Planning entrance lighting - Helpful tips and ideas.
It's the first impression that counts - this applies to many things in life, including the lighting at the entrance to your home. Guests should feel immediately welcome, the letter carrier or ambulance should find you quickly and easily and you yourself should always arrive home safely in the dark.
Lamps in the entrance area therefore need to provide security as well as being attractive and inviting. One illuminated house number , Path lights or wall lamps are just a few initial examples of how you can make your entrance to your home can do.
With our planning aid we want to show you even more possibilities and provide important tips on how you can optimally illuminate your entrance to the apartment.
Planning preparation - How exactly is your house entrance structured?
Every entrance area is designed differently and therefore offers very different lighting options.
The first thing to consider is the exact layout of your own entrance to the house: Is a canopy available? Where are the power connections? Do new ones need to be planned or should solar entrance lighting be used? At what point are there possible tripping hazards? It is very helpful to mark all relevant points on a sketch to keep an overview and not forget anything later.
Which lighting provides sufficient basic brightness
As soon as you have gained an overview and have gathered some initial ideas for designing your home entrance, you can start planning in more detail. First of all, you should concentrate on the essentials: The basic lighting for the immediate area around the entrance door.
With the front door lighting is usually exterior wall lights which are ideally installed at a height of around three quarters of the door - two wall lights on the left and right are particularly inviting in larger entrance areas. However, pole lights or half-height bollard lights can also be used to illuminate the entrance from the side. It is always important that the entrance lighting is glare-free and sufficiently bright. Ceiling lights are also suitable for a canopy or LED spotlights are also ideal for giving you and your guests a pleasant welcome.
How do you ensure easy orientation
So that not only you can find your way quickly, but also your guests or the letter carrier can find your house directly when passing by, a illuminated house number can be helpful.
Depending on the design, this can also serve as a wall light, allowing you to combine ambient lighting with house number lighting - perfect for narrow entrances in particular.
An LED house number is available in countless designs and versions, making your entrance look even more modern.
A illuminated house number is even mandatory in some cities and municipalities such as in Hamburg, which is why you should inform yourself in advance about the applicable rules in your place of residence.
To avert danger, this must then remain switched on throughout the night, thus ensuring your safety, because if the police, ambulance or fire department have to come, every second counts.
When installing an LED house number for house entrance lighting, it is important to ensure the right height and number size. They should not be installed too low and to remain legible even at a distance of 20 m, illuminated signs must be at least 20 cm high and backlit signs at least 10 cm high.
Is the path to the entrance safely illuminated?
In addition to the entrance lighting directly in front of the door, it is also important to illuminate the path to it, as this is often not clearly visible at night and can therefore be a tripping hazard.
Wall luminaires or ceiling lamps are usually not sufficient for this, as they simply do not shine out that far. As light for the wider entrance area, you should therefore also use plinth or pathway lights plan in.
They make the ground conditions and obstacles visible and thus ensure a safe journey home. The following applies when installing such path lights: The lower the light point height, the shorter the distance to the next lamp must be.
Which areas should be highlighted decoratively?
In addition to all these more functional luminaires for the house entrance, which ensure safety and orientation, the visual aspect should not be neglected either - the entrance area is, after all, the very first impressionthat you leave with visitors and you yourself should feel right at home.
Of course, even an illuminated house number or basic and pathway lighting can look chic, because here too, lamp manufacturers place great emphasis on design. However, for your own individual style and the finishing touch, it is worthwhile additional decorative lights are worth using.
They create an inviting atmosphere and make coming home even more pleasant - you can give free rein to your creativity when planning your entrance lighting.
What weather conditions must the entrance lighting withstand?
What really needs to be considered for all outdoor lights for your entrance area is the IP protection class. It indicates the extent to which a lamp is protected against weather conditions such as rain or dirt.
Although ceiling lights or wall lights may be better protected by an existing canopy than free-standing path lights, every lamp in your house entrance should have an IP rating. at least IP44 rating. This means they are at least protected against solid foreign bodies > 1mm and against splash water.
If you are not quite sure which degree of protection is required during the planning stage, please do not hesitate to contact our skapetze® customer service - we are always happy to help!
How can outdoor lighting be optimally controlled?
In addition to the luminaire selection, placement and protection class, you should also think about the control system when planning your entrance lighting.
Aspects such as Sustainability, safety and convenience play a role.
With twilight sensors or house entrance lighting with motion detector not only save electricity, but also increase safety. Your lamps only light up when they are needed - namely in the dark and when there is movement.
With a twilight switch, sensors detect exactly when it gets dark and only then switch the light on. For example, you will be greeted with pleasant light immediately after work, when it is already dusk.
With an additional motion detector, your house entrance lights no longer shine all night long, but only when there is movement.
Should a motion detector be used?
Here it is important to consider whether the lighting of your house entrance should be set in scene throughout the day or whether it is more a question of sufficient brightness for incoming visitors in the evening, for example.
Incidentally, this can also prevent break-insbecause if a twilight sensor controls your entrance lights, they light up even when you are absent. And if you have entrance lighting with a motion detector, the light suddenly comes on as soon as someone is in the vicinity, which also acts as a deterrent.
If you want even more security here, you can also opt for security lights with a camera instead of a conventional outdoor wall light next to the front door.
Definitely the most ecological option for maximum energy savings is of course not operation using electricity. It is the solar lamps, that are right at the top when it comes to sustainability.
The LED house number, for example, is very often solar-powered, which offers you the advantage of free placement in addition to lower electricity bills. You don't have to stick to predetermined power connection points, but can install your solar home entrance lighting wherever sunlight falls.
Planning checklist for entrance lighting
- Are there enough power connections available, do new cables need to be laid or should solar lamps be used?
- Has sufficient basic brightness been ensured?
- Is an illuminated house number mandatory in your place of residence and if so, have you complied with this rule?
- Is the path to the entrance safely illuminated?
- Is your entrance lighting glare-free and equipped with energy-efficient LED lamps?
- Do all the lights have the right IP protection rating?
- Does the control system for the entrance lighting meet your needs?
