Bright Ideas Which Are Best For Your Houston Garden Lighting

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Your Perfect Guide To Garden Lighting In Houston

Lighting that is well-planned can really help to enhance your outdoor area, increase visibility and create a pleasant atmosphere that provides you many hours of enjoyment.

Create Your Lighting Plan

Lighting can truly make or break the garden, so make sure you take the time to plan precisely what type of illumination you would like to have and where you want to put it.

Identify Important Features

Make a rough plan for your garden with all of the key features marked. Identify any features you would like to enhance – steps, a tree, a pond – and those you might want to kept hidden such as an old shed.

Stay flexible: a good lighting plan will combine fixed lights along with lights that are easy to move in order to accommodate plant growth and the changing seasons. Consider how you can create various lighting effect in your garden.

Outdooring lighting should always be fluid, and different kinds of lighting will create different effects throughout your garden:

  • Downlighting can be great for throwing light on a decked area or patio or for illuminating doorways. Smaller downlights will be able to pick out specific features or plants, and small downlights that are attached to the bottom of low-lying hardscaping such as windows and benches can define areas by providing an attractive and subtle glow.
  • Uplighting can illuminate a mature tree, a statue or other big objects from below to produce a dramatic effect.
  • This effect can be created by putting spotlights on both sides of a feature.
  • Another way to help an object stand out is to use spotlights. An uplight or directional spotlight can be positioned a distance away from your feature to achieve the effect.
  • Washing will create a soft glowing effective or a complete hedge or wall by placing a light at the base of the object.
  • Shadowing will project a very interesting feature on a fence or wall by angling the spotlight from its foot.
  • Grazing can draw attention to interesting stonework by placing uplights next to it.
  • With mirroring, a feature is lighted on the far side of a nearby body of water in order to reflect the feature’s image in the dark water.

When using outdoor lights, be sure to not create too much glare. For example, lights in the bottom part of your garden should not be pointing directly at the decking or patio where they should overwhelm people who are sitting there. You also don’t want to have sunken lights that point upward directly.

Safety First

When it comes to exterior lighting, the first priority is to ensure that your garden is safe.

Illuminate Any Hazards

Ensure that any potential tripping hazard is always well lit, which includes any level changes, such as low walls or garden steps. Recessed lights have a tendency to work well in those areas, by providing low-level lighting to lower the risk without being too intrusive.

Take The Necessary Precautions

If you decide to install your own garden lighting, be sure to follow the important safety steps below:

– Switch off the main power.
– Confirm that it is safe to work on the circuits by using a socket tester.
– Protect circuits by using a hi
– Run all of the cables underground (to a depth of at least 450mm if under a path or patio, and 750 under flowerbeds or lawns).
– Use a socket tester to check all of your finished work before using the lights.

If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

How Many Lumens Is Too Many Lumens?

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Outdoor Lighting: How Many Lumens Do I Need?

Lumens are a measure of the intensity of light. As such, the higher a lamp’s lumen rating, the brighter it will appear. The number of lumens you require for outdoor lighting will, therefore, depend on the kind of light you want.

Now that we’ve learned what lumens are, here is our professional lumens recommendation for a variety of outdoor lights.

  • Path lighting – 100 to 200 lumens
  • Step lights – 12 to 100 lumens
  • Floodlights – 700 to 1300 lumens
  • Pond and pool lights – 200 to 400 lumens
  • Motion sensor lights – 300 to 700 lumens
  • Landscape lights – 50 to 300 lumens (50 lumens is excellent for small shrubbery or gardens)
  • Hardscape lighting (on walls) – 50 to 185 lumens

When thinking about outdoor lighting, seriously consider going for LED.

Homeowners typically have two types of outdoor lightbulbs when purchasing outdoor lighting. These are CFLs and LEDs.

As outdoor lighting experts, we recommend that you go with LED lights. In this article, we will explain the difference between CFLs and LEDs and why you should consider working with LED lighting.

Outdoor lighting: CFLs or LEDs

How Each Works:

Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) use electrical currents to heat filaments inside the bulb. When fully heated up, the filaments become white-hot, producing heat and light. Because these filaments are very sensitive, the lifespan of CFL bulbs is relatively short, especially when left in extremely cold or hot ambient temperatures, such Texas’s summer temperatures. Furthermore, CFLs take quite a while to light up fully.

