How the right outdoor lighting can make your garage door look fantastic

One of the top ways to make your home look even better than it already does is to change up your garage door. When you decide to do so, you can go above and beyond by adding or modifying your lighting near the garage door to really make the space look amazing.

By choosing the right lights, you can change the way your house looks, both at night and during the day. The lighting should offer enough light that the area is safe for you and your guests after work, but you should also consider how it accents the architectural style of your home and the garage door. When it all comes together, it bumps up your curb appeal. At the same time, you don’t want to go too far. Having spotlights that make your home look like an arena isn’t going to be helpful and it may upset your neighbors. We have some tips to help you do things right.

Choosing lights to surround the garage door

When it comes time to plan the lighting outside, you want to build a sketch of your garage door. Why? If you have a double garage door that is 16 feet wide, your process is going to be different than someone who has two eight-foot doors. Some people might have a double and a single door, which is also different from the other two. If you have a small home, you may have a single door while a large home might have three or four single doors. No matter what the situation is, you need to know what you have and how much space is around the doors. Jot down how large the space is, whether you have eaves, and even consider whether your roofline makes it possible to install down lighting. You may also want to think about whether you want to add lighting to your driveway while you spruce up the area near your garage.

Once you take down this information, you will know what space is available and you can move on to choosing the lighting that fits it well. A designer would tell you that you should have some blank space around the fixtures to add balance. You also don’t want to fill up the entire wall with fixtures. If you don’t have a lot of space by the garage door, install them to the side as a way to highlight the space and add to your curb appeal.

Narrowing down your light fixture options

When choosing the right type of lights, the first place to look is at the style of your home. Some people have a modern and contemporary space. Others have a home that is a bit more classic and colonial. Do you instead have a country or carriage house style? What you want to do is make the appearance of the home even better with the lights you choose. It should look great at night when lit up, but it should also add something even during the day. If you have driveway lights or city streetlights nearby, don’t overdo it.

The great thing about outdoor lights is that there are tons of options to link your home and garage while showing off the garage door at all times of day and night. If you want something new and unique, try visiting websites like Pinterest.

First, here are a few choices that look great for modern style homes:

The options below will fit well near a home with a rustic style:

Selecting lightbulbs for the fixtures

You might think you can just grab any lightbulbs of the shelf and put them in your new fixtures, but it’s not quite that easy. Many people who are looking to save energy choose LED lights, but you should always look at what the manufacturer recommends first.

The lightbulbs you choose should be designed for use outside, durable, and should not go over the maximum wattage as this can overheat your light fixtures. Most of the fixtures for outdoor use are rated 100 watts, but that isn’t always the case so look to be sure. You might find that your fixture is only rated for 60 watts instead.

As mentioned, LED bulbs are the best for outdoor use. They last for many years and resistant to weather. Many of them last up to 100,000 hours, which means you won’t need to change them for years. But again, be sure that your fixture recommends these bulbs and not another type. Check on this information before buying so you can be prepared with the right lightbulbs.

One bulb that you should avoid is the compact spiral fluorescent. These contain a bit of mercury and are not made to be used outside, even if you have a form of weather protection. They also tend to lose lighting intensity when exposed to the cold.

At this point, all you need to do is install the fixture you like, put in the lightbulb, and enjoy the glow of light that accents your garage door!

Is it time to choose a new garage door?

If so, you can get in touch with us immediately at 603-524-4778. We can show you projects done in your area using our image gallery. We can also send you a quotation by email.

Those who prefer to see things before buying can visit our showroom to see what models are available. If you want to try it from home, you can choose a style you like using our Design Centre.