I became charmed with the drama of outdoor patio lights at an exceptionally romantic restaurant in the old part of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. We sat in the courtyard garden surrounded by outdoor art sculptures while rope lights wandered up and down the trees. It was the first time I had recognized the beauty and impact of outdoor lighting and outdoor art. I was mesmerized. Since that initial night I have visited many other romantic restaurants and have admired their outdoor lighting and outdoor art but nothing makes an impact like the first night.

At my own house, I have tried to replicate the feel of bringing the indoors out which is what properly placed outdoor patio lights should do. I have met with moderate success and I love to experiment. In choosing your outdoor lights there are a number of things you should always consider. I have tried to list the 4 most important considerations below.

1. What is the purpose of the outdoor lighting? Is the lighting to be atmospheric or functional or both? A certain amount of bright lighting is necessary for general safety. This type of lighting would include lights at every door including your garage door. This lights need to be bright. Safety lights are a necessary evil of outdoor lighting. Other types of outdoor patio lights can be for effect and these lights don’t need to be bright and really shouldn’t be bright. Lighting for effect can be quite dim or use very small bulbs. This type of lighting should be experimented with.

2. Where to place your outdoor lights. Lights for atmosphere can be placed in trees shining down or at the base of trees shining up. You can high light any outdoor art you may have or a swimming pool. You can use rope lights to highlight trees or a fence in the distance or often lovely and simple white Christmas lights make a nice year-round romantic setting. As mentioned above, the lights for safety need to be by each door of your house at a minimum and it must be relatively easy to change the bulbs. If the light requires a 20 foot ladder to change, you might go months with a burnt out bulb and that is not at all safe.

3. What type of light are you looking for? There are a number of relatively new types of outdoor patio lights available these days. There are solar lights. Solar lighting has become less expensive but these lights are slightly unreliable and often give off poor light. It goes without saying that the placement of solar lights is important to their function and cannot be counted on in cloudy or rainy areas. Solar lights will likely work best as mood or effect lighting and should not be used as safety lights. Of course, the most popular and energy efficient are LED lights. These lights can be used as both safety lighting and atmospheric lighting. The price of LED lighting is very reasonable and these are the lights most recommended.

For more articles about patio lighting, visit exterior lighting.

If you have been thinking about updating your outdoor lighting, there are lots of things to consider. First, what are the advantages? Exterior lights add security to your property, both in terms of protecting it from intruders, as well as making it safer for you to walk your property at night. The second biggest reason for outdoor lights is to add a nice ambiance to your home. If you plan properly, you can accomplish both of these goals with one lighting design.

Now that I’ve mentioned the security factor, you might have decided that is the most important reason in itself for you to install some sort of outdoor lighting scheme. If burglars were to case your neighborhood, there is no doubt that they would choose a poorly lit house to break-in to before a house with lots of ambient lighting and motion sensing spot lights. You could install timer lights for earlier evening, and then fall back on the motion detector lights for all night protection.

If you install security lighting on your property, in addition to lighting the perimeter of you house, you should be careful to make sure that dark corners of your property are also covered. Ensuring that any entry or exit points for your house and yard are well lit will discourage anyone from coming onto your property un-invited.

In order for your property to be safe for walking at night, you will want to light all your main pathways, steps, and doors. If you have one entrance that is only occasionally used, you could choose to install a full time motion detector light so as not to waste electricity when it is not actually in use. As for full time pathway lighting, there are plenty of low voltage and wireless solar lighting options, which will both save energy and give a nice lighted glow to your property. More and more LED lights are being used for these types of applications, as it is a great low cost way to provide minimal directional lighting.

Finally, once you have the safety issues covered, and you have made sure that your yard is safe to walk in at night, you may still want to create some extra lighting focal points in order to create a nice evening backyard mood. Different colored spotlights on your front or back door will create a nice effect, as will a colored spot light on a shrub or tree in your landscaping. Another idea is to create a row of low power LED lights along a hedge or walkway to direct attention to this landscaping element. Other backyard lighting ideas include hanging globe lights, old fashioned lamp posts, and rope lighting around tree branches.

Before you start placing lights in your outdoor areas, think about what you would like to achieve. With some careful planning, you might be able to achieve the goals of security and safety while creating a pleasant outdoor aesthetic. Consider installing or updating your outdoor lighting today.