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), on the other hand, do not rely on fragile filaments to light up an area. Nevertheless, they use electrical currents to illuminate tiny diodes found inside the bulbs. Light emitting diodes do not put much heat; which means that they stay cool to the touch. These lights fare quite well in all outdoor temperatures and fully light up as soon as they are activated.

Operational Costs:

Light emitting diodes cost lesser to operate compared to CFL. They use 50 percent less energy to produce the same amount of light CFLs produce. That means that LEDs, of all light bulb options, produce higher amounts of lumens per wattage consumed.

Lifespan:

Light emitting diodes last up to five times longer than compact fluorescent lights.

Price:

At the moment, CFLs cost much cheaper than LEDs. Fortunately, though, LED bulb prices have been dropping in the last couple of years, making some LED options much more affordable than their CFL counterparts.

Other things to Consider

1. Lux

Lux measures a lights luminous flux per unit area. In essence, it gives users an idea of how far or field size a bulb/light can illuminate. Lux plays a crucial role in telling you how many lights you will need to cover an area or space.

To help you understand it better, please note that one lux is equal to the amount of illumination a single candle can provide from approx. 3 feet away.

2. Wattage

Wattage is used to quantify a bulb’s energy transfer rate – in essence; it is the measure of how much electricity a bulb consumes. For instance, a 75-watt light bulb consumes 75 watts of power each second it’s on. The higher a light’s wattage, the more electricity it consumes and the higher the electric bill will be.

If your outdoor lighting project requires the installation of lots of outdoor lights, your wattage demand will be higher, and you might need to have a professional electrician install a new circuit for you.

If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

Learning How Landscape Lighting Can Prove Helpful To Your Business

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Part 2 Of Commercial Lightscaping and How It Can Help Your Business

2/2

Create a Custom Pool

Pools are great additions to any property and are the perfect way to stay cool on hot summer days. They are also ideal for entertaining children, relaxing, and exercising. Furthermore, they effortlessly become the most striking feature of any outdoor space. A customized pool will allow you to come up with a pool that is designed to fit your entertainment and design needs. If you love tanning, it is easy to create shallow ledges that are perfect for laying out in during sweltering hot summer days.

Shallow ledges are also perfect for small children and dogs to enjoy the water. Furthermore, you could have a rock-face waterfall installed to transform your space. And with the help of several spotlights, it shouldn’t be that hard to create the perfect ambiance as they illuminate the waterfall and the pool.

Gardens and Foliage

Gardens can effortlessly transform outdoor spaces! Consider planting some flower beds or shrubs in your front yard to improve curb appeal, or add foliage in the backyard to create beautiful aesthetics. Different plant types can completely change how your outdoor space looks. If you are looking for a tropical touch, try planting some hibiscus flowers and palm trees around your swimming pool. Some plants will even attract pretty visitors.

Flowers like marigold, goldenrod, or daylily can help attract butterflies; while plants like bee balms, petunias, and daylilies will attract hummingbirds – or consider having a hummingbird feeder installed. You could also utilize some plant types such as citronella or lavender to repel pesky bugs such as mosquitoes.

Bonus: Not only will lavender repel mosquitoes; it’ll also help attract some butterflies.

If you do not want lavender, consider adding some citronella torches – they’ll help the mosquitos while creating beautiful aesthetics. You can use spotlights and path lights to highlight specific flowers and plants at night. Alternatively, you could try downlighting from the trees to create a mesmerizing moonlight effect. Landscape lighting will allow you to enjoy your garden both during the day and at night.

Have Professional Commercial Lightscaping Installed

Making the most out of your outdoor space means being able to use and enjoy it at any hour of the day. It is always a pleasant experience sitting outside and enjoying some sunshine, but what about during the night? There is no reason why you should not get to enjoy your garden even at night when the sun has set, and it’s grown dark.

Professional landscape lighting can make it possible for you to enjoy your outdoor space during the night, even while indoors! Consider installing several spotlights to highlight specific features of your house, or add some deck lighting to elicit a romantic ambiance for date nights at home. A couple of downlights to illuminate your patio or deck while creating moonlight effects when cast on tree foliage can work wonders too.

Both step and path lights help increase safety around your home by illuminating paths and can be used to guide guests to specific areas of your house or yard. These lights also liven up your garden at night as they cast pools of light that highlight your favorite plants. When it comes to lighting up your landscape, don’t be limited to the backyard space alone; your front yard could use some lighting too to increase curb appeal and to create a warm and welcoming ambiance for your guests!

