{"id":5337,"date":"2018-08-27T16:23:33","date_gmt":"2018-08-27T23:23:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=5337"},"modified":"2024-05-31T10:17:39","modified_gmt":"2024-05-31T17:17:39","slug":"curb-appeal-lighting-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/curb-appeal-lighting-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Curb Appeal Lighting Tips: Brighter Bulbs, New Fixtures, More Shine!"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you\u2019re expecting company to arrive at your house after dark, you flip on the outdoor light switch to invite these weary travelers inside with a welcoming glow.<\/p>\n

Now, take that simple gesture and amplify it by 500 lumens, and what do you get? A curb appeal lighting display to spark that same feeling of instant kinship with buyers.<\/p>\n

They might swing by for an evening showing or take a second glance as they drive past after a long day at work. Either way, you don\u2019t want buyers to miss your house completely or get lost trying to find it in the pitch black.<\/p>\n

Plus, you did all that work to trim the trees and decorate your front step\u2014why let it all go dark once the sun sets?<\/p>\n

According to Mark Piantedosi<\/a> of the five-star Commonwealth Landscape Lighting<\/a> in Acton, Massachusetts, \u201cthe aesthetic and functional value of landscape lighting systems remains undiscovered by the majority of today’s homeowners.\u201d<\/p>\n

With this guide to curb appeal lighting inspired by the most beautifully lit homes on the block, you won\u2019t be one of those homeowners who misses out on the opportunity to let their house shine.<\/p>\n

Clean your fixtures and light bulbs to instantly boost their brightness<\/h2>\n

If you do nothing else to improve your curb appeal lighting<\/strong>, follow the advice of top real estate agent Sandy Kantor<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cBe sure that you have cleaned the lights, that they don\u2019t have cobwebs, that they\u2019re not dusty\u2014just make the house feel fresh and clean.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But water, electricity and glass are a dangerous mix, so you want to take every safety precaution before you go drenching any sockets with a bucket of suds and your bare hands.<\/p>\n

So, while it\u2019s still daylight, turn off all the lights and flip off the circuit breaker that controls your outdoor lighting. Then, put on a pair of protective gloves, like this cut-resistant pair<\/a> ideal for handling glass.<\/p>\n

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  1. Go around to all the fixtures on the outside of your house. Remove shields and globes with a screwdriver, and unscrew the light bulbs. Use a step ladder for any hard-to-reach fixtures; you don\u2019t want to be on your tippy-toes when you\u2019re handling breakables.<\/li>\n
  2. Lay out several old towels in the grass as cushioning, and carefully place all the fixture pieces you\u2019ve collected on top.<\/li>\n
  3. Using a dry scrub brush or old paintbrush, go back to the light pieces that are still affixed to the walls to remove dust, grime, and debris.<\/li>\n
  4. Then, fill a bucket with hot water and dish detergent. Dip a rag in hot soapy water, wring it out, and wipe each fixed piece down, being careful to avoid getting the sockets wet. Follow the wipe down with a suds-free damp rag and let the pieces air dry.<\/li>\n
  5. Switch to rubber gloves and gently place the removable light fixture pieces (the ones that you set on the towels) inside the bucket of hot water and mild detergent. Clean them one at a time, gently swishing them around in the soap mixture. Then rinse them off in a bucket of pure water or with the spray nozzle on your hose on a gentle setting. (Wash brass fixtures with a lemon and baking soda paste<\/a> rather than soap and water.)<\/li>\n
  6. Wipe down the light bulbs with a damp cloth. Put your protective gloves back on to reinstall the globes, shields and light bulbs.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    While you\u2019re at it, tackle your interior light fixtures next if you haven\u2019t yet, to at least remove dust and grime from your bulbs. Kantor advises that homeowners turn on all of their interior lights prior to showings as a curb appeal booster\u2014the brighter the lights, the better!<\/p>\n

    Replace lamp shades that look worn, especially if you can see them from the outside. Make sure that the windows aren\u2019t too cluttered with light sources competing with what you have going on outside.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a>
    Source: (Ahmed Abdelaziz\/ Pexels)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Improve your curb appeal lighting in 3 steps<\/h2>\n

    Beyond a simple clean-up, curb appeal lighting can get pretty extravagant. Here we\u2019ll walk you through the basics: how to buy the right bulbs, tips for selecting features that match your home\u2019s style, and different ways to highlight the best features of your house with light.<\/p>\n

    1. Pick light bulbs by lumens and temperature<\/h3>\n

    A little light bulb science that all homeowners should know: \u201cwatts\u201d measure how much energy a bulb uses, while \u201clumens\u201d measure how much light a bulb gives off.<\/p>\n

    Whenever you\u2019re switching out bulbs, make sure that your fixture can handle any extra heat (or wattage) if you\u2019re installing a higher-watt bulb or you\u2019ll create a fire risk<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    The good news is, since the phase out of incandescent bulbs, brighter bulbs no longer demand higher wattage.<\/p>\n

    New technology has made bulbs more efficient, allowing lower watt bulbs to produce the same level of brightness.<\/p>\n

    LED lights are the new-age, energy saving magic bulbs. Once they are installed they can last up to 40,000 hours, which equals about 20 years of use. Halogens have a lower cost to you (about $5 vs $20 for LEDs) but they only go about two years with regular use.<\/p>\n

    When selecting your bulbs, you also want to be thinking about color. The warmth or coolness of different light hues is measured on the Kelvin temperature scale.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a>
    <\/a> Source: (Westing House Lighting)<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    It\u2019s better to light architectural elements with a warmer temperature bulb,<\/a> in the 2,500k to to 2,700k range, whereas you can display plants in a cooler temperature (3000k to 4000k), according to Custom Lighting of America, a top-rated lighting contractor in Florida.<\/p>\n

    Thankfully, LED bulbs can lean toward either side of the scale, so you can take your pick of bulb temperatures. Just check the bulb label to make sure you\u2019re in the right range.<\/p>\n

    Finally, solar lights are another great option, and they\u2019re aren\u2019t just good in the summertime. These lights are convenient for stake and fence lighting because they require minimal installation.<\/p>\n

    While you may think you need abundant sunshine to power them, most are low-voltage, which means their LED lights don\u2019t need much solar power to charge.<\/p>\n

    Home improvement expert Bob Vila provides some expert tips about buying the best solar lights<\/a> for your needs. These lights are likely to be brighter in the summer months, but you\u2019ll find that most provide an abundant all-year glow.<\/p>\n

    Whatever you do, don\u2019t let dim light bulbs bring down your curb appeal.<\/p>\n

    2. Get new light fixtures to match your home\u2019s style<\/h3>\n

    Having a consistent aesthetic across every element of your home is key when getting it ready to sell, and that goes for the outdoor lighting, too.<\/p>\n

    If your front door and outdoor wall lights haven\u2019t been updated in 30 years, it might be time to give them a refresh\u2014even a house built decades ago can achieve an of-the-moment look by adding modern lighting. The key is to pick a style and stick with it.<\/p>\n

    Modern Curb Appeal Lighting<\/h4>\n

    Clean lines, geometric shapes, and wide beams are all elements of modern lighting.<\/p>\n

    Instead of a light fixture, you could light up an entire segment of your house in a wall of light to show off its texture, a special lighting effect called grazing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    The modern look isn\u2019t for everyone, but it can work, particularly for homes that have a \u201860s or \u201870s-era vibe.<\/p>\n

    Product inspiration:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n