You don’t have to dive into the smart lighting world to improve your outdoor lighting.
Why it matters: Sometimes “good” is “good enough.” 😉
- The most important step is to clarify your priorities as you address the big 3 purposes for outdoor lighting: security, safety and beauty.
👉 For security
- Replace standard flood light bulbs with bulbs that have built in motion sensing and dawn to dusk sensing like this one.
👉 For safety
- Add pathway lights to high traffic areas using a low voltage system like this one.
👉 For beauty
- Add a low voltage spot light system like this one to accent landscaping, trees or walls/architectural features.
🖼️ The big picture: When you’re shopping lights online or in a big box store, check these 2 specs on the lights.
- Lumens (or Luminous flux) — the lumens tell you how bright the light is. There’s no right or wrong number (the higher the number, the brighter the light), but it helps to reference this number when comparing from one product to another.
- Color temperature — The warmer the light, the more it looks like candlelight. The cooler the light, the more it looks like the brightest time of day.
🧐 Pro tip! For the white lights in your outdoor set up, pick 1 color temperature and stick with it.
- If you like the classic look, go with the warmer 3000K lights. If you like the modern look, go with the brighter (cooler) 5000K lights.
✅ For your Smart Homeowner list
- This is a great month to buy and try out lights — before we get deep in the holiday progression.
- Have fun, experiment and don’t hesitate to return lights that you don’t love.
Best,
Travis