 If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information! Click here to go directly to the first article.

Who Gets The Most From Landscape Lighting?

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Who Can Benefit From Landscape Lighting?

Landscape lighting can not only be used to draw attention to unique features or architectural details but it also can improve safety, making it ideal for both homes and businesses alike. Beautifully designed lighting can infuse a little bit of magic into an ordinary outdoor space, transforming even the most boring landscape into a show-stopping space.

Homeowners

Most homeowners put a lot of time, money, and effort into making their home’s exterior as beautiful as possible. Unfortunately, all of that hard work disappears into the darkness when the sun goes down. Installing landscape lighting is an excellent way to highlight a property’s unique features after dark. With the right lighting, homeowners can showcase everything from their landscaping to the architecture of their home, helping their property stand out from all of the other houses in the neighborhood.

Homes that are located in poorly lit neighborhoods can also benefit from landscape lighting. Installing lighting around the exterior of the home makes the property safer. If you light up your outdoor space, you may even inspire other people in your neighborhood to do the same.

When multiple homes in a neighborhood have landscape lighting in place, it helps make the entire area safer, creating a family-friendly place to live. Installing outdoor lighting around the exterior of your home could wind up completely changing your neighborhood for the better.

People Who Own Swimming Pools

Homeowners in Texas often install swimming pools in their backyards as a way of escaping from the summer heat. Installing outdoor lighting around the pool can make the space usable after dark, making it a lot safer to continue swimming after the sun goes down.

Along with lighting inside the pool itself, extra lights can be installed around the pool deck. Not only does this make the pool area beautiful after dark but it also dramatically improves safety. Adequate lighting is essential anytime children or adults are using a swimming pool after it gets dark outside. Having enough lighting in the area makes it easier to monitor what is happening around the pool from inside the house.

Installing underwater lighting in the pool itself makes it easy to see whether or not there are any obstacles in the water. Outdoor pools often accumulate debris like leaves and grass as well as insects. Lighting up both the pool and the surrounding area makes it a lot easier to see the condition of the water before jumping in.

Landlords

Installing landscape lighting around a rental property that you own is an excellent way to improve safety. Not only does having a well-lit space make renters feel safer but it also makes the property more attractive after dark. You may be able to rent out space more quickly or charge more for the property if you use landscape lighting to create a warm, welcoming space.

Outdoor lighting can also benefit commercial rental spaces like warehouses and storage units. Security cameras do a much better job of capturing footage when there is plenty of light available. Customers are more likely to rent spaces that are safe and secure. Installing outdoor lighting in conjunction with security cameras is a great way to alleviate any worries that potential renters may have about the property.

Businesses

Landscape lighting is essential for commercial properties – especially if your business is open after dark. Lighting up your outdoor space makes it easier for customers to see that you are open. It also makes your business more visible from the street when people are passing by after dark. When a property is well lit, it looks a lot safer, meaning that customers are more likely to visit at night.

Spotlights and other types of accent lighting can be used to draw attention to key features of the business. For instance, lighting can be installed under the outdoor sign or near promotional items to make these features easier to see.

Dining Establishments

Restaurants that offer outdoor dining can use landscape lighting to create a magical experience for their guests. Lighting up a patio space with attractive lights can completely transform the dining experience, turning an ordinary meal into an adventure that guests will remember for a long time to come.

Outdoor lighting has a lot to offer homeowners and business owners alike. It can be used to accent just about any outdoor space, improving safety while at the same time creating a beautiful, welcoming atmosphere that draws people in and makes them want to stay a while.

 If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

5 Landscape Lighting Ideas With Down Lighting

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Five Down Light Ideas For Landscape Lighting

Before we look at how downlighting can be applied in outdoor settings, it is vital that we first define what down lighting is and how it looks like.

What is downlighting? Downlighting is when fixtures are mounted in elevated locations and aimed downwards so that the light they emit illuminates a target down below. These lighting fixtures can be installed in various places including a home’s soffit, a metal pole or even a tree limb – basically anything that provides an elevated position where a fixture can be perched.

1. Patio

Outdoor living spaces including patios are a great place to enjoy the effects downlighting has to offer. Downlighting offers a functional light for both the social and tranquil situations that often take place on a patio.

