A walkway lighting can offer several benefits and can provide safety from potential dangers, such as giving a clear pathway for visitors, cars backing out of driveways, and other hazards in the dark. 

Walkway lighting also sets the mood and ambiance for your evening strolls outside by adding another layer to your outdoor living space. But, of course, you want to make sure that you’re choosing the right type of landscape lighting for your needs, and we’re here to help! 

The post will be about all different types of walking path lighting, how they work, and their benefits. I’ll share some examples too! If you need ideas on what types might work best at your house, take a look at this blog post, where I share more about finding the perfect light design for every home’s yard! 

13 Landscape Lighting Ideas For Walkways

  1. Use a light color for the walkway to make it more visible.
  2. Use lights with low wattage to reduce the risk of overheating.
  3. Use lights that safety standards organizations have tested.
  4. Use walkway lighting in landscaped stairs or steps if needed.
  5. Use accent lighting.
  6. Use solar lights with colored lenses on bistro sets.
  7. Using string lights for partitions
  8. Use LED pathway lighting.
  9. Install lights in your front and back yards
  10. Add LED lights around trees, bushes, or other plants.
  11. Use pathway lights to highlight statues and other decor pieces.
  12. Recessed outdoor lighting
  13. Use solar post lights, which attach to your fence posts or pillars.

Use a light color for the walkway to make it more visible.

Colorful outdoor lighting not only adds mood to your landscape it also increases the safety of the walkway. It is because you can choose lights in bright colors to make certain vital areas are more visible. For example, using blue lights near driveways or red lights around trees will ensure that drivers and passers-by can see them easily at night.

Use lights with low wattage to reduce the risk of overheating.

Some types of outdoor lights can produce too much heat, which can cause damage to walkways and other elements around them. A good rule of thumb is to always check the manufacturer’s recommendations for maximum wattage allowed by your landscape lighting system. If you’re unsure how much wattage is safe to use, consult with a professional installer who can help determine the correct wattage for your needs.

Use lights that safety standards organizations have tested.

The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) are both agencies that test residential products, including outdoor lighting fixtures, for safety reasons. UL’s lighting guide has precise information on the safety of outdoor lights, including how to measure light levels and what type of fixtures are safe for walkways. You can download that guide here.

Use walkway lighting in landscaped stairs or steps if needed.

Though many people use pathway lights on flat surfaces only, you don’t have to. Pathway lights are beneficial in landscaped steps, stairs, or even patios. In addition, you can use them to light up your garden statues or other decor pieces, creating a dramatic effect. We recommend using round solar path lights for this purpose.

Use accent lighting.

Use accent lighting around flowerbeds and plants to add color.

 Accent lighting is more for creating dramatic effects around your landscaping. It’s the perfect way to add color and enhance focal points in your yard, including flowerbeds or planters. You can use it in borders to highlight hedges or shrubs, in rock gardens to bring out features of stone walkways, or even behind large potted plants.

Use solar lights with colored lenses on bistro sets.

You can give your outdoor living space even more color by using colored walkway lights around it. Solar path lights with colored lenses are perfect for this purpose since they allow you to easily direct light in different directions while also adding some flashiness. 

You can use them under the outdoor dining table, on your bistro sets, or even in the flowerbeds around them.

Using string lights for partitions

Consider using string lights for partitions or creating a wall in front 

of your landscape features. String lights are perfect for dividing up properties and landscaping features because they can be anchored at several places to create different effects. You can use them in front of walls, behind flowerbeds, along pathways, and even in trees. Just remember to be careful with the wattage you choose for your string lights since some models can generate too much heat if not chosen correctly.

Use LED pathway lighting.

Use LED pathway lighting or solar spotlights on your house’s exterior. Finally, don’t forget that today’s pathway lights can enhance elements of your house’s exterior. Solar spotlights and LED lighting are very useful in highlighting features like front doors, windows, and even pillars outside your home. For added convenience, you can install some lights near doorways so that you don’t have to stumble with fumbling locks while walking back after a night out.

Install lights in your front and back yards

Install lights in your front and back yards that are synchronized to turn on at different times of the day. Synchronized backyard lights are a great way to brighten up your outdoor living space as soon as it gets dark. Pair them with motion sensors, and you can have garden lights that turn on automatically when visitors approach, even before they ring the doorbell.

Add LED lights around trees, bushes, or other plants.

LED lights around trees, bushes, or other plants that need protection from animals. For example, suppose you need to keep Coyotes away (Coyotes are only active during the night). In that case, you should consider using LED motion sensor solar lights around trees or other plants that need lighting to keep your backyard protected.

Use pathway lights to highlight statues and other decor pieces.

Solar path lights are perfect for highlighting your garden statues or any other decorative element in your outdoor landscape. You can place them at the feet so they stay well-lit, while you can also use them to highlight features above them. For example, you can put these lights behind water fountains for a theatrical effect.

Recessed outdoor lighting

Recessed outdoor lighting is not for everyone, but these lights give the most focused lighting and can also be mounted on top of walls, thereby providing even more protection. Recessed lights are also great for lighting up trees because you can get wide light beams to go in different directions.

Use solar post lights, which attach to your fence posts or pillars.

Another type of outdoor lighting that is used to protect your yard while adding a splash of color is solar post lights. These models typically mount to poles or pillars, providing focused beams of light that can protect your home’s yard. In addition, they can pair with motion sensors for added convenience and protection.

If your budget allows, don’t forget to install lights around the exterior of your garage too. It’s often difficult to find outdoor lighting that fits into the design scheme you have planned for your house. For example, you might want to use traditional outdoor lamps around the pool, but their design doesn’t fit with your sleek modern home.

The good news is you don’t have to sacrifice your lighting needs when it comes to style! There are plenty of great contemporary options available that won’t make your house look like it’s stuck in the ’70s or ’80s.

Overall, LED lights are a great option because they can be mounted anywhere to provide focused beams of light for protection. They’re also perfect for illuminating landscaping features like trees, walls, and flowerbeds.

What type of lighting is used for walkways?

The common lighting used for walkways are inground light and well light, which is a circle-shaped fixture you can install on the ground, these lights are used to illuminate driveways and walkways.

How do you light a dark walkway?

To light a dark walkway you need white path lights, this works well on dark or grey stone and concrete. The light should be distributed evenly on both sides of the walkway to provide proper and balanced lighting. You can also light a dark walkway with path lights that illuminate at an angle and cover more area.

Where should walkway lights be placed?

Walkway lights should be placed on both sides of the walkway and 10 to 15 feet apart. Keeping properly apart creates a pool of light that reveals the way.

Conclusion

There are many ways to use pathway lights to create beautiful walking path lighting effects in your landscape. Using the right lights for the job is all about experimenting with different styles and types of landscape lighting ideas for front-of-house lighting, so start experimenting today!

You should also consider getting LED Solar Lights if you want high-quality solar path lights delivering full power, even on cloudy days or during wintertime. They are typically used as landscape lighting and don’t go as bright as security lights, but they provide good illumination. I hope my guide on Landscape Lighting Ideas For Walkways helps you achieve a better walkway.