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 A driveway should be a safe place to park, and landscape lighting is essential not only for safety but for ambience and curb appeal as well. In fact, landscape lighting is the best way to increase beauty as well. You can increase the safety of your driveway with these outdoor lighting tips in Naperville, IL.
Related: Creative Outdoor Lighting Solutions for an Active Patio in Hinsdale, IL Avoiding Glare and Shadows With landscape lighting, putting lights overhead can actually do more harm than good. Using single light sources up high creates lots of negative opportunities for obstructions. Glaring lights up high can easily become annoying or dangerous if you’re moving toward them. The distance between the light and the intended target is long and there are plenty of ways where movement in between casts harsh shadows that obscure obstacles. Avoid this glare and shadow risk by placing safety lights low to the ground and angled away from potential eye contact. Low-Lying Lights The most important place to target lights is the ground surface. At night, a driver needs to have full vision of the driveway; and headlights shouldn’t compete with house-mounted lights. You can get amazing results by using low-lying lights that hug the perimeter of the driveway. Since they are much closer to the ground surface and cover a smaller area, they will direct light energy where you need it: on the ground. If you have a paver driveway, low-lying lights will also call attention to the textural details and color of your driveway, letting masonry beauty shine at night. Using Vertical Spaces Another great way to enhance safety on a driveway at night is by illuminating vertical surfaces. This allows for a much greater sense of depth perception around the space, especially when a driveway is confined between obstacles. Spotlights angled upwards along the vertical space of your retaining wall, trees, rock outcroppings, and other large landscape features will create interest, highlight these features, and add to the ambient light around your driveway. By the time your guests reach your house, they will have a good appreciation of the beauty and function of your front yard landscape and driveway. Upgrading to LEDs Modern lighting technology has been expanding rapidly through the evolution of light-emitting diodes, or LEDs. These tiny light fixtures, when grouped together, can create a stunning amount of light from a surprisingly small amount of energy. They can last more than 10 years without replacement and the newer generation is showing even greater promise. This is in contrast to traditional incandescent or halogen lights that can burn out every 6 months or so. Some LEDs can also be programmed to change color and switch on and off according to timers, giving you much better control of the appearance of your front yard landscape and driveway. Creating Ambience Through a Layered Effect When most of your lights are targeted to a specific space - namely, the driveway - they end up creating too much contrast between these well-lit areas and the landscape beyond. Adding some more low-lying lights in various “random” places in the landscape will reduce uncomfortable dark patches and make the area around your driveway feel much more safe and welcoming. Layering means putting most of your light energy where you need it, and then gradually diminishing the number and intensity of light fixtures as you move outward. This creates depth perception as well as a pleasing lighting theme. Related: Extend the Use of Your Patio With Any of These Outdoor Lighting Options in Naperville, IL
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 It’s easy to see and appreciate all of the most beautiful parts of a landscape such as flowers, waterfalls, and patios. However, there’s one landscape feature that has the ability to not only stun with its beauty but also provide an essential structure that helps shape the landscape. A retaining wall should be a part of any sloped landscape or any outdoor living area that is in need of a division of spaces. As you decide what your landscape needs next, here’s why you should consider a retaining wall as part of your Wheaton, IL landscaping project.
