The right outdoor lighting can really showcase your garage door

If you are trying to give your home a new look, one great idea is to update your garage door to a more current style. While you are at it, you can also add some new outdoor lighting to really perk things up.

Adding new outdoor lights can have a major impact in the evening hours, but they can also add a bit of flair in the day as well. The number one function of the lights should obviously be to make the area well‑lit and safe for navigating at night, but you can also choose ones with specific architectural features to enhance the curb appeal of your home.

Adding lights around the garage door

In order to properly plan for your exterior lighting updates, you should do a quick sketch of your garage area. You may choose different styles and layouts depending on whether you have a double garage door, a single door, or some combination of both. Larger homes can sometimes have three or four garage doors to contend with. However, many garage doors you have, you will want to pay special attention to the available space surrounding your doors. This is where you will likely be installing your exterior lighting. Although, some people add lighting in the eaves, along the roofline, or even in the flowerbeds surrounding the garage area or down the link of the driveway.

Having a clear picture of what the outside areas of your home look like will help you select lighting that fits in with the available spaces perfectly. Don’t forget to leave a little bit of blank space to keep things from being too visually busy, and you also want to consider the balance that will be created by having symmetrical lights versus asymmetrical fixtures. Designers stress the importance of balance.

Choosing your fixture style

While there may be any number of exterior fixtures that you love, you will want to ensure that you choose one that will be a good fit for the style of your house. Some homes are modern and contemporary, while others tend to be classic and colonial. There are also homes that fall into the country or carriage house style. You will want to enhance the architectural aspects of your home, not try to go against them. Mixing and matching styles is possible, but it usually takes a true designer eye to pull them off well.

If you need some help deciding which styles will be best for your own home, you can often find inspiration on sites like Pinterest. However, we have compiled a few examples below that may also help you in your search for the perfect exterior lighting fixture.

Take a look at some choices for a modern style home:

For a rustic style home:

Consider your lightbulbs

Once you have made your fixture selections, you will be ready to add some light to your exteriors. That means you will need to consider which lightbulb will be best, and it is always wise to go with your manufacturer’s recommendations as far as the bulbs are concerned. Some fixtures may require specific kinds of bulbs to work safely.

You want to make sure any bulbs that you purchase are designed for exterior use, and that the wattage does not exceed what the fixture can handle. Otherwise, you will risk overheating and possible fires. The majority of outdoor lighting fixtures are rated for a 100‑watt bulb at a maximum, but there are some that require 60‑watt bulbs.

If your fixture allows for it, an LED bulb is often the best bet. LEDs are resistant to inclement weather, they are energy‑efficient, and they last for years. In fact, they often get 100,000 lighting hours! If your fixture does not require the bulb to be incandescent, then you should seriously consider making the switch to LED bulbs.

Many people use the spiral fluorescent bulbs in their homes, but these should not be used in the outdoors. There is a small amount of mercury in these types of bulbs which can be a real issue when the weather turns cold. Unless the fluorescent bulb specifically says that it can be used outdoors, keep them inside where they are safe.

Now that your bulbs are installed, you can step back and enjoy the new glow of your outdoor fixtures!

Good looking lights call for good looking garage doors

If your new light fixtures are making your garage door look a little shabby, you can contact us at 1-800-696-1926, or check out our image gallery to see projects we’ve done around the neighborhood. If you’d like to discuss new garage doors, we can send you a quotation by email.

You are also free to pay a visit to our showroom and see the different models in person. Plus, the Design Centre lets you try your hand at customization in the comfort of your own home.