Light the way to your front door with safety, beauty, and aesthetics in mind. A landscape lighting plan for your Huntington Station, NY, home should include lights for your steps and stairs, to not only minimize stumbles but to create a pretty effect. Here are the factors that should be considered, with the input of a landscape lighting expert, for lighting the steps and stairs that lead to your house.
Function First
Lighting is a fundamental necessity of a landscape, particularly for areas that are commonly traversed. The better lit your landscape, the more you’ll use it. And the more you use it, the more you, your family members, and guests will have reason to mull about in every area of your landscape, from the daylight hours into the night.
Being able to see the entrance, navigate the steps, and enter the home are basic requirements for a nighttime landscape, but merely turning on the porch light may not do the job appropriately. A lighting plan should consider the various way your landscape is used; it should factor in not only the arrivals and departures to your property but also when light is needed to hang around outside, take out the trash, and so on.
For the elevated hardscape features like stairs, you may find that mounted lights on the riser portion are necessary. Another option is having lights mounted on the underside of the ledge step. Experts in landscape lighting can advise on what’s recommended for safety reasons and what would look nice.
Safety Always
Incorporating lighting is a safety issue in and of itself, but safety components do go along with the lighting plan created for your nighttime landscape. Steps range in width, number, and placement, meaning that your lighting needs will vary as well. However, lights should always be directed downward to prevent blinding anyone walking up or down the stairs. Another tip that could improve the safety effects of your lighting plan will be to include bright lights at the very top and bottom of the staircase with dimmer ones between.
Aesthetics Matter
In the end, your staircase lighting can be functional and safe, but it must also complement your home’s unique style. Improve the aesthetics by first making sure that the lighting doesn’t detract from your home’s beauty while also using the wonder of light to magnify and create nighttime beauty around your stairs and entrance.
With mounted lighting, the color should match the staircase, and the shape should reflect the style of the home. By making the lighting fixtures blend with the stairs, they won’t stand out during the day. For nighttime aesthetics, choose a focal point and make it a feature with well-placed lighting. Take advantage of the great variety of options within the lighting world by using sconces, spotlights, strands, and mounts to design an appropriately beautiful nighttime scene at your front entrance. A professional in the field can guide you through the various choices, advising on what’s best given your style and preferences, and detailing the ways different placement and fixtures could affect your overall landscape lighting plan. Reach out today if you would like more insights on how a landscape lighting plan can benefit your property.
