5 Common Landscape Lighting Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

If you’re investing in outdoor lighting, you want the finished design to make your home look beautiful, help people move around safely, and make your outdoor spaces more enjoyable after dark.

But even a small design mistake can affect the final result. Poorly positioned fixtures can create glare. Too many lights can overwhelm the property, while too few can leave important areas in the dark. Fixture quality, maintenance needs, and the technology behind the system can also influence how well your lighting performs over time.

Some of the most common landscape lighting mistakes include:

1. Installing lights without a thoughtful design plan
2. Using lights that are too bright or create glare
3. Leaving important areas of the property too dark
4. Overlooking fixture quality and maintenance
5. Choosing outdated or inflexible lighting technology

Knowing what can go wrong can help you ask better questions, make more informed decisions, and choose a landscape lighting company that will thoughtfully plan your project from the beginning.

Mistake #1: Installing Lights Without a Thoughtful Design Plan

Your outdoor lighting design can start to go off track as early as the planning phase. If thoughtful planning is not given to the design, you can’t expect everything to come together smoothly.

Poor placement is one of the mistakes that can come from improper planning. You can position outdoor lights in a variety of different ways so that they achieve different effects. But if placement isn’t thoughtfully taken into consideration, you might not achieve the desired results. 

You might have an imbalance of lights that doesn’t look aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Or, you might fail to achieve your lighting goals.

How to avoid it: Make sure the design process begins with a conversation about how you use your property and what you want the lighting to accomplish. The placement, direction, brightness, and number of fixtures should all be planned together so that the finished design feels balanced and supports your goals.

Mistake #2: Using Lights That Are Too Bright or Create Glare

The number of lights, the brightness of lights, and the positioning of lights can also lead to landscape lighting mistakes.

Lighting that is pointed directly at eye level, for instance, can lead to blinding lights. This is a really common error that can detract from your outdoor lighting design. Nobody wants to have a glaring light in their eyes when they walk or drive onto your property. 

Lights that are too bright can cause a similar problem. Of course, sometimes lights aren’t bright enough, which can be a problem if your lights were meant to illuminate a pathway or help you enjoy more time outside.

Different lighting applications will naturally require different brightness. Security lighting, as an example, is often about ensuring a home is well-lit so that intruders stay away. In this application, lighting is often brighter to achieve those goals. It’s important that your end goal is taken into account.

It’s also important that the proper number of lights are used in terms of the effect you’re trying to achieve and also the aesthetic look you want to embrace. 

One area where people commonly make landscape lighting mistakes is when lighting a pathway. Using too many lights can create the look of an airport runway. You aren’t trying to land a plane. You just want to get people safely around your property.

How to avoid it: The brightness and positioning of each fixture should be selected for its specific purpose. Lights should be aimed away from eye level, and the light source should be concealed whenever possible. The goal is to provide the right amount of illumination without creating glare or overwhelming the property.

Mistake #3: Leaving Important Areas of the Property Too Dark

When large sections of the property are left in the dark, it can create “holes” in the landscape that detract from the outdoor lighting design. 

This is especially problematic for front yards, where a primary goal might be curb appeal. If parts of the property are not lit, the total design is likely to look imbalanced.

For safety purposes, you also want to make sure you can fully see all areas of the property that need to be navigated. Leaving a section in the dark where people are walking can lead to trip and fall hazards.

How to avoid it: Think about the property as a complete design rather than lighting one feature at a time. Walkways, steps, entrances, gathering spaces, architectural details, and important landscape features should work together so that the property feels balanced and the areas people use are easy to navigate.

Mistake #4: Overlooking Fixture Quality and Maintenance

It is important that high-quality and durable fixtures are used in your outdoor lighting design. You want lighting that can withstand all weather conditions. 

Just like outdoor furniture, there can obviously be some variation in how resistant lighting is to weather. This is one of the reasons why it’s really beneficial to work with an outdoor lighting professional who is only installing the highest quality materials.

That’s not to say that your lights will never require maintenance. Since accidents do happen, it always helps to work with an outdoor lighting company that also offers repairs and maintenance. 

Outdoor lighting maintenance can maintain the integrity of your lighting for many years to come.

How to avoid it: Choose durable fixtures that are designed for outdoor conditions, and ask how the system will be maintained after installation. Periodic adjustments, cleaning, repairs, and fixture repositioning can help your lighting continue to look and perform as intended as the landscape changes.

Mistake #5: Choosing Outdated or Inflexible Lighting Technology

It is also a mistake to focus only on the fixtures without considering the technology that controls the system.

LED lighting has become the standard for professionally designed outdoor lighting because it uses less energy and typically lasts longer than older lighting options. But modern landscape lighting is about more than switching to LED bulbs.

Depending on the system you choose, you may be able to adjust the brightness, control different areas of the property separately, create schedules, or manage your lighting from your phone. These features give you more flexibility to match the lighting to the way you use your outdoor spaces.

For example, you might want your patio and pool area illuminated while you are entertaining, but only need your pathways and entrances lit later in the evening. With separate lighting zones and controls, you do not have to use the entire system the same way every night.

Modern technology can also make it easier to adjust your lighting over time. As trees and plants grow or the way you use your property changes, your lighting may need to change with it.

How to avoid it: Ask what type of fixtures, controls, and lighting technology will be included in your system. Look for energy-efficient LED lighting and controls that give you the flexibility to adjust schedules, brightness, and different areas of the property based on your needs.

How to Avoid Landscape Lighting Mistakes at Your Memphis Home

 At the end of the day, avoiding these common outdoor lighting mistakes boils down to choosing the right outdoor lighting company for your project.

The truth is, many lighting companies fail to invest in high-quality lighting fixtures or the newest lighting technology. 

We hate to see Memphis homeowners get stuck with older technology that they won’t be happy with in the long run. That’s why it’s important to do your research and make sure that your lighting professional you hire is keeping up with “what’s new.” 

At Mid South Outdoor Lighting & Audio, lighting is all that we do…and for that reason, we take it very seriously. We’re thoughtfully planning your lighting project ahead of time and implementing best practices to install lights. Our goal is to deliver a superior result that you’ll enjoy for many years to come.

If you’re not willing to compromise and only want the best for your Memphis home, we’re ready to help.

Are you ready to create a secure, functional, and beautiful property at any hour of the day? If so, let’s meet and discuss some bright ideas.