Soft lighting does not overwhelm or distract you, which makes it ideal for patio spaces. The key thing when it comes to beautiful lighting is subtleness – as they say, less is more.

2. Pond

Whether it is the cool temperature water features lend to the night air in summer or the soft babbling of splashing water, ponds have a way of bringing tranquility to the outdoor experience. Extending their effects into the evening could be as simple as simply highlighting your pond with the right lighting.

Downlighting a pond creates an overall calmness and a sense of character to something that would otherwise be a dark space.

The great thing about water is that it creates lots of reflections; a defined glow will emanate from a pond when it’s properly downlit. The reflection created is great since it is a two for one. Reflection tends to give everything it touches more definition – light and shadow dances and sparkling ripples from the moving water create a dramatic scene depending on the contrast between shadow and light.

3. Statuary

According to this lighting designer’s opinion, statuary lighting should be applied from above when and if possible. Lighting statues from below often create a shadow that looks unnatural.

When statues are lit from above, a more natural-looking effect is created. The shadows lie as they should while the statue is put in the best lighting.

To effectively light a statue, you will need an eye for what looks most natural; and the most natural-looking statue lighting will often leave a great impression on viewers.

4. Path

When it comes to safety lighting, pathways, curbs and other areas with lots of foot traffic like steps need to be properly illuminated. Downlighting paths can help travelers see where they’re going and how they can get from point A to point B safely.

Downlighting from a tree or several trees can create beauty in the way the tree’s branches and leaves stretch their shadows across the pathway. The natural looking effect of this approach will add real charm to the places that’d otherwise be dark.

5. Security

Security lighting is essential for one main reason – ensuring a property’s safety at night. The great thing about landscape lighting is that you can achieve security lighting without having to sacrifice ambiance or beauty.

While setting up a giant floodlight on top of a 40-foot metal pole could provide ample security lighting, who wants their property looking like a well-lit prison yard when night falls?

 

 If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

Lightscaping In Houston; Why Light?

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The Age Old Question – Why Light?

One thing that lighting designers will often end up asking their clients is “why light”? You might think that the answer is obvious, but there are actually numerous things that you might want to achieve through lighting. That’s why a professional lighting designer is going to want you to clarify your needs and intentions.

You see, there is no such thing as a stupid question when it comes to clarifying a brief. The responses that can come back from that question can be surprisingly varied. It’s important that a lighting designer is able to understand exactly what the homeowner is looking for. If they produce something that isn’t in line with expectations, then they have failed the client, and no professional wants that to happen.

Homeowners have a number of different requirements and intentions. Some may be worried about keeping their home secure. Some might want a certain ambiance or to make their outdoor living area look nicer. Another motivation could be safety, especially for those who garden late at night, or who have a large garden that they want to be able to navigate after dark.

There are many other possible reasons for wanting more lighting, however, ambiance, safety, and security are the ones that crop up them most.

Lighting for Security

Even the nicest areas can sometimes have an issue with crime, and security lighting is a must to help prevent that. Landscape lighting can make life easier for you from a security perspective since it gives you better visuals yourself, and it also acts as a deterrent to would-be trespassers. Many crimes are opportunistic and if your garden or property is not an appealing target for a burglar, they will be more likely to just move on to the next potential target.

Lighting for Ambiance

Lighting can make it easier for you to enjoy your outdoor space in the evening, and that’s a common reason for people to illuminate their property. It helps to make space look more appealing, and it gives you more control over the ambiance, so you are not held to the schedule of daylight hours in your area. Lighting, if it is well thought out and carefully executed, can be the finishing touch to a wonderful landscaping project.

Lighting for Tasks and Safety

This is the most practical of the concerns. Task or safety lighting is mostly functional, but it can also have an aesthetic appeal as well. If you want to keep your steps well lit so that people do not trip, and make the walk between your door and your fire pit a little safer and easier to navigate, then you will want to spell that out in the brief. Task lighting is important in outdoor kitchens as well, because you need to be able to see clearly and perceive colors when you are cooking.

There are numerous other reasons for landscape lighting, some of which are vastly different from those mentioned here, but if you can identify exactly what the lighting will be used for that will make it much easier for the project leaders to do a good job. Lighting professionals understand that different lights will suit different tasks and you will be much happier with the results that you get from the job if you can help the lighting designer select the best type of light for your intended use, whatever that use may be.

