Exterior Home Lighting Guide: Curb Appeal, Safety and Savings for the Darker Months

Shorter days mean your home spends more of its evening hours in the dark. Good exterior lighting fixes that: it makes the house look inviting from the street, helps you and your guests get to the door safely, and discourages unwanted visitors. Here is a practical guide to planning outdoor lighting that looks great and works hard, without lighting up the whole block.

Start with three layers

Interior designers layer light, and the same idea works outside. Think in three layers and you will avoid the two classic mistakes: one blinding floodlight, or a dark yard with a single lonely porch lamp.

• Task light where people walk and work: the front door, steps, paths, the garage and the grill.
• Accent light that shows off what you love: a tree, stone wall, columns or the texture of your siding.
• Ambient light that sets the mood where you relax: string lights over a patio, soft sconces on a deck.

Choose warm light for a welcoming look

Color temperature, measured in Kelvin (K), changes the whole feel of your exterior. Warm white around 2700K to 3000K flatters brick, wood and plants and feels like home. Cooler light around 4000K reads as brighter and more utilitarian, which can make sense for a driveway or work area but looks harsh at the front door. Pick one temperature for each zone and keep it consistent.

Pick fixtures rated for the weather

Outdoor fixtures face rain, snow, sun and temperature swings, so check two things before you buy:

• Wet vs. damp rating. Damp-rated fixtures belong under a covered porch. Anything exposed to rain or sprinklers should be wet-rated.
• IP rating. The second digit is water protection: IP44 handles splashes, IP65 handles water jets, IP66 handles powerful jets, and IP67 can survive temporary immersion. For exposed walls and garden lights, look for IP65 or higher.

A good example is our Black Square Waterproof Wall Light, an IP65 exterior sconce with seeded glass that suits modern and farmhouse homes alike.

Get the size and height right at the front door

Most front-door fixtures end up too small. A good rule of thumb is a wall light about one quarter to one third the height of the door when you use a pair, or a little larger for a single fixture. Mount sconces so the light source sits slightly above eye level, typically around 66 inches from the ground, so the light falls on faces and the lock rather than in people’s eyes.

Browse outdoor and indoor wall lamps to find the right scale for your entry.

Light paths and steps for safety

Path lights should guide the eye, not create a runway. Space them 6 to 8 feet apart and stagger them on alternating sides of the walkway so you get pools of light instead of a straight line. Always light changes in level: steps, curbs and the edge of a deck are where trips happen.

Use solar where wiring is hard

Modern solar lights are far better than the dim stakes of a few years ago. They are ideal for garden beds, fences, sheds and anywhere running a wire would mean digging. For the best results, place the panel where it gets around 6 to 8 hours of direct sun, and expect shorter runtimes in late fall and winter when days are short.

• Intelamp Solar LED Spotlight for uplighting trees and architectural features
• 50 ft Solar String Lights in 2700K warm white for patios, pergolas and fences
• 3-Head Adjustable Solar Wall Light for side yards and garage doors
• 2-Pack Solar Floodlights for wide areas without an outlet

See the full range in Landscape Lights.

Let sensors and timers do the work

Security lighting is most effective when it reacts. A motion-activated light that switches on as someone approaches gets more attention than a light that burns all night, and it saves energy. Pair motion lights at the driveway and side doors with dusk-to-dawn or timer control for your decorative lighting, so the house always looks lived-in.

Options like the 504 LED Solar Wall Light with Motion Sensor or a weatherproof IP66 LED Flood Light cover large areas with very little effort.

Upgrade the bulbs you already have

If your fixtures are in good shape, new LED bulbs are the fastest upgrade. Outdoor-rated LED floods use a fraction of the energy of old halogens and last for years. Our PAR30 Long Neck LED Flood Bulbs (3000K, 12-pack) are a simple swap for recessed soffit and porch cans. Read more about light bulbs.

Be a good neighbor

The best exterior lighting is felt more than seen. Choose shielded fixtures that point light down, aim spotlights at what you want to show rather than at windows next door, and keep brightness to what the task needs. You will cut glare, save energy and protect the night sky.

A quick weekend checklist

• Walk around your home after dark and note the dark spots and the glare.
• Replace any burnt-out or mismatched bulbs with one warm color temperature.
• Upgrade the front-door fixture to the right size.
• Add path or step lights where people walk.
• Put the driveway and side doors on motion sensors.
• Add one accent light to the feature you love most.

Hardwired fixtures and new outdoor circuits should be installed by a licensed electrician and follow local code, including GFCI protection for outdoor outlets.

Ready to light up the outside?

Explore our outdoor and landscape lighting and wall lamps. Every order over $50 ships free in the US, and you have 30 days to return it if it is not the right fit.