There’s something to be said for living in the country. The peaceful serenity, the quiet calm, wide-open spaces – you simply can’t find these qualities in the city. That being said, cottage and country life also comes with its unique challenges. For example, you have to be much more self-reliant when it comes to your landscape lighting. You won’t find streetlights or business lights on rural roads; when it comes to evening ambiance, you’re going to have to create your own with a well designed and installed landscape lighting system.

Benefits of Landscape Lighting

Landscape lighting is an excellent tool to accent and enhance certain features of your rural property and exterior home décor.  Whether you want to light up your front yard or back deck for safety, social occasions, deter thieves by illuminating the house, or draw attention to the beautiful foliage around your home, an outdoor lighting service can work with you to create the mood you’re looking for.

Go For a Natural Look

When you’re installing low voltage or LED outdoor lighting around your rural property the last thing you want is for it to look unnatural. Avoid harsh glare and odd reflections by following these tips from our  landscape lighting experts:

Light From Above

Soft outdoor lighting from above imitates nature. Think of how the moon shines through the trees on an especially clear night – this is the look our Nite Time Decor Oakville landscape lighting experts are trying to mimic when they install downlighting fixtures.

Moon lighting, as the name implies, mimics the light of the moon.  It creates a soft, ethereal moonlight effect that shines down on your landscape.  In addition to the light, its other effect is to create a natural shadow, similar to the moon. Romantic and whimsical, moonlighting is a great way to set the mood on a rural property.

Stick to a Low Wattage Bulb

Not only will this help you keep your lighting natural looking, it will also keep your utility bills low, which is always a nice bonus. Using low wattage bulbs will help you avoid harsh over-lighting, leaving your lawn bathed in a subtle glow.

Look for LEDs

When it comes to low wattage lighting, LEDs are a great option. Not only are they extremely efficient (LEDs have an energy efficiency rating between 80%-90%), they provide light designers with a high level of control over light disbursement.  Other benefits include LED light are environmentally friendly, cost effective, durable, and don’t attract bugs!  To learn more about the great benefits of LED lights, read this article, “Top 13 Benefits Of LED Outdoor Lighting.”

Types of Lighting to Consider Around Your Rural Property

When it comes to lighting your rural property you’ll want to make sure of a few important factors. First, you don’t want to use too much light as that could result in light trespass and unnecessary light pollution. Second, you need to ensure that enough light is used to ensure the safety and security of your property.

To do this, we suggestion incorporating the following lighting ideas and fixtures into your Oakville landscape lighting design:

Driveway Lights

Illuminate your long, winding country lane with strategically placed driveway lights in order to increase the safety and aesthetic appeal of your property. Post lanterns, bollards, and entry piers can add a nice touch of class to your slice of country life.

Motion Sensors

These lighting fixtures can be especially useful around outbuildings, like storage sheds and barns. Our Oakville landscape lighting experts also recommend positioning motion-activated lights so that they shine down on any parking areas on your property. This will help provide any visitors with an increased sense of safety when entering or exiting their vehicles.

Tree Highlights

If you live in the country, chances are your yard features more than a few gorgeous old trees. Shine a light on their beauty once the sun goes down with strategically placed downlights or spotlights. Try and pick a nice mix of trees – ones that have dense foliage and other that have a lighter canopy. This will enable you to use a number of different lighting techniques, creating a truly unique and mesmerizing final design.

Contact Nite Time Decor Today!

Bring light to your rural property while respecting your  rural surroundings and reducing light pollution. Contact one of our Nite Time Decor Oakville landscape lighting experts today to learn more about rural lighting ideas or to book your free outdoor lighting consultation and light demo. We also serve homes and businesses in Mississauga, Burlington, Halton and the Hamilton regions.