Keep it Simple
Low-voltage LED landscape lighting doesn’t have to be complicated, but there are some objectives that should be considered.
You want to accentuate the beauty of your existing landscape. You put a lot of work into it, didn’t you? Show it off. The house itself has specific architectural features that should also be highlighted. Look at your house at night and think about what you want people to see and appreciate when they drive by or walk by after dark.
Then there’s security. A dark house just invites trouble. Seasoned criminals looking for a target are going to bypass your home if the very areas they typically use for entry are lit so that they can’t hide. That doesn’t mean you have to make every corner of your house brightly lit like a supermarket parking lot. In landscape lighting, a little goes a long way.
Safety is always a consideration as well. Ever leave something out in the yard and go out to fetch it after dark? Did you suddenly remember at 10:00 at night that you need to put your garbage cans out for pickup? There are many potential pitfalls in the typical landscape, and little things that you forget about can literally trip you up. Don’t get hurt. Provide some light.
Once you’ve thought through the areas that need lighting, then think about how much light you really need. Again, a little goes a long way. The lights don’t have to be exceptionally bright.
On the left is an example of a very simple lighting design (the lights look a lot brighter in the picture than they actually are). Notice there aren't a lot of fixtures here. It's a simple approach to accentuating a clean landscape.
Here's a before and after example. The same house at twilight on the left, and then warmly lit in the darkness on the right. Not so bright that your neighbors think WalMart just moved in next door, but just a few carefully placed fixtures to highlight the architecture and the trees.
Have you got a walkway with a step or two? This can be dangerous in the dark. Path lights can gently light those steps and make getting to (and from) your front door much safer for visitors after dark.
Got trees in the front yard? Trees, no matter what size, add a great deal to the overall look of your home. One or two carefully placed uplights make those trees pop.
In the example on the left, an uplight highlights the tree itself and a downlight in the tree lights the sitting area below.
Moonglow Lightscaping is an experienced, professional firm. We love to light smaller homes with just a few carefully placed fixtures. If you’re in our service area, email us for a free consultation. We can even place a demonstration LED system on your property for a night or two so you can see the dramatic difference good landscaping lighting can make at your home. Contact us today!