Guide to outdoor lighting

An essential component of interior and exterior home design, lighting adds style and also makes a home safer and more functional.

Homeowners who plan to utilize outdoor spaces such as backyards, front porches and walkways should think carefully about lighting. Use these guidelines to select outdoor lighting fixtures.

Security lighting. Flood lights and security lights — high-intensity and designed to illuminate large areas — are a good investment to beef up a home’s visibility and security. The brightness and reach can serve as a preventive measure to keep animals and criminals away.

Motion-sensor lights will immediately engage if something crosses their sensor’s path. Some lights remain on from dusk to dawn. Lowe’s Home Improvement suggests using the correct wattage on outdoor security lights so they flood an area thoroughly without affecting neighboring properties.

Wall, post and ceiling light. Other outdoor lighting fixtures come in a variety of styles, according to Lamps USA. Wall lights mounted to an outdoor wall typically flank doorways or the garage. Post lights, installed on decks and porches, or free-standing, provide visibility and style. Ceiling-mounted lights may be above doorways or installed in any structure that has an overhead area. Warmcolored temperature bulbs in these fixtures can create an inviting atmosphere that is not too bright and jarring. Experts suggest sizing up if you are not sure of the size to pick, as lights will look much smaller from a distance.

Accent and landscape lighting. Accent lighting is designed to enhance the mood and appearance of certain elements of a landscape and is not intended to add bright light. Upward-directed lights can be cast on trees or shrubs, and accent lighting may focus on a garden or fountain. Accent lighting may be hard-wired, but solar fixtures are more mobile, but not as bright.

Additional pointers. A standard 100-watt bulb produces around 1,600 lumens, with security lights needing from 700 to 1,300 lumens, but less for other lights.

Ensure that fixtures are safety-rated for outdoor use by selecting wet-rated fixtures to withstand direct exposure to outdoor elements and damp-rated fixtures for protected locations.

Lighting can transform outdoors spaces for the better.