Landscape projects for homes are usually large endeavors and a source of pride for homeowners. Every element is designed to fit in with the homeowner’s vision and to make the home stand out from its neighbors. Including lighting in a home’s outdoor landscape is rather common, as many people want to illuminate their yard for entertainment purposes in addition to showing it off at night. There’s more to outdoor landscape lighting than one would expect, and quite a bit needs to be done in order for it to be functional.
Less Is More
A mistake that many people make with lighted landscapes is that they go overboard on the lighting. The purpose of outdoor landscape lighting is not to put a massive spotlight on a yard—which may be problematic with neighbors—but to draw attention to certain areas. This means going with simple rather than complex—a basic set-up could include a handful of strategically placed lights.
Placement and Aesthetics
The placement of a home’s outdoor landscape lighting in Monterey needs to take into consideration the other elements in a space. Lights should be placed in spots that are not going to be problematic for anything going through the area—including people, pets, and maintenance equipment. This is partially for aesthetics—people want to see what the light is illuminating rather than the fixture itself—and partially for safety. The lighting needs to fit in with the space and not overpower it.
Environment
There are a lot of environmental factors involved with designing a lighted landscape. As with most urban areas, outdoor landscape lighting in Monterey will need to compete with light from other areas. This can include lighting from other buildings, landscaped areas, and street lighting. The extra lighting that already exists in the environment can through the entire layout off. There are also the elements, such as weather, that can cause unwanted wear on an outdoor landscape lighting setup. Only lights designed explicitly for outdoor use should be used for landscaping, as they are able to handle the wear and tear of the elements.
