An important component of the beautiful outdoors of your home is beautiful lighting. It makes the place look warm and inviting, just as you want it to be when you relax on your porch or patio. With the lighting being such an important part of the beauty of the outdoors of your home, it is crucial to choose them with a lot of care. You need to choose the lights with a lot of care and planning. Here are the tips you need to keep in mind for outdoor lighting.

The three main types of lighting

Accent, task, and ambient are the three main types of lighting for you to consider. Ambient lighting is all about wall lights, post lights, and hanging lights. Task lighting involves security lights, deck lights, and pathway lights. Accent lighting is all about spotlights, landscape light kits, and so on. You can have a mix and match of these different kinds of lighting all through your place.

The calculations to consider at first

It is important to start by figuring out the amount of lighting you need before starting to shop. There is a simple calculation that can help you understand the amount of light a place needs. Multiply the square foot of that area by 1.5, and you will get a rough idea of the total watts you need. For example, 150 square foot of area would need 225 watts.

The planning regarding fixtures

Take the right measurements of your space to make sure that you do not select fixtures that feel too large scale. It is important to check the position and size of the fixtures before buying them. You might be choosing the lights for the back patio or the front porch, but the rule remains the same. The size of any outdoor wall light has to be about one-third of the height of your door. The light also has to be of weather-resistant and high-quality material.

The reasons to use LEDs

LEDs are always a good idea when you are trying to choose outdoor lights. The LED outside wall lights do not use as much energy as the incandescent or halogen bulbs. These do not need too much maintenance in the long run. So, you will not have to worry about changing light bulbs too frequently. Besides, the LED lights are as bright and beautiful as any other lights that you can think of getting.

It is important to take a good look from inside the house to understand how to place the lights and the way it will look. Have a mental picture of how you want it to look before buying the lights.