Month: February 2019

Outdoor Decorative Lighting – Illuminate Your Home!

Lighting is usually considered a functional part of the home, both indoor and outdoor. Porch lighting and other security lights that allow for safe passage from one area of the yard or driveway to the home’s entrance are considered necessary lighting installations. However, not all lighting is merely functional, there are many type of outdoor decorative lighting installations that are designed merely for their enhancement to the landscape.

Decorative lighting adds character and a decorative touch to the outdoor living area extending the personality of the home and its owner from the inside to the outside. The lighting scheme can be as complex or as simple as the designer wants it to be. Soft subtle lighting options can be used around patios and decks to allows guests enough light for socializing while more focused lighting can be used to highlight favorite garden flowers or trees.

Decorative outdoor lighting can be used to bring pools and ponds to life when the sun goes down. Water features are spectacular when the sun goes down with the use of floating or underwater light installations. This is also another example of how lighting is not necessarily installed for function but is designed to be a decorative, creative touch to the area.

When planning outdoor lighting plans that are meant to add charm and atmosphere to the landscape it is also possible to combine form with function. Pathway lighting can be decorative while also being a safety feature. Landscape stones with embedded lights are the perfect choice for a lighting option that is both a safety feature and a dramatic addition to the landscape plan.

Choosing lighting that has both form and function is an economical way to create a landscape design that goes beyond beauty and offers security and safety that is necessary for the home and its guests. Landscape architects are able to offer a complete analysis of the landscape and create a plan that is the perfect fit for the home. If the expense of the landscape architect is out of reach, the homeowner can design their own landscape lighting plan by simply following their landscape’s design and their own wishes.

{ Add a Comment }

Helpful Ideas for Effective Outdoor Decorating

Just like indoor decorating, outdoor decorating is also important. A beautifully landscaped, relaxing backyard doesn’t only provide you and your entire family a comfortable hang out place but it also invites people to come and visit your amazing home.

Creative outdoor decorating guarantees 100% return on your investment and certainly improves the value of your home. You can enhance your home’s curb appeal with just a few helpful tips. Start with a well-thought plan which includes lighting, landscaping, an outdoor feature, pottery, a focal point and a sitting area. Avoid committing costly mistakes by taking your time to carefully think things out.

Before starting with your outdoor decorating project, take a photo first of your house’s front view. This will give you the chance to look at your front yard in an objective manner. Get the picture form the curb and check if your door stands out or blends with your current outdoor decor. Your front door should stand out since it is your focal point. Your front door leads your visitors where to enter. A fitting color or a pottery placed on its both side can accent your front door.

Landscaping is another great way to improve your home’s overall curb appeal. Make sure to carefully choose your plants as they will certainly reward you by thriving with less care and effort from you. You can also add different heights, textures and colors to improve your outdoor decor. Maintain all the trees in your yard as they provide shade and decrease energy costs by cooling your home in a natural way. Colorful flowers can make a statement and indeed effective in beautifying your front yard. They direct the eye to the front door and make beautiful accents.

Another effective way to decorate the exterior of your home is by coming up with outdoor lighting. Outdoor lighting gives light to walkways and adds carriage lights around doorways – definitely a good investment. Outdoor lights’ availability will not be an issue as they even come in a wide range of designs and styles to complement your outdoor decor.

If space permits, a sitting area in your front yard will be a good addition. You can place a nice outdoor bench or maybe a pair of rocking chairs matched with a fitting beverage table. You may also want to add a couple of relaxing fabric pillows in your sitting area for comfort. Another option is to add some hanging plants for a more refreshing ambience.

Remember that outdoor decorating should extend into your backyard so you can maximize your outdoor living area while building functional spaces. Maintain a style or theme that perfectly blends with your home decor. With proper planning and perfect execution, you can have a very nice relaxation area, an outdoor kitchen area or even an entertainment area.

Involving yourself in an outdoor decorating project is indeed very exciting as you want to end up making your front yard an amazing view for everyone.

{ Add a Comment }

Tips and Ideas for Outdoor Decorating

Home decorating, where does it begin? Where does it end? Outdoor decorating is just as important as indoor decorating. A beautifully landscaped front yard invites visitors to your home. A comfortable and relaxing back yard is a perfect spot for entertaining friends and family.

Outdoor decorating not only improves the value of your home but will also give you up to a 100% return on your investment. With just a few tips and ideas you can be on your way to enhancing your home’s curb appeal. Begin with a well thought out plan that includes landscaping, lighting, a focal point, an outdoor feature, pottery and possibly a sitting area. By thinking things out before you make purchases you can avoid costly mistakes.

The first step in your outdoor decorating project is to take a photo of the front of your house. This gives you the opportunity to look at your front yard objectively. Take the picture from the curb. Does your door stand out or blend in? Your front door is your focal point, so it should stand out. It directs your visitors and tells them where to enter your home. You can accent your front door by color and/or pottery flanking each side.

Another outdoor decorating idea to improve your home’s curb appeal is landscaping. Choose your plants carefully and they’ll reward you by thriving with very little care. Add different textures, heights and colors. Trees also provide shade and are eco-friendly by cooling your home and decreasing energy costs. Make a statement with colorful flowers. They make beautiful accents and can direct the eye to the front door.

