It’s dark at four? Oh, that’s just great.
To put it bluntly, wintertime means less daylight hours and tough weather conditions. By late afternoon it’s already getting dark and compared to the warmer months, our winter landscapes can appear drab and lackluster. Enter in the importance of a well thought-out lighting design.
The first thing to do is to take an honest assessment of your nighttime landscape. Go outside and notice your home’s curb appeal. Think about the architectural structures that you adore during the day, these may be calling for accent lighting to remain visible in the dark hours. Walk through your gardens and notice the winter charm of twisting branches or specimen evergreens and consider adding soft lighting to draw the eye and add interest in the evenings. Consider the function of your property and highlight areas for safety and security such as walkways, paths and stairs.
In truth, this effort and investment is not totally to benefit your neighbors. Coming home to a well-designed lighting landscape or viewing your artfully lit gardens through your windows from the comfort of your own home can add a value that is hard to tangibly describe until experienced for yourself. Exterior lighting breathes new life into areas that you didn’t even know you already have until they are illuminated.
