Techniques for Outdoor Lighting

A well-lit front entrance enables you to greet guests and identify visitors. Wall lanterns on each side of the door will give your home a warm, welcoming look, while assuring the safety of those who enter.

Under a porch or other overhang, you can use recessed, chain-hung or close-to-ceiling fixtures. A separate rear or side entrance can be lighted with a single wall lantern installed on the keyhole side of the door.

Outside the garage, mount a lantern on each side or install a single fixture above to provide lighting for safety and security. 

Consider installing a motion sensor on these fixtures or a photocell that turns the lights on at dusk and off at dawn to save energy.









For added security, illuminate any side of the house that would otherwise be in shadow. Spotlights installed on your eaves will accomplish this, or, for a more dramatic look, consider ground lights pointed up to graze your walls. 

To conserve energy, install a sensor that will switch on the light only at night or upon motion. If using uplighting, aim the fixtures so that the light is captured by your eaves to lessen light pollution.

Steps, paths, and driveways should be illuminated to make sure family members and guests are able to move about easily and safely after dark. You can install path lights or post lanterns or attach lights to the side of the house. 

Low-level path lights, which spread circular patterns of light, will brighten your walkway while highlighting nearby flower beds, shrubs and ground cover. Low-level path lights can also be used to define the boundaries of long driveways. 

Bollards, which stand 30 to 36 inches off the ground, also work well. Use shielded fixtures to avoid glare.

Grills and serving areas benefit from bright task lighting. To accomplish this, install a recessed spot-light on an adjacent roof overhang, mount lights on a railing behind the grill or use a portable fixture approved for outdoor environments.