 

 If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

two story house with moonlighting

The Right Color Temperature For Your Next Houston Lightscape Design

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How To Choose The Right Color Temperature For LED Landscaping Lights

Are you stuck trying to find the best color temperature to illuminate your landscape? If so, then the information contained in the following guide may help you reach a decision. At the very least, it will help you understand the thought process that the professionals use when choosing different LED colors and temperatures.

Before you can choose the right temperature you need to understand what it is and how it is measured. When a designer talks about a particular color temperature they are referencing a characteristic of a light that affects how that light feels. The measurement is always expressed as a temperature using the Kelvin unit. A temperature that is expressed as degrees Kelvin will have the capital letter “K” following the temperature. An example would be 2,400K, which is the color temperature of standard incandescent lamps.

But what exactly does it mean when a package states that a light has a color temperature of 3,000K? The temperature lets you know how warm or cool the light’s expression is. What confuses many people is that higher temperatures are actually considered cooler colors. Remember, a standard incandescent lamp has a color temperature of 2,400K. A candle generally has a color temperature around 1,700K. This means the candle is a warmer color.

Light manufacturers will often label color temperature on their packaging. They may sometimes use labels instead of numbers. For example, the light might be defined as daylight or soft white. These are terms that refer to the color temperature. It’s much easier to learn what the different temperatures are and then find lights that have the actual color temperature listed on the package.

Interested in learning some of the basic color temperatures? Here are a few numbers that you should remember.

1700K – This is the color temperature of a lit candle.

2200K – This is the lowest point on the white light scale. Below this temperature is known as yellow light.

3500K – From this point forward, the color temperatures are considered “cool”.

4000K – This is a very cool natural light.

5000K – Around this point is considered daylight. Temperatures around 5000K are natural and very cool.

6500K – Starting at this temperature you begin moving into the blue light spectrum.

How To Choose The Best Color Temperature For Outdoor Light

It’s impossible to label any single color temperature as best for all occasions. There are a number of factors that will influence your decision. Primarily, it comes down to preference. You may even need to try several different temperatures to find the one that you like the most. However, there are two important considerations that you should keep in mind when choosing outdoor lighting.

The first consideration to remember is that less lighting is required outdoors than indoors. After all, there are already multiple sources of natural light outdoors as well as possible light pollution from neighbors, street lamps, or nearby buildings. What this means is that you can take a more subtle approach to ambient lighting.

The second consideration is that if you have an environment with low ambient lighting, then it’s generally better to stick with warmer colors. Warmer colors produce a more comfortable experience when there is very little ambient light. This is partially because warmer colors cause less strain on the eye.

If you combine these two facts, then you can draw the conclusion that creating settings with low-ambient lighting and warm colors is ideal. Think about the pleasant attraction of a campfire or the relaxing nature of candles. This is what many people try to reproduce with their landscape lighting.

The Ideal Range

It’s hard to go wrong if you stick with color temperatures between the range of 2700K and 300K. These lights are somewhat natural, calming, and warm. 2700K resembles the light produced by halogen, which is something that most of us are familiar with seeing.

You can increase the temperature to 3000K for a slightly cooler approach to lighting. 3000K is a very popular choice in situations where 2700K is just too warm of a color. Consider trying both options to see which best suits your property.

Working With Cool Colors

Warm colors aren’t necessarily mandatory. For example, there are some plants or materials that would look much better under a cooler light. A blue spruce would come to life and “pop” when situated beneath a 5000K lamp. A cactus plant would do the same if a green or silver filter was placed on the light.

Working with cool colors is a fun way to experiment and express your personal style. Remember that there is no single “best” color temperature. It’s all situational and depends on the environment. But by remember the pointers mentioned above you can understand why professionals tend to work with specific color temperatures.

 If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

residential and commercial led low voltage landscape lighting

Common Questions About Outdoor Lighting Design In Houston

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Three Common Questions About Outdoor Lighting Design

1. What are the most important things to consider when coming up with a landscape lighting design?

The biggest consideration that you need to take into account when planning your outdoor lighting is how you use your space.

The lighting that you put in front of your home is designed to enhance the curb appeal of your property and to improve safety. In the backyard, however, the lighting is there to make the space more enjoyable. That is why it is so important to put a lot of thought into how you plan on using the space.

