Is the cold, wet, dreary weather starting to get to you a bit? If so, I promise you’re not the only person in Kansas City with cabin fever. The past few weeks, winter has been particularly brutal, driving us indoors. Anytime we are forced to stay indoors, restlessness, lethargy, and a touch of stir-craziness inevitably sets in. The key to combating cabin fever is distraction. By keeping your mind occupied, the time indoors can feel a little less interminable. So what better way to distract yourself than by doing a little planning for outdoor time when the weather improves? Maybe you want to organize a party, host a barbecue, or just spend some time in your garden. Whatever the plan, be confident you will able to enjoy the outdoors day and night, and you can do that with outdoor lighting. So grab a pencil and paper or your computer, and let’s begin drafting a plan for your spring outdoor lighting.
Answering a few questions can get to more prepared to meet with your outdoor lighting designer. Go ahead and provide answers to the following questions. They can help you make important decisions regarding your lighting when you meet with your outdoor lighting designer.
Do you have an outdoor lighting system already in place? If so, note whether you are interested in adding lighting to a new area (for example, pool area lighting) or if you would like to upgrade and/or redesign it. Also, note what kind of system it is.
- What areas do you most want to illuminate? Remember than an outdoor lighting system doesn’t have to be installed all at once. This could be a choice based on cost effectiveness or practicality (perhaps you are having other improvements done that might impact the design of the system). Whatever the reason, pick the most important areas and rank them.
Outdoor lighting can create many different moods. What mood do you want to set?
- What mood do you want to set? Lighting can have many effects, and depending on the placement, type, and number of fixtures, you can create a dramatic, relaxing, exciting, or elegant mood. Think about what you want to feel when you are in that outdoor space.
- Can you find examples? Okay, you may have to move to the computer for this one, unless you have magazines lying about that contain pictures of outdoor lighting. While no lighting designer can guarantee your design will be just like the picture, examples can help a designer better understand what you have in mind. Take a look at some of the photos on our Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Kansas City Houzz page. They can give you an idea of how we might improve some of your areas as well.
Now that you have answered these questions and gathered a few pictures, you’re prepared. And you’ve had a couple hours to take your mind off of how close the walls seem to be getting.
When you’re ready to talk to an outdoor lighting designer, contact Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Kansas City. We have been designing and installing outdoor lighting and realizing our clients’ visions for years, and we’re not deterred by cold or nasty weather. With a phone call a couple meetings, we can be well on the way to having your property outdoor ready as soon as spring weather breaks.
