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When summer’s in full swing, you’ll be likely spending most of the time outside. There are so many outdoor activities that you can enjoy together with your family and friends in the summer: from walking in the park to camping and hiking. Spending time outdoors probably includes a lot of relaxing in your backyard as well. That is, of course, if you are living in a house and you are blessed with an outdoor space.
The Importance of a Functional and Attractive Outdoor Space
Having a backyard is such a big deal and that is why many people move into a house. No matter the size, backyards are the perfect spot for organizing small intimate gatherings and having fun with your family and friends or simply enjoying some time for yourself when you want to unwind and relax under the blue sky.
The exterior living space of your house is as important as the interior. An outdoor living space has so much potential and there are tons of ways to beautify your yard, deck or patio. You may consider planting flowers or gardening, adding outdoor furniture or different accessories, or even getting a backyard fire pit, just to name a few. The decorating process is quite easy when you have defined your style. You can make your outdoor space elegantly enjoyable and rearrange it so it is a quiet place and a little realm where you are the sole ruler.
The Role of Outdoor Lighting
When decorating your backyard, porch or driveway, don’t forget to pay attention to lighting as outdoor spaces sometimes get overlooked after the sun goes down. Aside from its primary purpose to cast the necessary amount of light, lighting is essential for creating atmosphere too. Some carefully placed lighting fixtures can provide a warm ambience and cast a magical and romantic glow, bringing a welcoming touch to your space. Outdoor spotlights are ideal for brightening up a specific object such as your fence or the poolside wall, or the driveway, hence creating a rather pleasing ambience and adding a decorative appeal to your backyard.
There are so many different types of outdoor spotlights out there to choose from – from traditional spot wall lights to more modern contemporary outdoor spotlights. When choosing a light fixture, plan ahead and take into consideration what type of lighting is right for the size and décor of your yard. With the right type of lighting fixture, you can fully enjoy your private plot and have fun outdoors with your family and friends once the night sets in.
The Benefits of Using Outdoor Spotlights
There are many ways to make use of spot wall lights and one of them is for illuminating your backyard or porch. Small outdoor spotlights are commonly used as secondary lighting objects, so they are great for both large and smaller backyards. The benefits of using these fixtures to brighten up your outdoor space are increasingly being recognised and include elevated aesthetics as well as increased safety and security.
Aesthetics
Spot wall lights are a dynamic and interesting way to light your outdoor space as they are proven to enrich its charm. They are subtle fittings with a sharp light that will create a charming and characteristic effect for your backyard. Spot wall lights offer a degree of flexibility that lets you sculpt the lighting to suit your taste as many of them feature adjustable heads and shine a light in a focused, limited area. These make a great way to throw light in different directions down your driveway, offering a delightful appeal.
Safety and Security
The right outdoor lighting fixtures can provide safety and security in addition to the alluring ambience. Outdoor spot wall lights allow you and your family and friends to move around safely in the dark as they illuminate the stairs and pathways as well as brighten the entrances and help you identify doorways.
Spot wall lights are designed to enhance security and protect you from intruders as well by lighting the darkest corners of your property. They can also feature motion sensors that can scare off any intruders or animals that come near your home.
Types of Outdoor Spotlights
Given the benefits of this type of exterior lighting, there’s a wide range of practical and attractive small outdoor spotlights that can create a highly aesthetic atmosphere. These often include wall sconces featuring decorative glass which add a character and ambience to your exterior. They are available in a variety of designs, finishes and styles, from classic bronze coloured lanterns to stainless steel wall lights as well as more minimalist motion sensors. In terms of form, since the technological advances in the LED lighting, LED spotlights has become the standard for outdoor lighting.
LED Outdoor Spotlights
Many modern outdoor lights have integrated LED technology. There is a plethora of LED outdoor lights to choose from including walkway lights, spotlights, floodlights, deck lights, and pond lights. High-quality LED outdoor spotlights are the ideal choice for outdoor illumination and can be used as accent lighting to set an attractive and artistic scene. These spotlights are dimmable and available in several colour temperatures, from warm to cold tones, which can be used to create a variety of effects in your yard, thus creating a pleasing and welcoming ambience.
LED lighting has several advantages over traditional incandescent or halogen lighting. LEDs are very cost-effective and eco-friendly as they use far less power than other light sources. When it comes to outdoor lighting, energy efficiency is very important. LEDs are also more energy-efficient when compared to incandescent bulbs as they require less energy and save up to 80% power, thus making them better for outdoor lighting.
Spotlights vs. Floodlights
Spotlights and floodlights are commonly used interchangeably which is why many people get confused. Both terms describe focused light coming out of a fixture. To make matters more complicated, what may be a spotlight for one manufacturer may not be for another and it might fall under what they consider a floodlight.
In general, a spotlight is referred to a light that has a focused light illuminating a particular object or specific area. Examples include a statue, doorway, stairs, a walkway, a tree or a wall as well as a small seating area. Spotlights provide a beam that is no more than 45 degrees in width and are often less than 25 degrees wide. That is why they are usually positioned as an up-light to highlight a specific spot.
On the other hand, term floodlight is used when referring to a broader focused beam. Floodlights generally provide a wider beam of light that washes a wall. Their beam spread is more than 45 degrees and up to about 120 degrees wide. As such, floodlights are the perfect choice for lighting your driveway or for downlighting installed high up on a tree.
