Many of us hold dear the memory of our childhood home decorated for the Christmas Season. Those warm lights glowing on a cold night and the feelings they bring are something we strive to recreate for our children, visiting family, and even strangers passing by. Here are some professional holiday lighting tips to create a memorable display this year.
Start Early and Develop a Plan
It is much safer and more pleasant to install your lighting before the weather becomes too frigid. Slippery ice on your pavement or roof adds an extreme level of danger and difficulty to an already time consuming task. Check with your HOA before installing. Many HOA’s will allow you to hang lighting early as long as it is not turned on until after Thanksgiving.
Developing a plan prior to climbing your ladder is incredibly helpful. Your lights serve to welcome visitors to your home, so consider your front door as a focal point. A wide variety of colors and combinations are available depending on your taste but simple design is often a reliable holiday classic.
5 Key Design Areas
At Timberline Landscaping we design and install with 5 key elements in mind.
- Roofline- Adding lights to your roofline and gutters of your home will provide the timeless look so many of us hope for in a lighting display.
- Windows- Frame focal windows to add more interest.
- Ground Décor- Add lighting to your pathways and driveways. It is beautiful and will help company safely navigate to your front door at night.
- Trees & Shrubs- When selecting which of your trees and shrubs to light remember that they should frame the focal point of your home. They can also provide balance to your overall display.
- Daytime Décor- Many people forget to consider daytime elements. Adding garland, wreaths, and festive bows can give your home a welcome feel before the sun goes down.
Tools of the Trade
We highly recommend converting to LED lighting. They use 80% less power than incandescent lights and have a brighter, more vibrant color. Make sure that any extension cords used are rated for outdoor use and are placed to avoid tripping hazards. Hiding cords under mulch or rock will provide a cleaner look and help keep your family and pets safe. Choose to purchase non-invasive clips rather than nails in order to hang lights without damaging your home. Lastly, a timer for your display will save you the hassle of turning your lights off and on each day.
Should you prefer to utilize a professional for your Christmas Décor needs it is important to choose a contractor that is experienced and has insurance.
Timberline has been designing and installing beautiful lighting displays since 2001. Since lights are owned by Timberline, lighting plans are customizable from year to year, allowing variance in design without the purchase of new lights. This also means no more storage of tons of tangled lights cluttering your home storage spaces. Each property we install is provided a no-hassle timer and we are always on-call for service issues. This means if you have a strand out on the day of your holiday party our team will get it corrected. More information is available on the blog and our residential holiday lighting page.
Here’s to a memorable season full of light and love to you and yours.
