How do I light the front of my house?

Asha Bogenfuerst Asha Bogenfuerst
Terrace Garden at Chembur, Land Design landscape architects Land Design landscape architects Modern garden
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There are many good reasons to pay close attention to the lighting used at the front of your house. Firstly, nobody wants to be greeted by darkness when they reach home and pretty lights can highlight certain features of your house or garden. The lights at the front of your house are also beneficial for security reasons as burglars will be apprehensive about breaking into a house that is well lighted up. Lighting at the front of the house can also bring a nice ambiance to the front porch, terrace or garden area so that you can lounge around outside in the evenings and enjoy some fresh air. This idea book is a compilation of popular outdoor lighting ideas featuring different photographs of professionally designed local houses in India. It also includes some tips on how to place lights so that they do not cause a glaring effect. Read on to discover how lighting can be used at the front of your house. 

1. Light up the pathway

The pathway leading to the entrance of the house is one of the key areas to light up as it will offer a warm welcome and draw one in with style. Although it may be more space-efficient to place the lights higher above on the pillars as pictured here, we highly recommend placing the lights closer to the ground as they will give off less glare this way. 

Choose path lights based on how effectively they light up the path and not just based on how they look. One clever way of making sure path lights are installed close to the ground is to use LED strip lights as pictured in the example here. LED lights are especially good for lighting up stairs, and you can even you use a more striking colour in order to bring more attention the stairs, making it safer so that people don't trip. 

The best type of path lights come with domes which keep bulbs hidden from view and direct light downward. This type of lighting will greatly decrease glare and direct the light where you need the most—on the ground so that you can see the path ahead properly. For more ideas, please read our article titled the entrance path to your home—6 ideas to make it nice.

2. Lanterns

Lanterns are ideal for small spaces that need to be lit up, for example the outdoor dining area pictured here. One good tip when buying lanterns is to avoid choosing lanterns with clear glass and bulbs that are visible in order to reduce the glare. The most ideal lanterns are those with frosted shades which aim downward so that any extra light hits the floor and not your eyes. We highly recommend using low-wattage bulbs in order to set a cosy mood. 

3. Wall lights

Similar to lanterns, wall lights close to the entrance door should try to totally avoid bare bulbs or use low-wattage bulbs and dimmers. The best shades to use for wall lights are translucent glass fixtures such as milk glass, amber mica or any other highly shielded fixture. Also remember that the light should be directed downward and not upward. 

4. Pendant lamps

Another great alternative to wall lights are pendant lamps which hang down from the ceiling. Just make sure you measure it correctly so that it doesn't hang too low and become an obstruction. For more ideas, please refer to our article titled 10 examples of pendant lighting.

5. Spotlights

Spotlights are awesome floodlights and they can brightly light up the outdoor area, if that's what you require. They are often used more for security rather than for creating a nice atmosphere. So be careful where you place them or you will have to squint your eyes due to the glare. If the spotlights are to be used for security reasons, place them a few feet above eye level. 

6. Light up the water feature

If you're lucky enough to have space for a water feature in your front yard, make full use of it and bring attention to it by lighting it up. Another great thing about lighting up the water feature is that water reflects light so the result will be a beautiful play of lights and water. 

7. Light up the plants

There are many ways to light up the plants. Pictured here we see one example of how potted plants can lighted up using recessed LED lighting installed in the ground. 

You can also place standard garden lights behind bushy plants to make them glow and bring attention to the rich texture of the plants. Here are 5 great examples of statement lighting for more ideas. 

8. Light up the walls

The walls are a great place to install recessed lighting for a nice, cosy ambiance in the garden. For more inspiration, please also read our article titled 6 wonderful outdoor lighting ideas.

9. Light up the rooftop

Light up the rooftop or balconies with fairy lights to give your home a celebratory look which is dainty and elegant, yet festive. We hope you will be inspired to try some of these brilliant outdoor lighting ideas at home. For more idea books like these, have a look at our article titled how to create atmospheric garden lighting.

Which outdoor lighting ideas do you like the best? 

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