The Difference Between Uplighting vs downlighting Exterior House

If you’re considering giving your exterior home a well-deserved upgrade with some new lighting fixtures, let’s take a closer look at the differences between uplighting vs downlighting for your exterior house.

Uplighting

Uplighting is a form of lighting fixture that is typically installed throughout your property at the ground level, to project light upwards. By doing so, you can create specific focal points that strategically emphasize areas of your exterior architecture or parts of your landscaping, including trees, gardens, and more.

Downlighting

On the other hand, downlighting is a lighting feature that is installed above ground level, typically on higher points of your property, to project light downwards. This technique is used to illuminate your exterior property, whether landscaping, architectural features, walkways, or outdoor furniture, similar to how natural light would on a clear evening.

The Benefits of Uplighting vs Downlighting

Now that we know the differences between uplighting and downlighting, here are some of the benefits each light can provide you when installed around the exterior of your home and property in general.

Advantages of Uplighting

Installing uplighting on the ground level of your home and property can provide you with: 

• Aids with creating strategic shadowing to create depth
• It helps you create exterior boundaries around your property
• It can add to your home’s exterior security system
• Can increase your home’s value
• Enhances landscaping and architectural features
• Adds safety and visibility to your home

Advantages of Downlighting

In contrast, installing downlighting at the higher points of your home and property can provide you with the benefit of:

• Creates and emphasizes the textures and various layers on your property
• Adds emphasis and focal points to outdoor furniture to enhance exterior gather spaces so you can entertain guests and improve the ambience
• Improves your outdoor security system
• Enhances pathways and improves visibility throughout your property
• Replicates natural moon light and can be installed on trees and higher points on your home
• Can increase the property value of your home

How You Can Use Both Uplighting and Downlighting Outdoors

Generally speaking, while it is possible to stick to installing uplighting as opposed to downlighting on the exterior of your home’s property and vice versa, many homeowners tend to opt for a combination of both fixtures to experience all of the possible advantages. Additionally, by using both types of lighting, you can create an enhanced curbside appeal that compliments each other. Therefore, if you’re interested in using both types of exterior lighting features for your home, take a look at some of the suggestions below:

• When using both types of lighting features, you can create several angles of light that helps you achieve a more organic and subtle result.
• When using both uplighting and downlighting you can strategically create focal points that guide the eyes of onlookers while subtly creating supporting points of emphasis to enhance the overall mood of your property.
• Uplighting helps you create a softer appeal while downlighting fashions a more moonlight effect. Therefore, when used together, both results help complement each other for an overall natural finish.

Types of Uplighting and Downlighting for Your Exterior Property

Another fantastic aspect of both uplighting and downlighting for your outdoors is that there are several types of lighting fixtures to choose from, including:

• Canopy lighting –works well in garden beds and when lighting up pathways by reflecting light downwards in a subtle manner
• Wash lighting – these types of lights diffuse a soft light and work great on fences and garden walls
• Bullet lighting –these lights project a narrow light and works great to emphasize architectural features, gardens, and trees
• Well lighting—these lights are typically installed within the grown and are used to illuminate walls, plants, trees, and more without having to see the light fixture itself
• Flood lighting –this type of uplighting creates a brighter beam of light that works well with larger, wider areas  

The Bottom Line 

As you can see, uplighting and downlighting is a great, affordable way to enhance your curbside appeal without having to go above and beyond with updating your exterior property!

Need more information?

Call us for the go to Atlanta Landscape Lighting Company

Phone: 770-521-2805
Email:  Contact@AbulousLighting.com