You want to start by picking a focal point. Waterfalls or palm trees behind pools are great focal points. You can also choose a central tree or flowerbed you would like to emphasize. Scheduling a night time lighting demonstration is the best way to choose what is right for your back yard living space. Our lighting designers at MIK Solutions bring demo lights and turn them on at night so you can visualize how everything will look at night. Using a combination of up and down lights is the best way to emphasize your focal point. Up lights are used for taller plants, trees, and architectural structures. Down lights, also called pathway and mushroom lights, are great for illuminating smaller plants, flowerbeds, and pathways. Don’t worry about having too much lighting by using the up and down lights together. They aim light in opposite directions and combined provide the perfect outdoor light setting