Find more information regarding outdoor lights by going to outdoor lighting .

Solar lighting may not be as well-known as electrical options, but its increasing popularity has lead to many new applications for the home. Users of solar lights are rewarded with lower energy costs and spared from inconvenient electrical outages.

Many homeowners invest in motion sensitive flood lights to illuminate key areas on the property and provide added security. Solar versions of these outdoor configurations provide the same results without the additional monthly cost.

To add tranquility to a pool or fountain, a soft candlelight effect can be added via solar power. Because solar lights require no cords or electrical outlets, they are perfect for use in water and many are designed for this purpose. Simply leave them afloat during the day to gather energy from the sun and they will provide a relaxing glow at night.

LED lights, which have revolutionized many areas of lighting, are one of the greatest contributors to the field of solar development. When clustered in the right combination, they can provide an efficient and strong beam of light for landscape lighting. This approach brings life to such landscape staples as statues and fountains after the sun has gone down.

To turn a dark front or back yard into a fairy tale setting, border lighting can add subtle highlights to sidewalks, stone steps, and yard perimeters. Border lights using solar power provide a practical way to create sophistication. Landscaping novices and experts alike will find that these easy-to-install lights transform the outside of a home.

The adventurous opt for integrated solar creations that turn regular lawn ornaments into dramatic focal points. Long gone are the days of simple ceramic fountains and decorative rocks. Now water flows over walls of twinkling stars and gardens become illuminated with moonstones. The flexibility of solar power has made it possible to add light to almost any decoration, making it easy to create an idyllic setting.

Outdoor lanterns and strings of lights are lovely, but they are often limited by the need for outlets and electrical cords. Incorporating solar power eliminates the time and planning required for installing and setting up decorative lighting in social areas. Other innovations include weatherproof table lamps and solar umbrellas that provide power to hanging lights. It can be helpful to visit a consumer site to find the best product rankings for a given category.

Environmentally conscious products are becoming increasingly practical in today’s world. Although electrical devices have had decades to evolve, the harnessing of solar energy has opened the door to efficient, responsible, innovative forms of lighting. With increasing popularity and interest, the many choices for consumers will only continue to grow.

Robert Mann is a garden enthusiast and founder of the Solar Garden Center. For a wide collection of solar garden decor products visit http://www.solargardencenter.com.

categories: solar lights,outdoor lights,gardening,landscaping,home improvement,lighting

Outdoor garden lighting will greatly enhance your outdoor area. Whether you are needing to light up your patio, back yard, deck or pool area, there are many choices at your disposal. It can be simple to install and will be a nice improvement to your landscaping. The following are some areas to consider before planning your lighting.

One important consideration when planning your outdoor lighting is the amount of space you need to light up. This will determine the amount of lights and fixtures needed to adequately light the area. You need to think about how it will fit with your outdoor area and design. Many people use outdoor lighting to increase security and to provide dark areas with lights to prevent accidents and falling.

You also need to think about what kind of lights to use. You can use a combination of solar and low voltage electrical systems. Some people use solar lights to enhance walkways and pool areas and use electric lights for additional areas. There are all kinds of recessed lights, lanterns that are mounted to sides of the house for decks and post/pole lights. You can use several types of lights to make for interesting lighting.

You can also buy theme type lighting. There are trees that light up and floating lights for the pond or pool, which will make for interesting features. Lampposts and short lanterns can also enhance patio areas and paths.

The costs for lighting greatly vary with each individual project. The amount of area to be lit will dictate the amount of lights to be purchased. The style and construction materials will also influence price. Wrought iron lights are more expensive than a unit made from a durable plastic is. Installing lighting can be as easy as pushing into the ground. The low voltage systems may require some wiring knowledge, but kits are often very detailed with the instructions to install. A landscaping company can also provide you with costs to design and install outdoor lighting.

Outdoor garden lighting will enhance and perhaps increase the value of your property. The lighting will not only increase your safety but also increase the beauty of your area. Check different designs and prices on the internet or at a local lighting or garden center store.

Before you decide on the garden lights that are right for you, be sure to check out Cain Brockman’s website about the garden lights and affordable garden lighting.

categories: garden lights,garden lighting,outdoor lights,outdoor lighting. landscape lighting,landscaping

Outdoor solar lights have several clear advantages when compared to standard electrically powered lights, but it’s not at all a one-sided contest. This article takes a look at the arguments both in favour and against solar lighting. First, the positive side of things.

