Fall Outdoor Lighting Techniques

Outdoor lighting goes a long way in accentuating your home's landscaping. While you might be able to see it all during the day, lighting it up here and there at night can create a truly breathtaking view. If you love enjoying cool fall evenings outside around a fire pit, or just getting some fresh air, update your outdoor lighting to match. Here are some helpful tips you can use to ensure your outdoor lighting scheme this fall is the most spectacular it can be.

The fire pit and outdoor fireplace are the perfect place to enjoy a nice relaxing evening after a long day. While fire pits and outdoor fireplaces add their own light when lit, you still need outdoor lighting to enhance the ambiance and increase safety. Relying on firelight alone, especially when gas logs are burning low or natural coal is depleting, can trip you over unseen hazards. You need a soft, indirect method of lighting around a fire pit or similar so that the artificial lighting doesn't compete with the glow of the flames. Some soft lighting ideas that may help include:

Lanterns and string lights line the edge of the fire pit seating area

Gazebo lighting (if your fire pit/fireplace is under the gazebo)

Bottom lights can be mounted on the edge of the fire pit itself or under a bench to help illuminate the ground where obstructions need to be seen.

The right amount of lighting around the fire will make it easier to find fuel, get around safely, and deal with any emergencies that may arise without leaving the fire.

Incorporating uplights and downlights around a seating area like a patio or gazebo is the perfect way to add safety and entertainment on fall evenings. You can create a warm glow by simply shining the light upwards onto the ceiling of a tree or structure. At the same time, downlights should be placed strategically to increase safety when walking around in the dark. The light paths and the edges of the seating areas ensure everyone can see without being caught in the spotlight while sitting outside breathing in the evening breeze.

At this time of year, maintenance of the plants around the lights is essential. While you'll want to check each season for new growth that could block outdoor lights, fallen leaves or branches are a unique hazard this time of year. Regular removal of any accumulated foliage will prevent the lights from dimming or being completely blocked.

If you're looking outside one night and feel your yard is darker or less dramatic than it used to be, it's time to go around and do a fall cleanup of your lighting system. You may also need to remove dust, pollen, or mold from the lenses of some lights for optimal brightness. Keeping a handy chart or map of where all your outdoor lighting is installed can make lighting maintenance quicker.

If you installed direct lights to point at deciduous trees, you may need to adjust them for fall and winter. Consider waiting until the leaves have fully fallen to admire their colors at the height of the leaf fall season. When the branches are bare, lower the angle of the light to accentuate the complexity of the trunk rather than the bare branches. While this isn't an issue with most evergreen trees, you still have the option to angle the upward lighting to accentuate decorations you've added near the trunk or roots. Be sure to readjust as spring hits and you want to bounce light from the new greenery.

LED lighting is proven to significantly increase your energy efficiency and lower your electricity bills. This switch alone can make outdoor lighting more affordable on a monthly basis. They're also safer to use in environments full of dry leaves and branches because they don't generate as much heat as other types of outdoor lighting. LED lights help reduce the risk of fire, especially in the fall.

Make sure to adjust your outdoor lighting timers to compensate for the early arrival of fall and winter darkness. Add seasonal flair with festive and fall decorations around well-lit areas. For example, around Halloween, place jack-o'-lanterns on the side of the road for added illumination and to show off what you've already installed. Add a wreath to your front door and use yard lighting to help accentuate the pretty colors in the wreath, even late at night. Incorporate your holiday decorations into your outdoor lighting plan so they work in harmony rather than conflict, especially if you're planning any fall gatherings or parties in the evening.

Don't wait any longer, revamp your home landscape with professional landscape lighting from TFB Lighting. Our expertise will result in warm, blended lighting that makes it easy to enjoy your yard at any time of the day or night. Contact us today for a seasonal update to make your fall decorations stand out.

TFB Lighting is a professional custom outdoor landscape light manufacturer. The company mainly produces various floodlights, garden lights, floor lamps, lawn lights, wall lights, underwater lights, wall lights, spotlights, street lights, solar energy and landscape lighting and other products. With many varieties and high quality, it is widely used in decorative lighting in various roads, squares, parks, villas, pedestrian streets, garden communities and other places.