Boost your curb appeal and enjoy more of your home by installing landscape lighting designed to extend your living space and improve home security. Choose the right style of landscape lighting based on where you want it and what you want the added lighting to accomplish.

With the right lighting, you can transform your ordinary yard into the perfect oasis. If you plan to host get-togethers that last long after the sun goes down, you’ll do best with ceiling or wall-mounted lights in the porch or patio area. To highlight your backyard’s best features, post lights and accent lights can take your style a long way. Path lights are a must for outlining and illuminating walkways.

Path and step lighting, as well as post lights, can be used to mark your driveway and entrances for safer travel. Path lighting is ideal to guide guests to your door and ensure secure footing. Step lighting and undercap lights are great for decks and stairs to illuminate the steps and help prevent falls. Post lights are usually larger lamps and offer full 360 degree coverage around the area, lighting driveway edges, patios, and fences.

• Focus on illuminating specific areas so you can create a look you’ll love.
• Put safety first by lighting pathways and stairs.
• Choose directional lighting if you want to draw attention to a particular feature.
• Pick adjustable lighting with the right types of bulbs to create ambiance.

Different outdoor living spaces require different types of lights. Remember:

• LED bulbs are brighter, last longer, and use less energy than other types of bulbs.
• Halogen bulbs produce high-intensity light.
• Fluorescent bulbs offer bright, energy-efficient light, but don’t last as long as LEDs.

Post lights around the perimeter or wall-mounted outdoor lights attached to your home are ideal for illuminating a deck. Accent stairs with step lighting and consider adding post caps for a finishing touch.

Pools, walkways and other landscape features look better with the right evening and nighttime lighting. With directional accent lights for special features, you can create beautiful highlights in your yard that accent fountains and other outdoor water features, gardens and gazebos.