8 Effective Beautiful Front Yard Lighting Ideas For Your Home

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Let’s face it… front yard lighting goes way beyond sticking some outdoor solar yard lights or solar-powered lights along the walkway.

During the day, we proudly look out the window as our manicured lawn basks in the summer sun, and makes us a proud homeowner. When the sun goes down, a little garden lighting or exterior lighting can help make the lawn and landscape come alive.

Many of us may have attempted a little landscape lighting design in the backyard since that’s where we congregate with family and friends. However, front yard light differs from lighting the backyard.


Both use the same technology, but the front yard carries different reasons and goals when lighting in the front yard.

Front yard lights direct visitors to the front entry, but also accent the garden, highlight the architecture of your home and provide security – needs and considerations not required by the backyard.

The technology used and outdoor lighting ideas put into practice to illuminate the front yard is very similar to lighting the backyard, but differ in options depending on the goal you want to achieve.

Here are 8 tips from landscape designer Jenny Peterson over at Houzz on front yard lighting and excellent home improvement project:

Front Entryway Lighting

Many homeowners forget to adequately light the front entryway. “Lighting not only helps people know where to enter (important if you have a large home with multiple doors), but increases security as you answer your door at night.” says Jenny

“Use outdoor lights to make your front door a focal point. The front door is an important part of a guest’s first impression of your home. By making the front door the focal point of your home, you will create a warm, inviting mood for guests while increasing your home’s security. Outdoor wall sconces can be the main source of light for the front door or can be used to add a classic touch with subtle gas lamps.”  Via platinumserieshomes.net

Outdoor Step Lighting

Illuminate every other step and add garden lights on the sides so visitors know where the next step is located.

Wall and Outdoor Column Lighting

Add lighting to provide security and act as a “roadmap” for nighttime visitors. Front yard courtyard walls, stucco walls in parking areas or lower walls lining the edges of your yard also sets them off.

Uplight To Create “Architectural Plants”

Using uplighting can create “nighttime works of art” using plants. A few examples of “architectural plants” include:

More ideas for lighting palm trees and other shrubs along with install lights shining upwards at the plant bases.



Garden Lights

Jenny recommends using, “Soft lighting to show off foliage and create a welcoming nighttime ambiance is a thoughtful touch for people visiting your house, but it’s also a great feature in case you want to walk through your own garden at night without a flashlight.” Garden Lighting Tips here.

Garage Lighting

Ever tried going to your garage from your front door at night, without lights? Help yourself and your guest with some illumination, by having lights where needed. Plus you’ll find lots of cool garage light fixtures.

House Address Light

You know how irritated people get when people cannot find your address during the day. At night it’s even more frustrating. Use adequate lighting to make address numbers visible, whether on a front fence, columns or the front door.

Security Lighting

It’s pretty simple but often overlooked. “Houses that are well lit make it more difficult for unwanted visitors to hide.” Jenny shares. A variety of lighting around the property and house gets rid of the shadows and provides security.

Tree Lighting

Garden lighting plays a role but… “Tree lights are the unsung heroes of outdoor lighting. Their light gives a yard depth and feel without drawing too much attention. They can highlight a beautiful flower bed or an interesting yard sculpture.

Try positioning lights so that they shine downward through leaves and branches. The shadows create intriguing patterns in the yard below and accent the front yard with an appealing contrast between light and dark.” Via platinumserieshomes.net

Outdoor Lighting Maintenance Tips

From the experts at Lumière, located in Westlake Village, California, on keeping your outdoor-lighting fixtures in shape: Via thisoldhouse.com

  • Periodic cleaning can help reduce calcium deposits from water falling on fixtures and lenses. If the deposits are heavy, use a household cleaner formulated to remove lime.
  • Lubricate threads with an anti-oxidizing, anti-seize lubricant like Permatex, found at auto-supply stores.
  • Lubricate the socket and lamp base with a high-heat silicone compound to prevent metals from corroding together, which makes it tough to unscrew a lamp.
  • Check light fixture mounts to make sure they are secure, safe and not causing damage to trees or other landscaping lighting features.
  • Verify that landscaping and vegetation are not shielding the fixture and blocking the light. You may have to move fixtures or trim plants.

Want to add more curb appeal to your front yard? Read Jenny Peterson’s complete article at Houzz.com