DIY Exterior Lighting Ideas
The three aspects of lighting – ambient, task and accent – apply to exterior lighting just as they do for interior illumination. But the way they’re implemented will be very different.
Where an interior room angle is, say, 90 degrees the outside corner is also thought of as 90 degrees. But, measured the same way, it’s actually 270 degrees. That difference produces just one of the many wrinkles inherent in an exterior lighting scheme. Add to that the presence of bushes, trees, few if any enclosed hallways or spaces and you have a decidedly different environment to illuminate.
Security is one of the most basic concerns in many exterior lighting schemes though it’s rarely the first.
Deep shadows produced by nooks, bushes, trashcans and other common outdoor home features present a challenge. But flood lamps are designed to solve that exact problem. Place them on both corners of a wall, angled inward and there will be very few places for potential home invaders to hide.
Add motion sensors near points of entry – low windows, small garage doors, the front and rear entrances and so on – and you can have a system that saves energy and looks more low key, but still covers your home. Many come with timers or other features that allow you to ensure they don’t come on during the day or at other undesired times.
All of the above may be categorized under the heading of ambient lighting. Clearly, though, the outdoor scheme is very different than providing general room illumination indoors.
But home protection isn’t the only reason to add lights to the exterior. Convenience can be important, too. That’s where task lighting comes into play.
You drive up onto the driveway then walk up to your front door. That journey might be sufficiently illuminated by street lights. But trees, rural neighborhoods and other factors may cause them to be absent or inadequate. A child’s toy on the sidewalk can be a hazard. Finding keys and the front door lock can be annoying without good coverage of the walkway and entrance. So, task lights that give adequate light to the driveway, walkways and front door become important.
There are times when you’ll need to do minor repairs when it’s dusk or dark. A broken window may not wait until morning. Dusk may be the only time you have to finish a section of garden. Good task lighting can provide you with permanent or mobile solutions.
But when people think of exterior lighting, accent lights are usually uppermost in mind. Giving the home that finished look is often best accomplished by placing lamps at a dozen spots around the house.
The lawn is a popular spot, since both grass and walkways can be covered by the correct choice and placement of lawn lights. Small solar-powered lamps have become an often selected option, and for good reason. Solar lawn lights allow for wire-free, easy installation that never requires batteries.
Wall accents are another frequently found feature of exterior lighting schemes, thanks to their ability to provide focus. Small indirect spots can give a home that ‘looks like a quality TV commercial’ touch. Exterior wall sconces come in a hundred different designs. That makes it easy to integrate them with the rest of the home design or add decorative accents that suit any individual taste.
Invest in exterior lighting and you’ll be more secure, walk and work with confidence, and add a beautiful illuminated look to your home.
-The Fixie Chix
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What would it take to have my own home improvement show on HGTV or DIY?I'm 15 now, but when I get older, I would like to host my own home improvement show. It would be entirely for electrical work, which is something I hardly ever see described in detail on the channel. In the first episode, I would show simple stuff like replacing switches, outlets, and fixtures. In later episodes, I would show how to add new circuits to the breaker panel. In a late episode, I would actually take the viewers from start to finish in doing a complete service panel upgrade (from 60A meter and fuse box to 100A meter and circuit breaker panel). I've never seen anything like that on TV before. I'm only 15, but I've done all these things myself on my own house, so I'm competent in the trade. I would like to be an electrician when I grow up.
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Tags: brenna hartmann, different, diy, fixie chix, home, improvement, landscape, lighting, outdoor, security, types
http://www.hgtv.com, http://www.tlc.discovery.com
It depends on taste as well. If you can do the job yourself (and I did it many times) it is an excellent way to add substantial value to your property and enjoy something good while using it. I did bathroom floor to ceiling but left the floor as I have original hardwood floorboards. I think it is beautiful and so many others say. In the kitchen I did a partial floor to ceiling in the wet and hot areas. Tiles are fantastic insulators. So in my view tiles are the ultimate answer. Some people don't want to go that way. To me it make aesthetic and economic sense.
I trust myself or my father who's been a carpenter for 50+ yrs. If we can't figure it out, it's not doable! Kind of snotty but we make a great team! Because of him I have my own company that I know run with a partner check us out at, http://www.dwelldesignbuild.com
Can I help you by laying some wood?
HGTV has several home improvement shows on, usually on Saturdays. You'll need cable to get the stations however they do have a website. You can go to it, type in TV cabinets and maybe you'll luck out. They supply prints and plans for various DIY projects.
http://www.HGTV.com
wow ,, awesome work i love every thing even the music
Lady Gaga sexy performance, Live in U.K – NakedLady Gaga. c0O0M – Just Awesome
This is awesome.
good to see real talent
It depends on what type of improvements that you made. If it was just doing some painting, fixing walls etc. you do not need a permit. You probably would need permits for doing major electrical work, plumbing etc. so that they can send someone to your house to inspect it, making sure it is up to code. Each town, village,or city has there own way of dealing with permits. Just more or less a racket, just so they can get there money, and saying they inspected it. If you know somebody, and they know you know what you are doing, sometimes they won't even inspect the work. They are happy to take your money though. It will have to be inspected though if you do not have any connections, to make sure that the work is safe, and will not cause a fire etc..Good Luck..
there is this girl at my school that is OBSESSED with johnny depp, i bet she’d go nuts if she saw this XD
youre my fav artist
no doubt
our screened in fish pond and orchid house
u must draw yourself sometome xD
oh my god it looks like a photo
http://mariesmanor.bebto.com/DIY_Projects_Index.html
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Mmm sexy even as a painting!
Awesome job!!