Outdoor lighting adds hours to your Crystal Lake brick paver patio

night_patioOne summer night this year, you’ll look out the back window and see a glow from beyond the trees where your Crystal Lake neighbor is entertaining on his brick paver patio. You’ll hear the laughter and recognize the comfort and relaxation the lighting brings to brick pavers patio in someone else’s yard. And then there’s your brick pavers patio, hiding in the shadows when the day is done.

You could light some candles but it won’t be the same. Still, there’s no reason to feel envious. Rather, consider this reflection on as a moment of enlightenment. Maybe it’s time to bring light to your brick pavers patio, too. And, if you don’t have a patio, maybe it’s time to do something about that, as well.

Of course, if the thought of your neighbors enjoying the benefits of landscape lighting isn’t enough motivation, maybe there’s another way to look at it.

When you add a brick paver patio to your home it’s almost as though you’ve added another room, a room that opens to the expanse of your yard. Of course, in the winter, that room generally sits unused and somewhat unavailable. But, when the warmer weather arrives, the lack of winter access compels you to want to make the most of the opportunity.

You’ve hardly maximized the benefits of your Crystal Lake brick pavers patio if, as soon as the sun goes down, your patio all but vanishes into the shadows. In other words, outdoor lighting extends the hours that your brick paver patio is available. And it’s not just that there are longer hours when your Crystal Lake patio provides a place for relaxation and entertaining; it’s also that those night-time hours offer a distinctly different ambiance. And, if the sun was beating hot during the day, there’s a good chance the night will beat the heat away.

Certainly, outdoor lighting isn’t relegated merely to providing illumination for brick pavers patios. It also provides illumination for brick paver walkways, brick paver drives and other outdoor features. In the process of providing illumination, outdoor lighting also improves safety and security.

The key to landscape lighting is in the choice and placement of outdoor lighting fixtures. For instance, one great big light might light up a large area but will it provide the aesthetic appeal you’re looking for? Will it maximize the use of outdoor lighting with your brick paver patio, walkway, driveway and yard?

The strategic placement of outdoor lighting fixtures is essential. That requires the consideration of certain factors, including:

Placing landscape lighting to accent special features, such as areas of your brick paver patio where people sit or move about. You may also have features in the patio or yard that you are particularly proud of that you still want to enjoy when the sun goes down. This may include trees, gardens, water features and more.
Using appropriate levels of landscape lighting for the area you want to illuminate will help to create the ambiance you’re looking for while similarly meeting the functional needs of your outdoor lighting.
Aiming your lighting is essential so the illumination plays across the areas you want lighted while avoiding the creation of shadows where they’re not intended.

While it’s one thing to consider these aspects of outdoor lighting, to really do the job right, you may want to call in a professional, such as the landscape design experts at Cal & Shan’s near Crystal Lake. They have the experience with landscape lighting to ensure that the job of adding outdoor lighting to your Crystal Lake brick paver patio is done right the first time. They’ll ensure that you get the maximum use of your brick paver patio day or night.