Post lights illuminate key areas of your outdoor space, enhancing aesthetics and increasing safety. Choose from a range of styles, from traditional to contemporary.
Evaluate the size, lighting requirements, and existing infrastructure of your outdoor space to find the right light fixture. Select LED lighting for energy efficiency and long lifespans.
Choosing the Right Lights
When you’re choosing the right lights for an event, you must consider both the practical needs that the lighting will fulfill and the tone you want to create. This will help you choose a fixture that fits the occasion while still allowing you to work within your budget.
The height and position of a post light can greatly affect the way that it illuminates an area. For example, taller posts are often used to highlight an entrance while shorter posts can illuminate walkways. The brightness of the fixture can also impact the amount of energy that it uses. For the most efficient option, opt for LED lights over incandescent or halogen bulbs.
If you’re looking to add a more stately feel to your home, consider adding fence post lights. They can illuminate your driveway and provide a sense of security, especially on dark nights. For maximum aesthetic appeal, look for options that match the style and finish of your existing wall-mounted fixtures to create a unified and complementary design.
Lighting the Entrance
When it comes to lighting your entrance, the right balance of style and functionality is key. You want to ensure that your guests and delivery people can easily find the front door while maintaining a homey ambiance in the entryway. This is where a mix of light sources can come into play, from traditional flush or semi-flush fixtures to chandeliers and wall sconces.
For a cozy entryway with built-in storage for shoes and coats, opting for a streamlined flush mount ceiling light helps enhance visibility. Its timeless design complements a variety of decor styles while infusing the ambiance with sophistication.
A few black post lights scattered around the entryway offer more decorative appeal while still providing ample illumination to guide visitors. These lights also help to define a welcoming boundary for the driveway and backyard.
Illuminating a Driveway
A well-lit driveway not only improves safety for drivers but also adds a welcoming ambiance to your home. Typical post lights, however, cast light in all directions creating glare bombs that diminish the goal of artfully highlighting your driveway.
To avoid this, opt for recessed lighting that embeds the lights flush with your driveway surface to eliminate glare. These lights are typically more energy efficient and come in a range of aesthetics including contemporary styles.
You can also use ground path lights to illuminate the edges of your driveway. These lights emit a gentle glow that marks your driveway’s boundaries and guides visitors safely to the parking area or garage. These types of lights are also available in a variety of colors to create a more customized look.
For a more rustic aesthetic, you can also consider craftsman or mission-style post lights with a rugged look that blends beautifully with your traditional home. These types of lights may include stained glass panels and a weathered finish that adds warmth to the space. For a nautical-inspired look, you can even explore non-metal options that are specifically designed to withstand salty coastal environments.
Illuminating a Parking Lot
Illuminating your parking lot gives people a sense of safety and security, making it easier for them to navigate your property. Powerful lighting also tells criminals that your business is open, deterring them from targeting it.
Whether you have a large or small budget for post lights, it’s possible to create a remarkable setup that elevates the beauty of your outdoor space. Choose from a wide range of designs, including traditional lantern-style fixtures with clear or seeded glass and a decorative finial on top. Look for brands that offer unique metals and a variety of glass styles, such as seeded, water or frosted.
Depending on the size of your parking lot, you may need to calculate your illumination needs. Determine the area’s square footage, then choose a fixture with a lumen output that matches your desired level of brightness. For example, if you want to reach 7 foot-candles, you can use a photometric plan to find out how many fixtures you need and what type of light distribution to select. Choose fixtures with a type of light distribution that minimizes shadows and glare, while also avoiding skyglow and reducing energy consumption.
Illuminating a Monument
Monument signs help customers find businesses on property and can make a bold statement about brands. But they need to be visible in the daytime and nighttime for maximum impact.
Illuminated monument signs come in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colors to match different aesthetics. For example, if you need a sign to match a modern building, consider a minimalist design with clean lines and a light color like white or orange. For a more traditional style, go with a natural color or a design with classic elements, such as stone.
You can also choose between internally or externally illuminated monument signs. Internally illuminated signs use lights inside the signage to create a captivating glow that highlights the sign and draws attention. This type of sign is perfect for highlighting the name and logo of your business or promoting specials and promotions on a regular basis.
Externally illuminated monument signs use lighting fixtures placed outside the sign to illuminate it. They work well for displaying your business name, address, or contact information to visitors who approach your building from the street.