Feb 24, 2026 8:39:42 AM
Permanent outdoor lighting is an excellent way to add value and curb appeal to your Memphis home. While permanent lighting has been around for a few years, it’s still considered relatively “new” and we find that many homeowners have questions.
That’s why we’ve put together this guide to outdoor lighting, focused on helping you to determine whether residential outdoor permanent lighting is right for you.
Understanding some of the benefits of permanent lighting and what’s involved in adding a system can help you make the best choice for your property.
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Before we go any further, let’s define permanent outdoor lighting. Permanent lighting involves the installation of a long-lasting, weather-resistant lighting system that allows you to enjoy not only holiday lighting, but festive and attractive lighting throughout the year. It eliminates the hassles involved with temporary, seasonal installations.
Because it’s a "permanent" solution, this outdoor lighting system will be installed in a way that is discreet and integrated into your home’s architecture so that it’s not noticeable when the lights are off or during the day.
Permanent outdoor lighting can be customizable to exactly what you want. You can create a look that features a vast array of colors and patterns. It’s a great way to highlight your style or celebrate a holiday.
While most people think of this as a permanent holiday lighting solution (and not having to put lights up and take them down every year is definitely a huge benefit) it’s also something that can be enjoyable throughout the year.
This might involve using colored lighting for different holidays (think red for Valentine’s Day, orange at Halloween, or even your favorite sports team’s colors before the big game). But even just using “white” lights can make your home bright, beautiful, and appealing throughout the year.
Choosing to add permanent lights to your home is ultimately going to be a personal decision. But there are many benefits of permanent lighting that might make it worth the investment.
Most of the time, when homeowners are considering adding permanent lights, they’re weighing it against temporary, seasonal lights.
Some of the pros of permanent lighting (in comparison to temporary holiday lighting) include:
Convenience: Not having to go through taking down and re-installing lights each year)
Customization: There is a lot more control and personalization with permanent lighting
Durability: Since outdoor permanent lighting is designed to remain outside all year long, it’s a more durable product than strands of seasonal lights
On the flipside, some of the pros of seasonal lighting include:
At the end of the day, you have to make the choice that is right for you and your property.
One of the concerns that homeowners commonly have is about the cost of adding permanent lighting. It’s true that the upfront cost is going to be greater than temporary, seasonal lighting.
However, temporary seasonal lighting (usually installed November to January), does have to be re-installed every year. If you get professional holiday lighting installed, over time that is going to add up and surpass the cost of permanent outdoor lighting.
But even if you handle holiday lighting yourself, you know that there are many hassles and headaches associated with this task.
One of the things that drives homeowners to consider permanent lighting is becoming frustrated with the hassles and headaches of putting up holiday lights every year. Going up and down the ladder to install lights and then take them down again at the end of the season is a lot of work.
It can also be dangerous. There are many accidents involving ladder falls every year. There are somewhere around 15,000 to 18,000 people treated in emergency rooms every year for holiday decorating injuries. There are risks associated with putting lights up AND taking them down. It means going up and down the ladder multiple times.
There’s also the hassles associated with storing lights and then taking them back out (and possibly untangling) year after year.
Having lights go up once and stay up is a major advantage of permanent outdoor lighting. Once they’re up, you’ll have holiday lighting at the push of a button but you can also use them at any other time throughout the year to make your home look beautiful or festive for various occasions.
There are many benefits of permanent lighting that you can anticipate. Here are some to consider.
Year-round convenience: As we’ve stressed already, there’s a major convenience factor to having lights ready-to-go for the holidays but also being able to enjoy them throughout the year as well. No more going up and down the ladder or dealing with storing or untangling lights. You’ll have year-round exterior lighting without the hassles.
Time saving: Not having to come up with the time to put up (and take down) lights every year is also a time saver. When the holidays come around you know that you have a ton of things on your plate to handle. Your holiday lighting won’t be one of them! All you need to do is push a button and they’re ready to go!
Enhanced curb appeal: There’s certainly nothing more festive than beautiful holiday lights on the outside of your home. But a big permanent outdoor lighting benefit is the fact that your home can look bright and beautiful throughout the entire year. You might want to do different color schemes for other holidays like Halloween, Valentine’s Day, or 4th of July. Or, maybe you want to do school colors for a graduation party or big game. Even having glowing white lights makes your home bright and beautiful on an ordinary night!
Safety and security: When a property is well-lit and you can see your way around, it can prevent trips, falls, and accidents. A bright-lit home is also a deterrent to unwanted trespassers or thieves.
Long-term savings and value: Eliminating the need for annual installation and removal saves time, money, and effort! Though the initial cost of outdoor permanent lighting is going to be more than cheap holiday lighting, it’s also going to be a system that lasts you for many years. You’ll get long-term savings on your upfront investment while also making life easier and more enjoyable.
Are you thinking about choosing permanent lighting for your Memphis home? If so, it's important to invest in high-quality, professional installation services. This will help ensure that you are maximizing the value of your investment.
Although not brand-new, this is still newer technology that not all lighting companies are going to be comfortable installing. For that reason, look for a professional outdoor lighting company that is committed to keeping up with “what’s new” and staying on the cutting edge of new technology and products.
In addition, it’s important to choose a permanent exterior lighting installation service in Memphis that prioritizes design, works with high-quality materials, and will be responsive to your wants and needs. You want the entire experience to go smoothly from start to finish.
So, how do you find a permanent lighting service in Memphis that is going to help deliver the best experience and results?
Ideally, you want to look for a company that employs a Certified Outdoor Lighting Designer. This is the highest level certification out there and means that you are getting a true professional.
It also means that you’re going to get someone who creates a custom landscape lighting design for your specific property.
Take your time and do some research before making your choice. Make sure to choose a permanent lighting service in Memphis that has completed this type of work before.
At Mid South Outdoor Lighting & Audio, we are ready to help. We’ve installed many permanent outdoor lighting projects in the Memphis region and have the experience and know-how to ensure you are pleased with the finished product.
We want to help you gain all of the benefits of permanent lighting so that you can enjoy your home and its beauty to the fullest!
Ready to light up your Memphis home with permanent outdoor lighting? Request a consultation today!
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