When it comes to the exterior of our homes, we often overlook one very crucial aspect – lighting. In fact, few things can refresh a tired and dreary facade like a tasteful lighting scheme can. On the other hand, you can have the most beautiful architectural design, but if you fail to illuminate it properly, you’ll soon find that your exterior space lacks both in function and aesthetics. Coming up with a smart combination of exterior lighting fixtures will help you preserve the safety of your home and create a stunning look for all passers-by to admire.
If in the past, illuminating one’s home was deemed expensive and thus available to only a select few. Luckily today, it’s a whole other story. With all of the advantages of LED technology, you can light up a small or large space, for a very affordable price. The fixtures themselves might be a bit more expensive than traditional halogen or incandescent lights, but they come with an incredible lifespan of around 50 000 hours. And of course, there are also the reduced electricity costs. LEDs use 75% less energy than other bulbs do, making them the most energy-efficient solution. Without a question, LEDs should be everyone’s exterior lighting choice.
But of course, there’s also the aesthetic aspect of exterior lighting – and LEDs got that covered as well. With their wide spectrum of colour choices ranging from cold white to the more bolder hues found in LED strips, they are as attractive as they are versatile. And today, a number of Australian companies have become experts in creating stunning LED solutions, such as Unios for instance, so you’re sure to come across something for your particular taste. Companies like Unios, blend aesthetics and technology to create smart lights that define and accentuate the environments we live and work in. All of that completely available to the average Australian.
LED exterior lights work great for highlighting your home’s architectural design, similarly to how interior lights are used to accentuate various features inside the home. For instance, a form of facade accent lighting can be achieved with wall grazing. Wall grazing uses smaller fixtures such as downlights and uplights to produce softer beams that fall on the wall at a narrower angle. With wall grazing, architectural features are accented through a contrast with surrounding shadows. This technique can beautifully complement patterned walls such as brick or stone, and accentuate wall mosaics. On the other hand there’s also wallwashing which is a form of ambient lighting. Wall washing is achieved with a series of spotlights which produce a beam that falls at a wider angle, eliminating shadows and creating a smooth, bright surface. It’s ideal for larger buildings that want to emphasizes the form of the wall.
First impressions are important, and the exterior look of a home can say so much about the people living in it. Invite people in with style by using a smart blend of LED lights. The perfect choice of fixtures is sure to make all those impressions lasting.