How Do I Design Landscape Lighting?

Make a sketch of your house and property, including walkways, driveways, stairs, patios, recreation areas, gardens and major landscape features.

List any areas of your yard that become unusable after dark. For example, installing lights around a basketball goal will give you some extra hours to shoot hoops with the kids. If you love to read in the garden, an attractive post lamp will let you finish those last few pages after dusk. Consider the grill, picnic table, pool, hot tub, tennis court, sitting area and any other place that may require lighting.

Note a few landscaping features you would like to highlight. Flagpoles, arbors, flower gardens, ponds, fountains, trees, gazebos, textured walls or sculptures are all attractive focal points. Limit your choices to a handful of very select areas. Too much lighting creates a tacky, unnatural look.

Take a walk around your yard at night. Notice any places that pose safety hazards or seem particularly dark. Imagine that you are a guest arriving at your home for the first time, and see if the path from the driveway to the house is clearly lit.

Brainstorm about what kind of lighting you need based on your observations. Mark these areas on your map and make note of any other ideas you came up with. You may also use this map to determine how to supply electricity for your lighting. Consider where to plug in lights or place underground wires, or give your wallet and the environment a break by using solar light fixtures.

Line your driveway, walkways and stairs with lights. Unless you want your lamps to get run over, don't install lighting directly beside the driveway.

Install lighting with the right effect for the situation. A light at the very base of a wall highlights its shape and texture. If you want to highlight the silhouette of a tree, the light should come from the ground behind the tree. For gardens, hidden fixtures with soft light work well. If you're lighting the area around a walkway, subtle lamps that cast horizontal light look best.

Observe how your lighting affects those around you. If the bright floodlight on the corner of your house illuminates your neighbor's bedroom, move it to a new location.