Tips for Architectural Lighting

Architectural lighting is the use of light to enhance your home. Not only does it show off your home’s best features, it also increases security and safety for your family and guests. But simply buying lights and placing them around your home may not accomplish your goals. Here are a few tips for effective architectural lighting in Marietta, GA home.

Don’t Use Too Much Light

Too much light can seem like overkill. Instead of continuous light everywhere, focus on key areas. Highlight important areas such as patio seating, grilling areas, steps, walkways, and some plants and trees in the yard (to avoid the perception of a “great dark beyond”). Avoid using very bright lights that will create a glare. Instead, go for softer lights and spread them around. Make sure to position lights carefully, and check them often. Also make sure that lights have fixtures to shield or reflect. This will concentrate the light where you need it and prevents glare.

Make Use of Different Lighting Types

There are different types of lighting to consider. Task lighting is used for a specific purpose, such as lighting steps and paths for safety. Accent lighting focuses on an object or area, usually with spotlights.

Choose the Right Type of Light

There are many different lighting options out there, including incandescent, halogen, fluorescent, and LED lights. LED lights typically offer the best value. They cost a little more than the others (for now – their prices are steadily decreasing), but they last much longer and consume less energy. That makes them safer to use, and reduces costs in the long run in the form of fewer replacements and lower electric bills.

Don’t Forget About Walls

Accenting your home means accenting the walls, too. After all, they represent a significant portion of your home and really shouldn’t be neglected when considering areas to highlight. This can be accomplished with either washing or grazing. “Washing” a wall means directing a wide beam of light from a few feet away. Positioning lights the right way can also “graze” a wall. Either option will show off the wall, and provide some subtle accent to nearby features, such as plants.

Consult a Professional

The best way to ensure your home is properly enhanced by landscape lighting is to call a professional for a consultation. Southern Landscape Lighting Systems in Marietta, GA, can provide a free on-site consultation, as well as a free nighttime demonstration. We will help you design your landscape lighting, choose the right lights and equipment, install all components, and perform maintenance. Our warranty program includes protection for 20 years minimum – the longest warranty in the industry.

We have been serving Acworth, Alpharetta, Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Marietta and surrounding areas for about a decade, providing excellent service to hundreds of residences, businesses, and homeowners’ associations. But don’t take our word for it – read reviews from other customers. You can also call us at (678) 616-9166 with any questions for our experienced staff, and to schedule your free consultation. And once you’ve seen the superior service we have to offer, feel free to leave a comment below with your own review!

Best Spots to Place Outdoor LED Lights Around Your Home

You may want exterior lighting for security purposes; for example, your driveway may be long and dark, and you want to deter animals or even thieves.  Perhaps you want to illuminate a particularly striking feature in your garden, such as a waterfall, tree or ornamental bush. It could be that you simply want LED landscape lighting to brighten up your deck, or to illuminate the façade of your home. Whatever reason you have for wanting LED lights around your home, the experts at Southern Landscape Lighting Systems can help and advise you.

There are probably several questions you have regarding the cost of outdoor LED lights. Here are the answers to some of them:

• LED lights last much longer than traditional halide ones. In fact, they can last for 50,000 hours.


• Low voltage landscape lighting is much cheaper to use than the usual lighting systems.


• Your LED lights will use less energy than traditional lighting. That means that you are lessening, albeit slightly, your environmental footprint.

Apart from being cost-effective, your LED lights will come on instantly. They don’t take time to warm up, even when the temperatures drop. At the flick of a switch, or a press of a button, your whole yard, or the part that you selected for your lights, can be illuminated. These lights can be turned on and off many times without breaking. If you routinely break your traditional lightbulbs, the longevity of LED lighting will mean that you don’t have to fumble around in the dark trying to replace busted bulbs.

Durability is a key consideration when choosing to install outdoor lighting, and as LED lights are made of durable, hard-wearing plastic, not glass, they can withstand frost, snow and the worst weather conditions.

LED lighting is free of ultra violet (UV) emissions and mercury, which means they are not as damaging to the health as traditional lighting. Fluorescent lights can induce headaches, and, of course they often hum, which can cause irritation, fatigue and a variety of other symptoms. On the other hand, LED lights are silent.

Convinced about the benefits of LED lighting and its green technology yet? Why not find out more by calling and setting up a time to visit the showroom at Southern Landscape Lighting Systems in Acworth, GA? You can call them at (678) 324-6842 and arrange to have a free night time demonstration of our lights. Southern Landscape Lighting Systems, provide a complete maintenance service for your home, yard, or anywhere else you’d like to your LED lights installation. Contact us today and find out more about our LED outdoor lights and how you can improve your home and property with our help.

Types of Types Lighting You Can Use to Accent Your Garden

When planning your landscape lighting in Alpharetta, GA yard, one area that should not be forgotten is your garden. You likely put a lot of work into your garden, and it should be admired as much at night as it is during the day. Fortunately, there are several different ways you can highlight. Here are a few types of lights you can use to show off your garden.

Hanging Lights

Hanging lights are an attractive way to draw attention to your garden area. They come in different colors, sizes, and designs, and can hang elegantly from an overhang, porch, or posts placed strategically around your garden. One design to consider is lanterns – they add an elegant touch. Gas models are available, but LED models are recommended. They last much longer and consume less energy, which will save you money in the long run. If there is an overhang directly above your garden, you could also consider hanging pendant lights.

Downlighting

Downlighting can be used to light a large area of the garden. This is accomplished by installing a light at an elevated level, creating the effect of a soft glow. One design to consider is an outdoor wall sconce, which is placed on the wall of your home to light the garden below.

Spotlights

Spotlights are used to highlight a specific feature or object. In a garden, they can be used to accent a particular plant or section. They could come in the form of an outdoor security spotlight. This type of spotlight will keep intruders away, while illuminating the center of your garden or trees, plants, or other landscaping features.

String Lights

String lights can be hung from porches and overhangs, similar to hanging lights. They can also be hidden among nearby foliage, such as shrubs, for a subtle touch of light.

Rope Lighting

Similar to string lights are rope lighting. This type of light comes in a long strip. There are various ways to use it in your garden – hide it in nearby shrubs or other foliage, add it under the lip of your deck, or wrap it around a nearby pool area.

Post Lanterns

Post lanterns are a great touch to any outdoor area. They can be placed near the garden to light both the garden and the surrounding area. They’re also very versatile – they can be used to light pathways, patios, and pool areas as well.

Let a Professional Help You Decide Which Option to Choose

The best way to figure out which options are best for your garden, is to call a professional for a consultation. Southern Landscape Lighting Systems, Alpharetta, GA will provide a free on-site consultation, as well as a free nighttime demonstration. We have been serving the Acworth, Alpharetta, Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Marietta and surrounding areas for about a decade. We will help you design and install landscape lighting, and our maintenance program includes annual and bi-annual inspections. Read reviews from our satisfied customers, and give us a call at (770) 691-1221 to speak to our team of landscape