The path leading to the front entrance of your home is one of the most popular places for landscape lighting. There are several beneficial reasons to illuminate the walkway too. It can create a warm and inviting feel while safely guiding guests to your door and increase security.
The most common application for illuminating the front walkway involves the use of path lights. These fixtures are approximately 14”-18” or taller. You might have noticed this popular technique while browsing photos online or driving by homes at night looking for ideas.
Finding the perfect balance for your walkway is key to using path light fixtures. Too many path lights will produce a runway type of look, while too few will leave dark spots. At McKay Lighting, we often consider the size and beam spread of the fixture and then stagger their position. This technique helps evenly illuminate the walkway without overwhelming it with light.
Bollards, similar to path lights, are another popular option. This taller fixture is ideal for driveways and wide paths. The home pictured above has a wide walkway leading to the front entrance from the circular driveway. The extra height provides a larger beam spread for more even illumination to the entire path. We also installed well lights to illuminate the front entrance.
Just like path lights, you'll want to carefully consider the fixture placement to find the perfect balance of light. Learn more about using these bollards for driveways or wide paths here, or learn more about decorative light bollards here.
If the path leading to your home has a wall or similar structure, illuminating the wall is a unique way to brighten the area. The gentle splashes of light help make the walkway more safe, secure, and inviting.
The home pictured above has a wide front walkway with brick walls. The homeowners remodeled their front entrance to include seat walls. They wanted the lighting to create a warm and inviting yet safe entrance, so guests could see as they are coming and going. We were strategic with spacing the light, not too much but enough where it makes sense. The key to installing this application was working with the other contractors involved in the project during the planning and installation phase.
A client of ours wanted a unique and different option for lighting their front entrance walkway. The home's elevation in relation to the road was a concern as far as the fixture selection and positioning. We wanted to ensure the light source would not accidentally cause glare as people drove by the property.
This low-profile brass LED fixture was the perfect solution as it complements the style of the house, perfectly (and uniquely) illuminates the walkway, and is not obtrusive to people as they pass by. You can learn more about this technique and see the behind the scenes installation footage of it here.
At the residence above, we installed light fixtures onto the steps and at the base of the columns. The step lights mark the elevation change to increase nighttime safety for guests and illuminate the walkway. Highlighting the columns not only brightens up the front entrance, but it creates visual appeal and enhances the architecture of the home.
Our dedicated team at McKay Landscape Lighting works with you to create a custom landscape lighting design that's unique to your property. From design to installation to service, you can count on our team of experts to make sure you are happy with your lighting system for years to come.