Holiday Exterior Lighting Tips

Holiday exterior lights are one of the best ways to get into the holiday spirit. The soft twinkle casts a glow down the street, creating a cozy, festive vibe throughout the neighborhood. Whether you prefer a grand holiday lighting display or an understated spotlight highlighting your front door wreath, your exterior holiday lights spread cheer to everyone who passes by. Read on for tips on illuminating your home’s exterior this holiday season.

Layer in greenery

Decorating your home’s exterior with garland, wreaths and other seasonal greenery creates a festive look during the day and becomes magically illuminated at night with your holiday lights. It also gives your home more dimension and prevents it from looking too flat and one-dimensional. Adorning the greenery, particularly wreaths, is another way to help these accents stand out.

Shine a spotlight

If you prefer a more minimal look and don't want your home fully lit up, shine a spotlight on your front door. Hang an oversized wreath with a decorative touch, such as a large bow or adorned with ribbon, on the front door. Shine a spotlight on the door for an understated yet festive look.

Choose the color scheme

Different shades of holiday lights evoke different emotions. White lights are elegant, welcoming and warm, while multi-colored lights create a more whimsical, nostalgic effect. Selecting a color scheme for the ribbons, bows and ornaments makes a beautifully cohesive impact. If you prefer white lights and your children want colorful lights, consider adorning the front yard with warm white lights and the backyard trees, deck, or patio with brightly colored multi-colored lighting.

Be strategic with the placement

The placement of the lighting can highlight features of your home and landscaping you love while minimizing aspects you prefer to hide. For example, covering your expertly trimmed boxwood hedges with lights will help them stand out, while opting not to hang lights on other landscaping elements can help to hide any imperfections. Or, if you prefer to focus solely on showcasing your house with the lights, only hang lights on the house, not on any trees or surrounding landscaping, as the eyes will be drawn to the light. When you do light up the bushes and shrubbery, be sure to hang them on both sides to ensure symmetry.

Hire a professional

Hiring a professional to hang your exterior holiday lights eliminates the stress of hanging the lights, lessens the risk of injuries, and lets you spend more time enjoying the holiday season with your loved ones. Hiring a professional saves you time, and they’re also skilled in creating stunning, symmetrical holiday light displays and have the electrical background to execute a seamless presentation

Illuminating your home’s exterior creates a stunning display before you even set foot inside.

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