Trend Alert: Make An Impact With Nightscaping
Photo credit: Turpin Landscaping
Your home is a work of art—from the front lawn to the front door and every piece in between. So why not put all of it on display? Light up your landscape with one of the most popular trends in outdoor design: Nightscaping.
Highlight landscape features, up the ambiance in your backyard, roll out a safe grand entrance and, most importantly, give your home a jaw-dropping look that will catch your neighbors’ eye night and day.
Ready to go beyond the lightbulb over your doorway and get creative with your outdoor decor? Start with these simple steps to add the perfect pop of light to your front yard.
Find your target
An awesome tree that deserves its moment in the spotlight, a wreath on the door that demands attention, the once-invisible walkway that guides you home each night—brightening these key spots not only adds style but functionality to your home’s design.
Work your angles
Where the light hits your target makes all the difference in style and safety. These terms will help you talk through your design ideas with an electrician:
- Uplighting–Hitting your target with light from below. Elongates trees, greenery or a front entrance.
- Downlighting–Mounting a light from above. Creates a ‘moonlight’ effect, brings brightness to walkways and entertainment spaces.
- Directional–Aiming light on a diagonal across your target. Picks up the surface texture and creates depth in a space.
Think outside the bulb
You already know wattage makes an impact on your space, but what you may not realize is that color and physical size of your bulbs can make a bold impact on your outdoor oasis as well. While white lights used to be the go-to option on the market, the emergence of color filters gives you the option to create a more intimate ambiance in your outdoor space. Vary size and location of bulbs throughout your outdoor space to add brightness and highlight your home’s character.
Break the rules
If there’s one thing nightscaping has shown, it’s that rules are meant to be broken. From repurposing Christmas lights as walkway lights to casting shadows on gnarled trees and dotting your space with multiple sources of light—every rule you break makes your space feel that much more magical.
For more inspiration, and to connect with landscape lighting professionals and electricians who can make your dream space come to life, visit the Philly Home and Garden Show February 17-19 at The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at the Oaks. For tickets and event information, click here.
This is a paid partnership between Philly Home & Garden Show and Philadelphia Magazine
