Ensuring a home looks at its best is something every proud homeowner aspires to. Without stereotyping too much, being house proud is something us queer excel at. From colour palettes, artwork, and choice of furnishings, many LGBTQ homeowners often focus their attention on the interior of their homes, overlooking the potential of the exteriors to make a lasting impression.
Homeowners can significantly elevate the attractiveness, as well as the value of their properties, by focusing on their curb appeal. According to statistics from The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, curb appeal (how attractive your house appears from the sidewalk, to us Brits) can increase the value of a property by up to 7%.
There are many ways homeowners look to boost the aesthetic appearance of their homes such as by maintaining a well-manicured lawn, incorporating colour through the planting of vibrant flowers, or giving their front doors and window frames a fresh lick of paint. However, one of the easiest and most effective ways to boost a home’s curb appeal is through the use of outdoor lighting. Outdoor lighting can work wonders for elevating your home’s visual appeal, and in this article, we’ll explore some ideas that can help make your home truly shine.
Architectural Lighting
By illuminating the structural and design elements of a building, architectural lighting has the power to showcase your home’s best features. Through the strategic placement of outdoor lights, you can accent a wall, add greater depth to your home, and accentuate its finest attributes. Draw attention to architectural details including columns, arches, pillars and masonry, and highlight ornamentation features such as fountains, sculptures, balconies and facades.
Consider using well lights to cast a soft, upward glow on the columns and pillars or spotlights to accentuate the textures and patterns of your outdoor stonework. This not only enhances the aesthetics of your outdoor living area but also extends its functionality into the evening hours, allowing you to enjoy it well after the sun has set. Some other popular uses of architectural lighting include uplighting, cove lighting, wall washing, recessed lighting, and suspension lighting.
Light the Way
Lighting for outdoor paths allows you to gently illuminate pathways, driveways and walkways around your home to guide the way as the sun begins to set. By strategically placing pathway lighting along these routes you not only enhance your safety as night falls but will also add a touch of elegance to your outdoor spaces, making this the ideal addition for an evening of outdoor entertainment.
Whether you opt for subtle, ground-level fixtures such as bollard lights and spotlights or charming lantern-style lights, a well-lit path invites guests with a warm and inviting ambiance while ensuring they navigate your property comfortably and securely, day or night.
Landscape Lighting
Curb appeal is not only about accentuating the features of a property but also the natural elements that surround it. Many homeowners take great care to improve and maintain their landscape, investing time and effort into maximizing the beauty of their outdoor space.
This might be ensuring the lushness and vibrancy of their lawns, carefully planting and pruning a variety of shrubs, plants and trees, or pouring their attention into cultivating an array of beautiful and eye-catching flowers and hanging baskets. The right landscape lighting can transform your garden, flowerbeds, trees, and outdoor amenities into enchanting focal points, ensuring your home looks attractive and inviting around the clock.
One effective way to achieve this is through the use of outdoor light strips. Their versatility allows them to wind along flowerbeds, through trees or along patios and decks, offering an easy and effective way to light up and accentuate the contours of your landscape. Other types of lighting to showcase your landscape include string lights, deck and step lights, and floodlights.
Entryway Lighting
Create a warm and welcoming feel for guests and prospective buyers by giving attention to your home’s entryway. Lighting up your porch or doorway with the addition of outdoor lighting can add a cozy glow to the exterior of your home, helping to make a positive first impression.
In addition to this, it also serves many practical purposes such as being a powerful deterrent for thieves and intruders passing by and increasing the security of your home and your loved ones. Illuminating your entrance also makes it easier to see who is at the door at night, giving you an added sense of safety and also ensuring you don’t lose your footing or drop your keys while trying to open the door at night.
When selecting outdoor lights for your entryway keep in mind the architecture and style of your home to ensure they complement one another. Below are some popular types of lighting to choose from:
- Wall sconces: Ideal for drawing attention to your front door and lighting up dark spots on your porch.
- Ceiling-mounted lights: These lights are perfect for illuminating larger porches and entryways and include flush and semi-flush lighting, recessed light fixtures as well as chandeliers and pendants.
- Post lights: These outdoor lights can be fitted onto posts providing light along any pathways that lead up to your front door or mounted at either side of your door to illuminate the entrance.
- Bottom-mounted lights: These lights will illuminate the entryway from below, making them ideal for stairways leading up to your front door, bringing a sense of drama and depth to your home’s exterior.
Outdoor Dining Lighting
One of the most powerful ways to enhance the use of your outdoor space as well as its appearance is through the use of outdoor dining lighting. With the right choice of outdoor lights, you can create an ambiance that entices guests to gather around for a special dinner or that creates a warm and inviting glow for a family meal.
Hang some fairy lights along pergolas, branches, and canopies to add to the twinkling of the night skies, casting a magical feel to your nights. You can also strategically place outdoor lanterns around your dining area or install some pendant lights above it to further add to the charm and sense of occasion of your al fresco dining.
Assess the features you wish to highlight in your home along with any practical requirements you may have to help you choose the right type of outdoor lighting to boost its curb appeal.
