Choosing Landscape Lighting for Your Backyard

Your backyard landscaping creates a stylish, calming place to relax. Whether you’re with family, friends or enjoying time alone, it’s important to get the most out of your backyard oasis. Find out how landscape lighting can keep the gathering going into the evening and protect your property through the night. Explore popular lighting products and design tips before checking out the latest options at Max Warehouse.

Popular Landscaping Lighting Options

You don’t have to hire a professional to enjoy professional-grade lighting. Shop for these popular lighting options to update your existing light or illuminate your backyard for the first time. Don’t forget to check out helpful accessories, like motion sensors, timers and replacement light bulbs.

The best thing about creating your own landscape light design is that you can slowly expand it. Start out with a series of pathway lights and add a set of string lights around your patio later on. As you sit and enjoy your backyard, consider other features that you may want to light up or highlight as you sit and enjoy a beautiful evening outdoors.

Low-Voltage Landscape Pathway Lights

Low-voltage lighting is an energy-efficient way to light up any pathways. These bulbs can still produce a great amount of light to keep your walkway visible. Choose low-voltage options that match your landscaping and direct light to the steps, walking stones or concrete pathways through your backyard. The most important places to put pathway lighting are any changes in elevation and the main walkway to your home, but you can create side trails and other opportunities to light up features using these affordable lights.

Solar Landscape Pathway Lights

Instead of running wiring and installing a 12-volt transformer, choose solar lights for an even more energy-efficient way to illuminate your backyard. Solar lighting works best when you have ample sunlight for the panel. Some pathway lights have a panel on the top of the fixture, while others are connected to a separate panel for better positioning. Either way, you’ll enjoy a safe backyard without the additional energy cost of low-voltage alternatives.

Low-Voltage and Solar Landscape Spot Lights

Spot lights are multi-purpose lights that can be easily used to light objects on the ground or elevated objects. Here are just a few examples of spot light uses for your backyard landscape:

• Stairs

• Side of your home

• Pool

• Pergola or other elevated feature

• Trees

Throwing light on these features allows you to enjoy your landscape features even after the sun sets. Spot lights can be used as functional light for keeping your walkway lit, but they are more often used for these style purposes. Choose between low-voltage and solar spot light options and consider installing a light detector or timer to avoid the manual task of turning them on and off.

String Lights

String lighting is a great way to light up a specific area of your backyard. String them around the perimeter of a pergola, patio or deck for a beautiful balance of mood lighting and functional illumination. String LED lighting comes in a wide range of lengths and can be either solar or low voltage. Be sure to choose string lights that are designed to be used outdoors to avoid water damage.

Tips for Lighting Your Backyard

It’s important to consider how you’ll use your outdoor lighting as you shop. Before ordering a set of pathway lights or spot lights from Max Warehouse, consider these tips on lighting design. A well-designed lighting setup, just like other landscape features, makes a big difference.

Consider Functional Lighting

Functional lighting is used to keep your walkway safe and reduces the risk of intruders on your property. This lighting use is most common for walkway and spot lights, though string lights can also provide functional lighting. These lights are aimed at places where people might be walking and sitting, but aren’t aimed at your foliage, hardscapes or other design features. Choose low voltage landscape lighting or solar alternatives since these lights will likely be turned on every night.

Compare Energy Options

Large yards can use line voltage to provide 120-volt power to lights, but most landscape lighting situations call for low-voltage lighting or solar lighting. Solar lighting is best for environmentally conscious homeowners or situations where only a small amount of light is needed. Low-voltage lighting gives you more control of your lighting by allowing you to install brighter bulbs and multi-colored designs without being concerned with the electrical use and solar capabilities.

Add Style With These Techniques

Once you compare energy options and install your functional lighting, it’s time to add stylistic features. Here are some popular techniques to improve your landscaping using lighting:

• Grazing

• Path lighting

• Wall washing

• Silhouetting

• Shadowing

Light up a statue, wash the side of your home with some colored light or graze ivy with carefully aimed spot lights. These stylish techniques add depth of character to your landscape. Don’t just light your yard to make it seem like daytime, but create a rich and unique experience for your late-night guests and family evenings outdoors.

Shop for Landscape Lighting Today

At Max Warehouse, we stock a wide range of outdoor lighting options for your backyard. Shop for landscape lighting today to compare spot light, pathway light and string light options for yourself. Pick up must-have accessories and some landscape features to complement your lighting as you prepare for your next outdoor gathering or relaxing weekend at home. Create your own outdoor oasis with affordable, versatile lighting.