Landscape Lighting For Winter

Fall is here and you know what is just around the corner. Cold and snow! Don’t let all that landscaping you’ve done, and even the exterior of your home, go dark for the winter. We put together a few tips for lighting your home in the winter months. Just keep in mind that water (or snow) and electricity are not good friends, so call a professional for installation services you can trust.

Winter can bring additional travelling and walking issues due to snow, ice, and cold temperatures. Outdoor lighting can prevent mishaps, provide markers when snow obscures the ground and makes walking or driving treacherous.

A properly lit home can be a welcoming sight against the backdrop of lightly falling snow or a beacon of safety against the gales of winter. Landscape lighting is often designed with curb appeal in mind, but don’t forget the view from inside your home too.

With the shorter days and often darker weather on the way, make sure that any pathways, walkways, steps, front doors, and driveways are well lit. Not only can this help guide a snow shovel or plow, but it can prevent dangerous slips and falls too. The shorter days may mean that parts of your yard receive even less light. Is there a security concern there? Are there any areas where you need to cast more light? Properly placed outdoor lighting can make all the difference.

Winter is full of contrasts and new shadows. That leafless tree can be Halloween’s scare and Christmas’ delight with a light dusting of new snow. If you’ve been in your home for a season or two, you know where the snow tends to drift and pile up. Lighting can play off the white vs green contrast offered by the snow and any coniferous or evergreen trees in your yard for dramatic effect.

The patio might be the focal point in the yard during the warmer months, but perhaps in the winter you’ll want to focus on another landscape element that is more prominent. The barbeque area may need less lighting in the winter, but the pathway to the front door likely needs more light. Consider how you’ll use the outdoor elements around your home and plan for adequate lighting for those areas.

Most Christmas lights are temporary, but it is a great way to brighten up the front of your home. String and net lights are affordable and easy to install. Hanging lighted wreaths or boughs from windows, door frames, pillars or posts adds some nice green contrast to the landscape. Coloured or white lights along roof lines, around windows and doors, or in trees adds character to your home. Spotlights are also available that can cast different colours or patterns onto the front of your home.

Make sure your home is beautifully lit no matter what the season is. Our team of experts can create a unique-to-you yearlong lighting design to help your home or business stand out and keep you and your family and guests safe. Contact our Ottawa landscape lighting team for more details.