Size Matters

First impressions do count.  Of course I'm talking about your home.  The first impression most people have is when they see your home from the outside.  That is "before" they even get to the front door. Making your home stand out from the rest, is just one of the many reasons to make sure you have the best outdoor lighting, and that means don't undersize it.  The size of your outdoor lights should be an important factor.  Remember an outdoor light looks a lot larger in a showroom than it does on the actual home.  A fixture also looks about half it's size from 30 feet away, from the street.  It should be in proportion to your home, so consider your home's architecture, style & size and any outside angles where there are dark corners and amplify them.  Highlighting the front entry, door and driveway are other areas you should also consider.  

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Choose the correct proportion & style

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Lastly when choosing the lighting most outdoor fixtures use a 60W bulb but if you have multiple lighting that's a lot of wattage and much too bright to light the outside of your home.  The idea with outdoor lighting is to create a soft glow, but bright enough so that guests, etc. will be able to see and for security reasons.  A 15-25W bulb is just the right amount of lighting to create this if there is more than one outdoor light.  40W maximum is best if one is only used.   

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There are many ways to incorporate lighting, but just remember, size does matter. So if you are considering reinvesting some money into the outside of your home, consider the exterior lighting.  One that will bring you a high visual return on your investment.