Do you like the idea of holding parties or get-togethers outdoors? If entertaining is at the top of your priority list, adding outdoor lighting that creates a fun and festive setting could be the ideal solution.

Are you looking for an outdoor retreat where you can get away from the stress of everyday life? If so, choosing a more serene lighting design is probably the best option since it will help create a space that is more conducive to relaxation.

Would you like to spend time dining outdoors? Are you planning on putting in an outdoor kitchen? In either case, you should focus on functionality. Your lighting design should not only include ambient light but also task lighting that makes it easier to see what you are doing.

Do you have sidewalks, pathways, or stairs that you need to navigate after dark? In this case, extra lighting for safety is definitely warranted.

The features that you have in your outdoor space also come into play when determining what type of lighting is appropriate. Good lighting design can help you make the most of everything from a pergola to an outdoor swimming pool.

2. How can you add character to your outdoor space through lighting design?

While functionality is an important part of outdoor lighting design, it is also about creating a certain atmosphere. Instead of focusing on the design of the light fixtures themselves, landscape lighting designers usually focus on the specific lighting effects that they are trying to achieve. They then choose fixtures that make these effects possible.

When you start shopping for light fixtures, you no doubt will run across a lot of fixtures with unique or interesting designs. Even though these designs may appeal to you today, you may find that they look outdated in a few short years. When you work with a lighting designer, they can provide you with professional guidance so that you can choose fixtures with classic designs that will never go out of style. Best of all, the fixtures that they help you choose will allow you to achieve beautiful lighting effects in your outdoor space.

Some of the different styles of fixtures that may work for your yard or garden include the following:

  • Pendant Lights. These lights not only add a beautiful accent to your outdoor space but they also are more interesting to look at than many other types of lights. From a functionality standpoint, they usually fall a little bit short. However, they can be a great way to add character and charm to your outdoor space.
  • Path lighting is important from a safety standpoint. There are countless styles of path lights currently available, making it easy to find lighting that is the ideal fit for your space.

Something To Keep In Mind About Path Lights

Path lights are exposed to a lot of wear and tear. They need to be durable and rugged so that they can handle whatever abuse comes their way. Unfortunately, many of the most decorative path lights that are currently available are not strong enough to withstand regular use. If you purchase ornate fixtures, you may wind up disappointed when they don’t last as long as you would like them to. Your lighting designer can help you find lights that are both attractive and durable, helping to ensure that you make a smart investment that will last for a long time to come.

3. What is the best path light spacing for garden paths, stairs, and sidewalks?

When it comes to landscape lighting, few types of lighting are used incorrectly as often as path lights. When you drive through a neighborhood, you probably can spot path lights stuck in flower beds, tied to fences, or placed in other unusual areas. In actuality, however, these lights are designed for one specific purpose to light stairs and walkways.

To create a well-balanced lighting design, path lights should be evenly spaced.

The proper spacing for these lights varies depending on the size of the walkway that they are being used for. Path lights should be large enough to adequately light the entire path.

When it comes to placing the lights on either side of the path, there are a couple of different options. For a casual look, try alternating lights, spacing them so that they are not directly across from each other. For a more formal look, on the other hand, placing the lights in line with each other so they line up across the path can provide a beautiful effect.

In some cases, you may not even need to use path lights if you opt for different lighting solutions. The best way to figure out how to effectively light your walkways and stairs is by meeting with a qualified lighting designer.

 If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

A home in Houston, TX, with landscape lighting

5 Tips To Cozy Up Your Houston Patio Lighting Part 2

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5 TIPS FOR MAKING YOUR PATIO COZY FOR FALL

(Part Two)

You can choose to add bold autumn colors like yellows, deep reds, and oranges, to those items. You can also decide to choose specific colors that will be able to take it to the next level in terms of coziness.

3. INTRODUCING OUTDOOR CUSHIONING OPTIONS

If you want to spruce the outdoor space, consider adding some outdoor cushioning to your already existing outdoor furniture.
This doesn’t have to be complicated, it can be just adding a plush, weather-proof pillow to the benches, or you can go and buy an entirely new set of furniture. There are some people who consider the season when planning the outdoor space. There are some people who prefer swapping their summer-themed furniture and go with pieces that will be of use during the fall. It is better to have heat-insulating cushions in October than having them in July.

