Good to Know: The Best Night Lights for Your Home

Our top four tips for getting rid of light pollution

July/August 2005
By Melody Warnick 
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Lying on the lawn after dark to catch an August meteor shower used to be a well-loved summer ritual, but unless you’re willing to drive into the country for stargazing, you may be out of luck. The culprit: light pollution, which hides all but the brightest night objects.

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Darkening areas around your home may help, says Nancy Clanton of Clanton and Associates, an environmentally sensitive lighting design firm in Boulder, Colorado. What you can do:

-- SHINE LIGHTS RIGHT. Exterior fixtures should aim down instead of out so beams don’t radiate higher than ninety degrees from vertical. Step to the edge of your property: You should see a mellow glow rather than the bulb itself.

-- SKIP LANDSCAPE LIGHTING. Nightly light exposure can damage plants over time. “Imagine someone shining a spotlight on you while you’re sleeping,” says Clanton. Bring out decorative lights only for parties.

-- SHADE THE BULB. Louvers and frosted-glass shades block glare, especially when you use a forty-watt (or less) bulb. A beautiful pick: Hutton Metalcrafts’ amber-enclosed wall sconce ($199; www.CopperLamps.com). Or opt for pendant fixtures that shine light downward, such as the Outdoor Captain’s Lantern Sconce from Restoration Hardware ($89; www.RestorationHardware.com).

-- LEAVE LIGHTS OFF. Connect security floodlights to motion sensors aimed at your driveway, not the sidewalk. You’ll have light when you need it—without leaving the home fires burning twenty-four/seven.

Information on light pollution:
International Dark-Sky Association: www.DarkSky.org

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