A key attraction for many people is that outdoor solar lighting is incredibly simple to setup. You don’t have to wire anything up or lay protected cables in the ground – simply position your new purchase where you want it then sit back and wait for nightfall. Also, unlike mains powered lighting that is tied to relatively static cables, solar lighting is just as easy to rearrange and experiment with

Then there’s cost. Outdoor solar lighting costs slightly more to purchase than regular electric lighting but it’s still not especially expensive and total cost of ownership is actually much less. That’s simply because they cost almost nothing to run (there’s still the cost of replacing rechargeable batteries occasionally) and require very little maintenance.

In addition to scoring well for low maintenance and ease of installation, solar lights are also highly reliable and intrinsically safe in an outdoor environment, not to mention endlessly adaptable with seemingly limitless different uses. And that’s before you even get to see range of available formats and styles.

But as ever there’s always a price to pay somewhere and with outdoor solar lighting the giveaway is in the name. Solar lights need sunlight and not all locations are ideally suited. If you have a great deal of shade for one reason or another, or are affected by seasonal changes or frequent bad weather then your solar lights will struggle to recharge properly.

Solar lights can also suffer if debris, falling leaves or snow block their solar panels. If you only have a modest number of solar lights then a simple solution is to periodically put the batteries into a regular battery charger to keep them topped up, but obviously this isn’t practical with large numbers of lights. Which leads neatly to the topic of rechargeable batteries. These are limited to a certain number of recharging cycles which effectively tells you how many days they will last before needing replacement.

On the whole, solar lights are slightly more expensive than their electrically powered cousins, but this is really only a consideration if you are planning a large installation and you would anyway then need to workout the trade-off between ongoing running and initial purchase costs.

Finally, outdoor solar lighting is typically missing two key features inherent in mains powered outdoor lighting. It’s not as bright and doesn’t retain its brightness levels over extended periods of time, and it cannot be switched on and off as required but tends to be automatically controlled by built-in light level meters.

In conclusion, if you don’t especially need very bright lighting that stays on all through the night and prefer an easy installation and instant results then opt for outdoor solar lighting. If however you are looking for more than fairly basic landscape lighting and don’t mind the extra work involved then go for mains electric outdoor lighting.

Check out this related article to discover more about the solar lantern.

There can be any number of reasons why you would put outdoor lighting on your lawn or porch. The most obvious reason is for safety: along walkways, stairs, and driveways. But you can also create beauty and ambiance by using outdoor lighting as decor. A very popular trend is rustic outdoor lighting.

“Rustic” can mean many different things. Rustic covers decors that are also known as antique, western, Victorian, or even country. It can be technically considered a style that makes things look older. Rustic outdoor lighting is great because while it looks older and sophisticated, it is still a bright source of safety lighting. Why even consider that stark, plain ultramodern look — “rustic” style offers the warmth and character that makes a house a home.

The type of lighting that is on just about anyone’s home is the wall sconces that are placed next to their front and back doors. This type of lighting can make those kinds of lights on your home look much softer and welcoming. This is due to the often yellowed, or tanned color of the glass panes that come with rustic-style lighting. One thing about the rustic style is, it’s not bright lights — but more of a glow. Installing the new wall sconces isn’t too difficult if you’ve already got other ones installed. Nonetheless, consult an electrician before attempting to install them yourself.

Another, easier addition to your lighting is walkway lighting. If you do not want to have to run any wires under your lawn, these are often found in solar powered models. If you want ones that will stay brightly lit for a long time, then you want to take a look at ones that have LED bulbs and rechargeable Nickel Cadmium-Hydride batteries. These kinds of batteries are recharged by the sun, so they will never die! There are so many different kinds of these solar walkway fixtures, you are sure to find quite a collection of rustic outdoor lighting styles very quickly.

If you want a very simple rustic light fixture for you to put outside, a simple lamp post will work and fits the bill. It’s a Victorian-era convention, and calls back the days of horse-drawn carriages arriving at your door at nightfall. However, you can find rustic styles that match the ones you have put on the side of your front door, or along your walkway, completing the look. Lamp posts can keep your driveway or the whole front area of your house dimly lit as a sign that there are people home, which can keep possible thieves at bay, and welcome any guests you may be having over for the holidays or whatnot.