Outdoor lighting plans are a great investment and a wonderful way to decorate the exterior of your home. You can use accent lighting, illuminate walkways and add carriage lights around doorways. Outdoor lights come in a variety of styles to complement your home’s décor.

Another tip for decorating your front yard might be a small sitting area if space permits. You can add a decorative outdoor bench or a pair of rocking chairs with a small beverage table between them. Add a couple of decorative outdoor fabric pillows. Maybe even some hanging plants.

Outdoor decorating should extend into your backyard where you can expand your living area while creating functional spaces. Keep with a style that complements your home decor. You can create a relaxation area, entertaining area or even an outdoor kitchen area.

When your outdoor decorating project is done, your front yard will be a teaser as to what’s inside. Your backyard will be an extension of your interior, giving you room to enjoy your little oasis. Happy outdoor living!

{ Add a Comment }

Outdoor Decorative Lighting Can Create Dazzling Effects

Whether your are simply lighting a patio for an upcoming party or your goal is to beautify the entire landscape around your property, outdoor decorative lighting will become a focal point of your overall beautification plan. Unfortunately, if you are attempting to enhance your property as a whole, the planning for this type project is not so simple in most cases as the proper scheme necessary to create some of those dazzling effects you see at the homes around your neighborhood can require extensive knowledge of the lighting types available. If you are handy with basic tools and can follow a plan, you will be able to provide much of the installation yourself as many outdoor lighting fixtures are of the low voltage variety. However, for the best effect, you really should consider hiring a professional landscape lighting firm to design the overall system and recommend the proper components necessary to carry out the plan.

If your goal is just to provide decorative lighting for the party we mentioned earlier, this is well within the ability of most people and can be accomplished through the use of the many different types of either low voltage systems, battery powered models, or solar powered units that are available on the market today. Things you want to consider in addition to the decorating element when starting this project concern the safety of your guests when at and on the way to the area of your party. Through careful planning you can easily accomplish the creation of the desired ambiance as well as illumination of areas that could be a hindrance to your guests as they make their way around your property.

You will find as you investigate the type lighting scheme you wish to install, that there are about as many different styles, shapes, and designs of fixtures as there are abilities to imagine them. When beginning the early planning of your decorative lighting, start by breaking your porch or patio into the different functions that will take place during the overall time of your event. Cooking and food prep areas will require different amounts of lighting than conversation or eating areas.

Start by considering the need for any overhead lighting for your party. Most of the overhead lighting needs will be in the cooking and food prep area. This area will require the brightest lighting of any area on your patio. Be sure the lighting is adequate enough for you to tell when your food is ready so you do not ruin the meal by serving under done hamburgers or other meats. Most other areas of you party can be illuminated through the use of other type outdoor lighting such as lights embedded in furniture, potted plants, or other patio items, lanterns, table or floor lamps, post lights, and even torch lights if you have an open area you will be using.

If you stick to providing the necessary lighting for the function it is enhancing, you will find that your outdoor decorative lighting plan will come together in such a way that the atmosphere of your party will make for a safe, comfortable and relaxing get together that your guests will be talking about for many weeks to come.

{ Add a Comment }

Landscape and Outdoor Decorations For Your Backyard Garden

You might be living in a house that has a big backyard that starts to look like a jungle. You do not have enough financial resources to hire a local gardener nor a Landscaping service company to handle your backyard mess. So you might want to go and take care yourself because of your free time on weekend.

You should clean your backyard in a series of stages so you can really finish by yourself. First, you should consider your schedule and your work pace so you can allot the right number of hours into the activity. This is a gradual project so you must have patience, diligence, and dedication. Also, finalize your proper budget so that it will not become a problem later on.

Second, assess your backyard. How large is the concerned area? Your area can be your basis of how long the task will last.

Third, you must get some ideas before even starting. You can take a look into the Internet for some helpful ideas of outdoor decorating that are inexpensive. Avoid extensive renovations and installations if you have a limited budget. Have a good plan of what you want to happen with your backyard.

Lastly, buy the proper tools and materials that you will be using. There is no point in starting work without the right equipment or tools because you can not do all tasks with your hands.

After the four pre-project concerns, you can now focus on the essential stages of your landscaping and outdoor decorating task. Below are the stages that you can follow to get it done properly and realistically.

  1. Clean your backyard. With this, I mean you should set a time to get rid of the weeds, clear out the trash, and even cut some vines. Call for help from other members of the family so you can cover a lot of work together in a short time.
  2. Install from lower to higher ground. If you want to cover your backyard with grass, then start planting them first before putting up the outdoor fire pits or any other decorative fire pits that you might think of. Installing a mini-fountain at the center would make it harder to plant grasses later on.
  3. Get some local pottery and shrubs. You do not have to plant flower-bearing plants into the soil. It could be more manageable with potted plants dotting around your center piece because they are easier to move around. They could also help your backyard look more polished and professional.
  4. Dramatic cheap lights can change your scenery in an instant. So invest in some inexpensive outdoor lighting to highlight a fixture and make it more appealing.
  5. Put some cement paving to stones instead of a high-priced counterpart. Cement mixed with color can add a bit of interest in the pathway with lesser costs.

These are just some of the ideas that can transform your backyard mayhem to weekend getaway haven. Be wise and start your task now!

{ Add a Comment }