It’s full-on spring, and there seems to be a lot of activity in the landscape lighting world. That’s probably because landscape lighting is generally a great and affordable way to significantly improve the curb appeal of your home. Landscape lighting ideas abound on the internet, and, since it’s a popular season for landscape lights, I thought I would curate for you some of the best landscape lighting I have seen out there on the Web.

1. Wall Grazing at Its Finest

Wall grazing is a lighting technique in which light is cast up or down a wall in order to let the light and shadow play off the wall’s texture. Wall grazing works especially well on this wonderfully textured stone wall. Interesting walls like this almost demand uplights to play off their texture.

2. Cinematic Pond Beacon Situation

Very bright light on this structure in the middle of a pond creates a dramatic, almost cinematic effect. Bright uplights on the trees give some context to the attractive structure.

3. Variations on a Path

Using different styles of path light can make the walk to the house much more interesting. Never assume it’s law that all your path lights match. Mixing it up a little gives the eye a lot more to look at, and the outdoor lighting design looks more calculated, in a good way. Instead of the string of path lights that come in a pack, this is conscious design that makes every trip to the front door pleasant.

4. Variation on Variations on a Path

Another way you can break the monotony of path lighting is to place your path lights according to the visual features along the path, like plants or garden ornaments. Setting up the path lights to be spaced a little farther apart and placing them in different proximity to the path – now directly on the path, now set back near some interesting plants – leads the eye farther down the path, which creates a spectacle and gives the eye much more to admire.

5. Path Lighting without all the Path Lights

Landscape lighting doesn’t always have to include path lights. Here, adequate illumination and very attractive lighting design is achieved by uplighting trees and using downlights mounted on the house.

6. Moon Lighting: A Supernatural Experience?

Moonlighting is a technique in which lights are hidden higher up in trees to create an ambient effect. Pretty cool!

7. Under Counter Lights

One really cool outdoor lighting effect is under counter lighting. Led rope, tape, or LED tape rope hybrid can be run under the edge of counter, stone wall ledge, bar, island, or bridge to create a wonderful lighting effect. This is one application in which LED landscape lighting works really well.

8. Water + Lighting =  Awesome

What’s cooler than light fixtures giving an almost otherworldly beauty to outdoor water features? This is my personal favorite kind of landscape lighting. It just provides such a reliably relaxing and comfortable atmosphere. If your home is your sanctuary, you might want to consider this one-two-three punch of water, sound, and light.

9. Shadowy Magic

Moonlighting can also be used to create cool shadows on the path. See that light mounted up in that tree? It mimics the light of the moon, creating interesting shadows on the ground and enough ambient light to see where you’re walking. Great lighting design.

10. Lit Up Night Time Oasis

There are a lot of interesting things going on here. The space feels large and luxurious, in part because that uplight at the back draws the eye directly to the back edge of the space, making the whole spread look larger. The path lights around the perimeter draw attention to the landscaping. Of course, the star of this show is the cove lighting used around the bridge, making it look almost as if it is floating on light. Yes to this.

11. Epic Landscape Lighting in a Park

I mean, this pretty much speaks for itself. The high powered uplights illuminating the tall canopy creates an amazing effect. Not only is it beautiful, but it also represents the dual purpose of landscape lighting: To beautify and to make safer. Urban parks can be dangerous, but this one looks even more welcoming at night.

One of the best things you can do to protect your home and keep your family safe is to add motion sensor installation to your Fairfax, VA property. Simply put, when someone is close enough to your home, their motion is detected and a light comes on. This bright light deters intruders, alerts neighbors and makes you aware of what’s taking place on the perimeter of your house.

Bright lights are an intruders worst nightmare. Thieves and home invaders thrive on the hidden cover of darkness. Motion sensors also protect your home when you’re away. You’ll feel more secure knowing anyone approaching your home will be seen by neighbors and passersby.

The most common places to install motion sensors are in close proximity to garage doors, porches or patios, backyards and front and back entry doors. A quality motion sensor also helps illuminate your walkways as you approach your home after dark.

Motion sensors can even help decrease your electricity bills. Because motion sensors only come on when movement is detected, they are less costly than porch and other exterior lights that must run continually. No more hunting around for light switches in the dark, either.

There are certain jobs you’ll do in your home over the years that require nothing but some basic knowledge and a YouTube video. Electrical work, however, is not one of these jobs. Electrical jobs can not only be dangerous, but can also lead to property damage if not done correctly.

But how do you go about finding a true professional? Certainly, you want a service provider you can trust to do the job correctly and safely, and you want a job you can rely on. Keep reading to learn more about what separates a professional electrician from the rest.

Electrical work is very complex, and learning how to do it correctly requires many hours of education and training. Check to ensure that any electrician you choose to work with has the training and the proper certification required for your job, and for your zoning area.

In addition to being adequately licensed, any handyman you invite into your home to perform work should also be insured. If not, you’d be liable for any injuries or damages that occur when they work on your property.

NEC stands for the National Electrical Code, and is a code that outlines the standards for the safe installation of electrical wiring and equipment in the United States. Any type of building code can be updated at any time, so it’s vital that your electrician is aware of changes and is able to communicate them clearly to you.

Don’t hire an amateur electrician with whom you are unsure of or try to attempt a DIY electric job. Instead, rely on the professionalism and expertise we have on our team.