You should not feel limited to rustic outdoor lighting. There are plenty of other lighting styles for you to choose from. But can keep your high travel areas well marked and visible at night. It also provides comfort in those that are welcome (“Someone is home waiting for me”), and uncomfort for those unwanted types (“Let’s not break into this house, it’s so well lit”). It’s available in several subcategories and not just limited to ‘antique’ style. Not only that, but if you get solar-powered lights they can be easily installed and maintained.

Looking to give your yard a more classic accent? Installing some rustic-style outdoor lights can do just that, and you can find just the right fixtures and the right price.

categories: rustic outdoor lighting,rustic light fixtures,rusting lighting,rustic lights,outdoor lighting,outdoor light fixtures,outdoor lights,home accessories,landscaping,outdoors

You can lighten up your outdoors and make your family feel safer by installing one or two outdoor posting lights. If you are thinking about installing these lights, there are many stores that have a huge variety of styles.

This will bring style to your home as well as give you the peace of mind knowing that your family is a little safer from having a well lit yard. Installing just one or two light posts can drastically change the way your lawn looks, maybe even more than you think.

Choosing a the right light can be a little difficult. You must decide whether you want to fit in with the rest of the neighborhood or whether you would like to make your yard look unique, the neighborhood you live in, and any restrictions that there may be on changing the appearance of the exterior of your home before you go about putting up your outdoor post lights..

Keep the following points in mind when choosing your lighting:

1. The brightness of the light: Is your new outdoor post light going to be used primarily for security or for beauty? If you are looking to feel more secure, you will want a brighter light. Otherwise, you will need a softer one.

2.Your neighborhood: How will your new light affect your neighbors? This part is important as you most likely do not want to irritate them with excessively bright lighting.

3. Laws: Some areas or counties have laws pertaining how bright outdoor lighting can be, so do not forget to check.

Outdoor post lights are widely available and can be purchased at just about any hardware or home improvement store. The benefit of going to these stores is that if you are a do-it-yourselfer then there will be someone available to provide you with advice as to the necessary materials that you will need, as well as any safety advisories that you will need to observe while installing your new lights. If the project ever seems overwhelming, then you may want to get professional help

Additionally, prices will vary as outdoor post lights can cost you as low as sixty dollars all the way to over $1,500 dollars for just one light. Prices can vary so much due to the following variables: type, finish, extra, and power usage.

Before finally getting your own outdoor post light, do some research to find out what kind of light you want, what kind of light you need, and what kind of light you are allowed to have

Setting your yard lighting just right can bea headache. Consider outdoor post lights to give your lawn a whole new look.

Low voltage outdoor lighting is a secure, affordable and easy way to implement an outdoor lighting option. Most homeowners can light up their yard with a low voltage outdoor lighting doing it themselves, without even having to pay for an electrician.

Low voltage outdoor lighting runs on a 12-volt current, which is achieved with the aid of a transformer, rendering the dangerous 110/120-volt current to a relatively safe 12-volt current. The electricity is transmitted through a special weather-resistant low voltage cable, which begins and ends at the transformer (creating a looped run).

There are several important advantages of the low voltage outdoor lighting setups, when compared to regular lighting:

1. It is very easy to set up your own low voltage outdoor lighting. The system usually comes in kits, which include everything needed to assemble the lighting (the transformer, cables and fixtures). You would just have to buy the bulbs with a preferred wattage.

2. Low voltage outdoor lighting helps you to save money on the electric. The bulbs used for the lighting may be 4 W light bulbs. There are also available fluorescent lamps and fluorescent lamps, the latter being currently the most cost-efficient.

3. Timers are another very useful feature, allowing you to set the time for the lighting to go on/off for 4, 6, or 8-hours. Some low voltage outdoor lighting systems also include a photocell, which can turn the lights on at night and turn it off in the daytime.

4. Low voltage outdoor lighting is very important for security. Many systems come with heat motion sensors, which would notify you about any intruders after dark.

5. It is extremely easy to relocate your low voltage outdoor lighting system since its wires have to be just slightly immersed under the ground, instead of being buried deeply and permanently.

