Following are brief examples of some of the landscape lighting effects available:
Path Lighting
In path lighting, fixtures are placed along or above a path, sidewalk, or driveway. Some of these fixtures can be decorative while others can be more functional. Try to avoid glare; the object of path lighting is to aid in seeing the way, and glare actually makes it more difficult to see.
Spot Lighting
Spot lighting adds emphasis to statues and architectural elements such as columns or flagpoles. Consider the placement of the light. How does it look when the spot light is placed below the object being illuminated? Can the object be lit from above?
Grazing
In grazing, fixtures are placed close to a textured vertical surface such as a brick or stone wall or tree trunk. Placing the light close emphasizes the texture of the surface, brings the object to life, and adds visual interest.
Area Lighting
To generally illuminate an area with no particular emphasis, such as a lawn, flower bed, paved area, or deck, use wide swaths of light from above or below.
Up Lighting
Up lighting means placing a light source below what you wish to illuminate.
Down Lighting
Down lighting means placing a light source above what you wish to illuminate.
Shadowing
Lighting an object from above or below casts its shadow in a creative way on a wall or surface behind it. Experimenting with placement of the fixture can have very different and potentially exciting effects.
Silhouetting
To silhouette an object, place light at the ground behind the object near a wall or similar vertical plane. Since the light is behind the object, the object stands out in contrast to its lit background.
Moonlighting
Placing fixtures high in trees shines light down through the canopy, casting shadows of branches and leaves below. Moonlighting is usually done in a number of high trees clustered together for an overall, general effect.
These are just some of the possibilities that can be used alone or in concert with others to create a luminous composition using your home and its surroundings as the canvas. Your home is more than a structure. It's a centerpiece that's surrounded by the landscape, and it deserves the attention good lighting can bring. Just because the sun goes down doesn't mean you can't continue to enjoy your immediate surroundings — winter, spring, summer, and fall.
|