Related: 6 Ways You Can Include a Retaining Wall in Your Landscape Design in Naperville, IL Preventing Erosion The biggest threats to a landscape are the massive geological processes that shape our natural world. Rain runoff can quickly erode topsoil and damage a landscape beyond recognition. A retaining wall will do the essential duty of physically holding back soil, which will dramatically reduce the harm done from erosion by diverting the water to where it can be safely extracted. A retaining wall is useful on any steep slope with poor plant cover, with soil that tends to hold moisture; but the best way to determine whether you need a retaining wall is to consult with a landscape professional. Dividing Spaces of Use Though the retaining wall is generally a fairly low landscape feature, rarely rising above 4 feet and often even lower, it does prove to be an effective physical barrier. If the retaining wall is along the property perimeter, it can do double duty as a fence; and if it’s more centrally located, it can help to divide your backyard into various spaces of use. For example, the upper part of the slope could be reserved for outdoor living, while the lower part could become a play area for the kids. If your slope is particularly steep, a series of terraces could be used to shape the land and create more usable space for gardens and outdoor living. On perfectly flat properties, a low seat wall could be used to divide the space between a front entry walkway and the landscape, to define the space and give a warm “embrace” to visitors. Housing Light Fixtures The essential difference in your landscape between night and day is whether or not your friends and family will feel safe and welcome. Some great lighting strategies can greatly enhance the beauty of your landscape. Integrating light fixtures into the retaining wall creates a clutter-free landscape, enhances the textures of the wall at night, and provides visual depth to the space. Expanding Seating A retaining wall can become a great place to integrate seating. A low retaining wall can have a few casual partygoers sit on the capstones and enjoy some drinks and a friendly chat. A taller retaining wall can feature an integrated bench that allows for a comfortable place to appreciate the view. A rounded retaining wall can create a big semi-circle seating area surrounding a fire pit. Integrating seating into a wall is another way to reduce clutter in an outdoor living space while providing necessary overflow seating. Emboldening Visuals Apart from its endlessly practical physical presence, a retaining wall also has the opportunity to become a beautiful focal point. The masonry used to make a retaining wall is one opportunity for creative expression. A retaining wall establishes a strong vertical presence and increases visual interest: and the choice of natural stone, decorative concrete wall units, or veneers give you endless design choices. Related: Choosing the Right Look for a Retaining Wall That Will Be Part of Your Brick Patio Design in Hinsdale, IL  When you plan out your landscape renovation, there are many things that can make a landscape comfortable and memorable. There’s one type of feature, however, that can make a landscape unlivable if it’s missing or poorly designed: landscape lighting. The lack of adequate outdoor lighting can turn a landscape into a potentially dangerous place that sours the moods of your guests before they even get outside. To make your landscape reach its full nighttime potential, here are some creative outdoor lighting solutions for an active patio in Hinsdale, IL.
Related: Bring Your Wheaton, IL, Brick Patio to Life With a Creative Outdoor Lighting Plan Hardwiring the Perimeter An unsafe outdoor living space is going to be one that everyone wants to avoid. Safety starts with the walking surfaces, which means thoughtfully illuminating the entire patio as well as all walkways. The harsh contrasts created by the shadows of flood lights, for example, can make obstacles invisible. For safety reasons, focusing light energy on the ground is the right way to start with your outdoor lighting design. Choose a series of light fixtures that are close to the ground and focus light onto the walking surface. The proximity to the ground will greatly reduce the chance of shadows that obscure hidden obstacles. For the most consistent safety, walkway lighting should be hardwired around the perimeter of the patio and walkways, as well as the driveway for parking safety. Hardwired light fixtures are much better than off-the-grid solar-powered lanterns that will lose brightness whenever the solar arrays are covered in snow or after a series of cloudy days. Creating Focal Points A patio doesn’t need to have full power of lighting on every square inch after night falls. However, no patio hosts just one activity, and therefore a variety of lighting techniques will ensure the most livable and aesthetically pleasing space. Determine what the focal points are in your outdoor living space. This may be an outdoor dining table, a fire pit, a waterfall, or a piece of outdoor art to be admired. Artistic illumination of one or several prominent features will also add some ambient light to the patio without resorting to one lighting strategy (such as perimeter pathway lights). Enhancing Ambience After the safety priorities in lighting design have been addressed, it’s important to put some thought into the lesser-used spaces that surround the patio. Eliminating the harsh definition between illuminated and dark areas in your outdoor living space will not only make a space feel much more safe and secure, but will add to the depth perception that enables enjoyment of the space. Seek out the darkest corners that surround your outdoor living space and place a small light or two in that area to add dimension and lessen the contrast that makes people feel they’re living in a snow globe surrounded by darkness. Overhead Delight While overhead lighting isn’t very effective at enhancing walking safety, there are some types of lights that can make a space feel truly magical. A few rows of string lights over the patio can add an incredible amount of light that’s easy on the eyes. Moonlighting is another fun technique to add light from above. This technique requires a mature deciduous tree. Place a whitish-bluish light high in the canopy, so the light can filter down through the foliage to create wonderful dancing shadows on the ground below. Related: Extend the Use of Your Patio With Any of These Outdoor Lighting Options in Naperville, IL |
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