Turn Your Cottage into a Summer Sanctuary With Ottawa Landscape Lighting

You spend half of the warm season – or more – at your cottage, so why not light it up with proper residential outdoor lighting? Your cottage can benefit from Ottawa landscape lighting in more than just aesthetics. Outdoor lighting adds safety and security when you're in the cottage, and more particularly, for those times when you're not visiting cottage country. Landscape Lighting Ottawa knows how important it is to light up your home away from home. That's why we've compiled a list of tips to help you bring Ottawa landscape lighting to your out-of-Ottawa retreat.

Plan ahead
Where do you spend the most amount of time while at the cottage? Are you a big barbecue fanatic? Does your cottage gathering often erupt into sunset bocce ball tournaments? Take some time to map out the areas of your lawn with the most traffic, as these will require special attention from your Landscape Lighting Ottawa outdoor lighting services. These are the areas that will demand safety lighting, and these will also need some planning to make sure there aren't any fixtures that could be risk for tripping.

Paths, stairs, and docks
The activity that you never want to be included in your cottage schedule is a trip to the ER for a sprained or broken ankle. Stairs, pathways, and docks are some of the most important areas for Ottawa landscape lighting. Scout out any uneven, or ascending and descending areas on your cottage's property.

When lighting up these areas, avoid straight rows of fixtures. Lining up your residential outdoor lighting can have the effect of an airplane landing strip – especially out on a boat dock.

Avoid "light trespass"
When cottagers are on vacation, they enjoy the feeling of retreat, of sanctuary, and of separation from a busy urban life. It makes sense that the last thing they'd want is residential outdoor lighting from other cottages seeping onto their property.

When you light up your cottage, use down lighting fixtures. This contains the beam more effectively, preventing any excess light from entering your neighbour's property. Your neighbour will appreciate it, and may even take the hint if they're guilty of light trespassing.

Use subtle beams
Upon entering the wilderness, you need to throw away all of your metro expectations. Animals out in cottage country are used to a dark habitat at night, and cottagers like a landscape free from light pollution. When you invest in Landscape Lighting Ottawa for your cottage, make sure to use subtle, low voltage lighting to avoid disrupting this post-dusk peace. As mentioned, down lighting is the best option to contain your Landscape Lighting Ottawa outdoor lighting services within your own yard.

Don't run through the night
Following the previous recommendation of subtle lighting, you also want to make sure your lights aren't running through the night. This disturbs wildlife sleeping and hunting patterns, and the slumbers of your vacationing neighbours.

Landscape Lighting Ottawa recommends flipping the switch at 11 p.m. Turning your Ottawa landscape lighting off at this time won't impact your safety, but will show your respect and consideration for your surroundings.

Begin preparing the perfect Ottawa landscape lighting plan for your cottage. Contact Landscape Lighting Ottawa for a complimentary estimate on our best residential outdoor lighting.