6. There are different transformers available for the low voltage outdoor lighting systems. Transformers can range anywhere between 150-900 W. Specialists usually advise to purchase a more powerful transformer than what you currently need, in order to provide you with the possibility to expand your outdoor lighting system in the future.

7. When picking the low voltage outdoor lighting cable, keep in mind the wattage required for the system to operate. Most popular sizes of the cables for the low voltage outdoor lighting include 12, 14 and 16 ga. cables. These cables, respectively, carry 300 W, 200 W and 150 W. The most common size of the cable is 12 ga.

8. Another benefit of the low voltage outdoor lighting system is that it can be built to fit any required lighting design. The lights for the system may include a tree hung moonlighting fixtures, in-ground fixtures, spotlights, and deck lighting in order to easily find your way around your garden after the sun goes down.

9. The most affordable low voltage outdoor lighting systems may cost as little as $15. However, better quality systems may cost up to $300.

10. Simple mathematical calculations will help you estimate how many light bulbs you can use in your system, as well as what will be the average wattage of each bulb. Simply multiply the number of the bulbs in your system by their wattage, and you will find out what the wattage of the transformer is that you need for your lighting system.

Several things to consider when implementing a low voltage outdoor lighting system:

1. Always plug the transformer of your lighting system directly into the power outlet, without using an extension cord between the electrical outlet and the transformer.

2. If the wires of your low voltage outdoor lighting system are not buried deeply, they will be more prone to getting damaged.

3. The extra wattage of the transformer should not exceed one-third of the total needs of the system.

Low voltage outdoor lighting is a very cost-efficient and easy to assemble lighting system. A low voltage outdoor lighting system will make your landscape come to life also after dark, letting you enjoy your gorgeous landscaping even twice more.

John Monsholi is passionate about low voltage landscape lighting and low voltage lights.

Solar Christmas lights are one of the most low cost Christmas decorations, helping the homeowners to save anywhere from around 100 W per each string of their lights. Another benefit of solar Christmas lights is that they turn on and off on their own, with the aid of a special photo cell making your Christmas even more magical.

One of the main benefits of solar Christmas lights is that they eliminate the need in electrical outlets. Another benefit is that they help the homeowners to really save on the cost of energy. These lights get charged from the sunlight, and then they automatically come on with the onset of the evening. These lights allow you to decorate any tree in your garden, no matter how far away it is located from the house.

The principle of solar Christmas lights is a little solar panel with solar cells, capable of collecting solar energy and transferring it into regular electricity. Tiny solar panels can be placed anywhere, such as on the ground or on a tree branch. Four solar cells will allow the unit to completely recharge on a bright and sunny day.

The most sound are solar Christmas lights with specific polycrystalline solar cells, which charge well even on an overcast day, as well as, they emit brighter light.

It is actually quite simple to calculate how much sun you need for your lights to stay on throughout the whole evening and the night. Each hour of sunshine will allow the lights to shine for an hour in the evening.

Solar Christmas lights come in different shapes, such as round, teardrop and oval shapes. The lights also come in different colors, such as the yellow, red, green and blue. You can also find a specific type of light, which you would prefer to see on Christmas, starting with a soft light and up to a very bright light.

There is no need to put down your solar Christmas lights after Christmas is over. You can use these lights to decorate your deck, the pathways, as well as you can use them for different other holidays, such as birthdays and anniversaries.

It is better to opt for solar Christmas lights with a replaceable and rechargeable AA size battery. Such battery will allow you to recharge and to replace the battery yourself in order to continue to get illumination on overcast days. It is better not to opt for lights with lithium batteries, since you will not be able to replace such batteries yourself. Regular AA size batteries can be recharged with a battery charger if they were not fully charged by the sunlight.

The most important thing about solar Christmas lights is that you can place them anywhere around your house and in the garden, and still you would never need to worry about the cords running across your yard. You would also never have to turn your lights off and on. Another pleasant thing is that you would save a lot on each electric bill.

Before placing your solar Christmas lights, take note of your yard for 2-3 days. Does the area, where you want your Christmas lights placed, have a shadow cast? To get the most out of your solar Christmas lights, make sure that the solar cells panel is in direct sunlight.

About the author: John Monsholi is passionate about solar Christmas lighting and solar holiday lights set-up.