8 Effective, Beautiful Lighting Types for Front Yards

Many of us have landscape lighting in the backyard, because it's where we congregate with family and friends. And landscape lighting in the front yard is the same, right? Yes and no. While the technology is the same, there are different reasons and goals for using lighting in the front yard. Lights in your front yard not only direct visitors to your front entry, but they accent your garden, highlight your house's architecture and provide security for your property — considerations that the backyard doesn't necessarily require.

1. Entryway lights. The entryway may seem like an obvious starting place, but it's surprising how many people forget to adequately light it. Lighting not only helps people know where to enter (important if you have a large home with multiple doors), but increases security as you answer your door at night.

Opt for lights on either side of the front door as well as overhead ones on the landing or porch, and be sure to check regularly for burned-out bulbs.


2. Step lights. How many times have you tried to access someone's front yard steps at night and almost taken your life in your own hands? Don't do that to your family and friends, especially if you have a number of terraces or landing areas with many steps.

Illuminate every other step (as shown) and have some garden lights on the sides so everyone knows where their next step will be. You'll minimize falls and spills as well as your own liability from someone's getting injured on your property.

More ideas for lighting your outdoor steps


3. Wall and column lights. Got front yard courtyard walls, stucco walls in your parking area or lower walls lining the edges of your yard? Add some lighting to set them off, provide security or act as guides for nighttime visitors.

Lights such as the ones shown here work best if you have a longer expanse of wall, but if you have one short wall, one well-chosen light fixture can work very well.


4. Uplights for architectural plants. Uplights can turn architectural plants into nighttime works of art. Architectural plants are those with strong forms year-round, like agaves, Italian cypress and yuccas; install uplights at the bases of these plants to shine the light upward onto them.

Choose a grouping of trees or special focal-point plants to illuminate, rather than every plant in your front yard.


5. Garden lights. While you may shine lights specially on your prized plants, the rest of your front yard needs a little love, too. Soft lighting to show off foliage and create a welcoming nighttime ambience is a thoughtful touch for people visiting your house, but it's also a great feature in case you want to walk through your own garden at night without a flashlight.


6. Garage lighting. Ever tried to access your garage from the front at night, without lights? If you're lucky, you may get a little illumination from nearby lighting, but it's more helpful to have lights right where you need them. Who wants to fumble around in the dark while pulling trash cans out from the side of the garage or inspecting something on the driveway?


7. House number lighting. It's frustrating if people can't see your house numbers, especially at night. Whether your address numbers are on a front fence, columns or the front door, use adequate lighting to make them visible.

Be sure, though, that the angle of your lights does not create a shadow effect, which could further confuse your visitors by obscuring the numbers. You want your address to be clearly lit, not overdramatized with special effects.


8. Security lights. Houses that are well lit make it more difficult for unwanted visitors to hide. This house has not only entryway lights, but also a variety of other lighting around the house and property that banish the shadows. A figure moving in front of that kind of lighting would be immediately noticeable. Some lights can be motion activated for those areas where you may not want illumination at all times, like a utility area, a carport and an outlying yard.


String lights illuminate a front-yard patio in Mill Valley, California.

More tips:
Make sure your lights fit the style of your home.Use a variety of lighting for the best effect.Don't forget small light sources, like candles and lamps — these are particularly great for intimate porch spaces.Low-voltage landscape lights are a great option for front yards.Solar lights vary widely in their effectiveness and quality. Don't use them for security purposes, as the amount of light offered is not adequate.Avoid spacing lights too closely together — your lighting professional should be able to space them out to give you the light you need without going overboard.LED lighting, rope lights and Christmas lights can all create more special, subtle effects for your front yard.More: The 3 Top Ways to Light Up Your Landscape

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