7 Outdoor Lighting Ideas for the Front of the House in the Ashland and Sudbury, MA Areas

When you drive up to the front of your Ashland or Sudbury, MA, home after dark, what is your first thought? If it’s been a ho-hum feeling, then change that thought to, “Oh, how gorgeous!” with the following outdoor lighting ideas. 

Related: Showcase a Backyard Landscape Design With These Outdoor Lighting Ideas in Shrewsbury, MA

Lighting for Front of the House

Illuminating the front of your house can bring the focus to the entry, highlight architectural features, and allow your guests to safely and confidently approach your home after dark.

• Sidewalk lighting: Landscape lighting along the sidewalk could minimize the risk of anyone falling in front of your house while also helping to highlight your beautiful front yard when it’s dark out. Low-level lighting amid the surrounding landscape beds could also shine some light toward the walkway. 

• Step lighting: As guests walk up the front steps, do they have to step very carefully because there is minimal lighting shining there? Remedy that with the introduction of under-step lighting that is discreet yet casts a soft glow on the steps for easy access to the front door.

• Front entry lighting: If your front entry could use some outdoor lighting upgrades, consider replacing the sconces with a current choice that casts more light. A lantern or pendant suspended from the roof of the landing would add additional lighting in a pretty design. When you have a full front porch, recessed lighting on a dimmer so that you can adjust the amount of light on the porch for different purposes.

• Spotlights for the foundation: When spotlights are expertly added along the foundation of your house or soft wash lights are introduced to cast a soft glow toward the front of your home, this effect can complete a front-of-the-house illumination plan. These outdoor lights can be focused to shine on any part of your home that you wish to illuminate.

Lighting for the Landscape 

Don’t forget that the actual landscape can use illumination, too. When you finish the front of the house with landscape lighting, the entire visual picture can be perfect.

• Driveway lighting: Adding lighting to the driveway can make it easier to enter and exit the driveway after dark. A landscaper can add lights to the adjoining landscape beds and recess into the edges of the driveway as part of your overall driveway upgrade to new concrete pavers. When new friends are coming to visit, having lit street numbers can help them locate your home with ease. Plus, this is a lovely way to greet guests.

• Landscape bed lighting: Having the perimeter of the landscape beds lighted can draw attention to the property as well. Your landscaper can illuminate an ornamental tree, a majestic oak, or any trees that you love and want to highlight after dark.

• Fence lighting: Some homes have fencing along the front of the yard or a retaining wall. The combination of landscape features can be made particularly gorgeous with wash lights that shine a gentle glow. This also brings definition to the night-time landscape. 

Skilled landscapers can showcase the front of your yard and home to create a custom lighting design that brings out all the best features in the previously dark landscape. Not only does adding lighting to the front of your home and property look beautiful but it increases safety—and would give you peace of mind.

Related: 3 Practical Uses of Outdoor Lighting for a Newton, MA, Landscape Design