Your new home will have many functional areas that need appropriate lighting. This blog will examine the many exterior lighting options available – whether you want to entertain guests for a late-night party or relax under the stars with your spouse.
The right lighting is essential to truly appreciate your living space, making it an integral feature in luxury home design. Whether natural or artificial, your choice of illumination sets the stage for architectural details to shine.
Stay Tuned! We will discuss interior lighting in a future article.
Exterior Lighting Design
Lighting has many functions in a home environment, from safety to aesthetic focus. Exterior lighting transforms exterior areas and open-air spaces and can significantly influence how you view your outdoor features.
Safety: The most practical reason for installing exterior lighting is safety. There are many areas to illuminate, especially for those who enjoy entertaining, and so will have people on your property after dark. Line walkways and pathways with small solar lamps, place a motion floodlight next to the garage, install vintage lanterns on your front porch, or string Edison lights around your lanai. Be sure to adequately light any stairways, alleys, or dark corners so people don’t trip or fall due to low visibility.
Task Lighting: When you think about how you will use your outdoor space, task lighting will play an integral role. The purpose of task lighting is to concentrate illumination in a single spot to help you complete a specific job. You may need strong lights over an outdoor kitchen to assist with food preparation or a reading light over your favorite comfy chair.
Ambient Lighting: This lighting category is less about the actual light fixtures you choose and more about the mood those lights inspire. What type of mood do you want to create in your outdoor spaces? Ambient lighting typically uses softer bulbs to illuminate without being too glaring or overpowering. Electric candles, tiki torches, or Edison lights will allow everyone to see each other and interact, bathed in a relaxed glow.
Accent and Landscape Lighting: This type of lighting provides a visual focal point for your outdoor deck or landscaping. A popular example of accent lighting for Florida yards is illuminating palm trees with a spotlight after sunset. You can also light up your house number or front walkway or provide lighting around the swimming pool.
Architectural Lighting: Architectural lighting enhances specific architectural elements to emphasize the home’s aesthetic. It places less emphasis on function and more on creatively using technology for design purposes. Homeowners can customize architectural lights to achieve a certain “vibe” without revealing the source of the light. One common example is LED lighting that is mounted under counters or eaves – providing soft illumination without a visual fixture. Other examples of
architectural lighting includes cove, recessed, surface, and suspension lighting and uplighting, which is used to highlight unique ceiling or rooftop features.
Lighting Design Sets the Mood
When designing a custom home, individuals are asked to make hundreds of decisions affecting their daily lifestyle. However, few decisions are as impactful as the choice of lighting, which affects form, function, and ambiance in every room and space.
At Bruce Williams Homes, our team has the experience and inspiration you need to create the custom home of your dreams. From sunlight streaming through the windows to the soft glow of a vintage sconce, we are here to help you optimize your lighting and transform your space.
Bruce Williams Homes has been building custom homes for Sarasota and Manatee residents for nearly half a century. Times may change, but quality and customer service are timeless. Call today to learn more.