No matter how large or small the change is, it is a good idea to add cushioning to any furniture you can.

4. GETTING INTO A HOLIDAY DECORATING MOOD

There are two major holidays that happen in fall: Thanksgiving and Halloween. These two holidays are when people love to decorate their homes! When you are decorating your home for these holidays, also remember that you have an outdoor space that needs your attention too. Show the space for some holiday love too.

For the porch, you can go with a traditional Jack-O-Lanterns and for the above patio, you can get a turkey-themed garland that you can hang crisscross above it. Another idea is making DIY signs that have words highlighting which season it is, e.g. “harvest” ”thankful”, etc. You have the chance of taking full advantage of the changes on leaves and trees.

Whatever you decide to do, we suggest utilizing this time into getting to the holiday spirit and have your outdoor space reflecting your enthusiasm.

INSTALLING AN OUTDOOR FIREPLACE OR FIRE PIT

If you don’t have one, and if you have room in your outdoor space, then you should consider installing a fire pit or outdoor fireplace. Fires will provide you with natural exterior lighting, and there is nothing that feels more fall than sitting around the fire spending quality time with your friends and family.

Apart from the light and warmth it provides, a fireplace will be the perfect focal point for your outdoor space.

CHOOSE ROBERT HUFFILLUMINATIONS

When you transform your outdoor space for the fall, you are creating a space that is comforting and welcoming, and this will make people coming over want to snuggle and sit around the warm fire drinking hot chocolate. You will fall in love with your outdoor space over and over again.

It is a good idea to get exterior lighting and outdoor home accents from our showroom I Houston. If you are not sure about what you want or where to get started, have no worries because we have a team of experienced lighting consultants who will be there to help you with everything you need.

Contact us today to find more information about us and the products we offer. You can reach us by giving us a call now or you can complete our online form and we will get back to you. Don’t hesitate when it comes to buying our products. We look forward to speaking with you.

 If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information! Click here for the first issue in this series.

5 Tips To Cozy Up Your Houston Patio Lighting Part 1

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Learn 5 Tips You Can Use To Make Your Patio Cozy (Part One)

The Houston weather isn’t typically what most folks would identify as ideal fall weather, but there’s no reason you shouldn’t get outdoor spaces and patios ready for the day the heat finally subsides. Does anything make a patio more cozy than a few pieces of comfortable outdoor furniture with wool blankets waiting for you under mood-setting lights?

We offer high-caliber interior and exterior lighting services and products for residential and commercial clients alike. If you want to renovate your outdoor patio lights or are just looking to shake things up a little, check out our light fixtures which can match both your budget and tastes. We have more than five decades of experience behind us, so let our lighting professionals and experts help you find the perfect solutions for your outdoor lighting. Contact us right away in order to schedule an appointment.

Keep reading to learn 5 tips you can use to make your patio snug and sound for the changing season.

1) Optimize The Circumstances Around Your Exterior Lighting:

Fall evenings here means it gets darker earlier than it did during the summer, and that means that our exterior lighting circumstances get more critical than they did when it was warmer. You need functionality from your outdoor lighting, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have beauty too. Even better is when you have adjustability so you can make your patio useful in a number of different situations.

Use this time to make any needed updates to your outdoor lights, like hanging lights or exterior wall lights whose best days are behind them. You might even use this time to buy and install extra lights that can complement your current lights, like holiday-themed string lights or even an extravagant or ornate outdoor chandelier.

Basically, you want to illuminate your overall patio area with some exterior lighting which can warm your outdoor space when it gets a bit chilly.

2) Add Cozy Items:

Okay, take a moment to think about it. Are there things better than breathing in fresh air outdoors while curled up under a nice toasty blanket while reading something you love? There might be a few things, but not too many. In fact, you might think of nothing at the moment.

Why spend all your time indoors during the fall when you know you’ll have to hibernate during the actual winter? Whether that is cool or cold but not yet freezing can still be enjoyed! Do this by adding comfort and coziness with the right items throughout your outdoor patio.

Here are just a few things that our home decor and lighting professionals recommend:

  • Porch Swings
  • Rocking chairs
  • Outdoor attire
  • Warm and soft blankets
  • Pumpkins
  • Garlands and wreaths
  • Tables, benches, chairs, and other essential outdoor furniture

 If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information! Click Here for the second issue in this series.