Light Up Your Home's First Impression

What message does your entryway give when someone approaches or passes by? Is it warm and welcoming, or dark and shadowy? Maybe you are in need of an entryway face- lift. Some change in lighting might be all that is needed to completely light up your home's first impression.

Whatever the style of your home, make sure you use the right amount of light. Porch lights, post and rail lights, and wall lights welcome guests to your home after dark and provide a sense of security. 

Your walkway leading to the porch is just as important as the entry itself. Use path lights or up-lighting aimed at trees to make the front of your home more interesting and inviting. Avoid glare caused by direct view of an unshielded light source or by too much contrast of bright to soft lights. Besides causing visual difficulties, excessive light adds to safety problems and light pollution, no one wants your light lighting up their skies.

What about after the entryway into your home? Lighting is very important here, too. The mood of your foyer speaks of what is to be found further within your home. Lighting can accent pieces of art, visually expand the space, or make your guest feel right at home.

Before you start on any projects for improvements, consider these few things:

• Style: Traditional carriage or colonial styles of lights are very popular, but there is so much to choose from, fitting any style or architectural design. Check out sites such as Lighting.com. The possibilities for your style and decor are endless and there are plenty of ideas to be had on the Internet.
• Motion Detection: A motion activation system will trigger the lights when there is movement at your entrance. This provides security for you and safety to those at your doorstep.
• Dusk-to-Dawn Lighting: This is an option that will automatically light up your entry or other features, from dusk until dawn. When choosing this type of lighting, consider an energy saving compact fluorescent light blub. A word of caution, they are affected by temperatures below freezing.
• Recessed Lighting: These are almost a must for steps leading up to and down porches. That last step is usually the one that gets you.
• Indoor Flood Lighting: This type of lighting at your entryway will produce a broad beam of light for drama and extended lighting down a hallway perhaps.
• Dimmer Switches: These create lower levels of light for sudden changes from the outside to the inside. These also work well for outdoor lighting as well.

Now that you have a few things to work with, make sure you think of energy efficiency. Along with the style, types, and designs of the lighting you want, think of how they will affect the environment, your neighbors, and your costs. Light up your home's first impression with good choices and careful planning. Be sure to consult a professional for installation and design help.

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