Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Our View: Fair warning ... Council Corner: Coping with our built-in bias ... From Ashland to Israel and Palestine, via the Sorbonne ... Our View: Fair warning ... Council Corner: Coping with our built-in bias ... From Ashland to Israel and Palestine, via the Sorbonne ... Landscape lighting for beauty, safety and value Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Feb. 4, 2015 at 7:15 AM Updated Feb 4, 2015 at 7:16 AM Posted Feb. 4, 2015 at 7:15 AM Updated Feb 4, 2015 at 7:16 AM » Social News By Laura Firszt, Networx Light up your landscape ... and your life. Add lighting to your outdoor space for all the very best reasons — beauty, safety and increased property value. Find out all about the “whys” and “whats” of lovely landscape lighting. Why Safety. The No 1 reason to install landscape lighting is for safety’s sake. You and your family, and especially guests who are not as familiar with the layout of your yard, will be gently guided as to the location of pathways, steps, and abrupt slopes. Specialized lighting for your swimming pool and its surroundings will enable you to swim more safely at night (just make sure that any lights which come into contact with water conform to the safety code). Security. Shedding light on dim areas around your home’s perimeter will discourage loiterers and burglars, who prefer to work in the dark. Beauty and fun. There’s nothing like the charm of a gorgeous garden or an attractive outdoor seating and activity area ... except when it’s made even more appealing by a well-planned lighting installation. Usability. Outdoor living is the best, no matter how short or how long your local warm-weather season may be. Use landscape lighting to extend the hours you can spend enjoying your yard, garden, patio, pool, and/or outdoor room. Highlighting. Accent lighting can be designed show off an exceptionally lovely flowerbed, water feature, or piece of statuary. Convenience. Task lighting makes food prep in your outdoor kitchen or grilling area a lot simpler and pleasanter. It may also encourage would-be chef’s assistants to join you. Property value. Although having a landscape contractor install lighting is a relatively inexpensive home improvement, you’ll reap a generous return on your investment: more enjoyment and utility from your property, a distinctive new look and increased curb appeal. What to use Type of power. Although today’s halogen and fluorescent bulbs have evolved and are now more energy-saving and attractive, LED lights tend to be the most popular for landscape lighting, as they are extremely long-lasting and efficient. Another option, solar lights, cost virtually nothing but do depend on a certain amount of sunshine and require occasional battery recharging. Color/tint. Outdoor lighting comes in a variety of tints. The general guide is to use white or bluish light (cool) on trees and plants, but yellowish or orange (warm) light on pergolas, garden art and other human-made items. Technical specs. For safety’s sake, all lights should be rated for “UL wet location.” As always, contact the local building inspection office to see whether there are code specifications governing outdoor lighting in your locale. And make sure that the type of lighting effects you plan on are acceptable to your HOA. Keeping it subtle. Vary styles so your lighting piques interest and doesn’t look too “matchy-matchy.” Consider the existing illumination your yard receives from streetlights and indoors, and avoid light pollution. Overuse of outdoor lighting wastes energy and money, creates glare, and may disturb residents of your home — as well as your neighbors! It can even ruin the romantic atmosphere of a garden by night. What’s hot Customized lighting. A custom system can be built for your garden that uses controls such as dimmer switches, motion sensors, and timers to create the lighting looks you want, when you want them. Moonlighting. Placing blue-toned lights 30-40 feet up in your trees mimics the effect of natural moonlight. Moisture-resistant outdoor LED tape. This lends itself readily to a wide variety of landscape applications, yet is safe to use in exterior weather conditions. Laura Firszt writes for networx.com. This post originally appeared here: http://www.networx.com/article/landscape-lighting-for-beauty-safety-an. DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Feb. 4, 2015 at 7:15 AM Updated Feb 4, 2015 at 7:16 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501