are a good idea for any area that may see foot traffic.
Lining a pathway with low or medium-height lamps also
will create a safe environment for anyone spending time
in the yard. Hogan recommends path lights with top covers
or shades that will direct the light down and not up.
“The only thing worse than trying to navigate
a path in the dark, is being blinded by the glare of
powerful path lights,” he says.
An experienced outdoor lighting
professional knows how to use lenses and louvers to
establish desired moods and create a true lighting portrait.
“Nite Time Decor has been installing and maintaining
elegant landscape lighting systems since 1998,”
Hogan says, “and we never tire of seeing the joy
on a homeowner’s face when he sees his property
transformed by light.”
With over 40 locations in 18 states,
Nite Time Decor designers are professional outdoor lighting
experts who dress homes in light and add brightness
and warmth to dormant landscapes.
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