Uplighting, downlighting, and not a wire to be seen.

This was a fun and challenging project to bring just the right amount of light to the backyard. The homeowner could not see anything at night, and her only potential solution - a floodlight of sorts - lacked aesthetic. Lighting was an afterthought and we were the last contractor in, so we had to get creative by utilizing the fence posts and rails to carry our cable around a zero property line perimeter and house the downlights that illuminated the entire side of the pool deck. Now they can enjoy lit evenings and see and experience the entirety of their space. It sets the mood; it’s comforting, it’s cozy. And all on a short deadline to finish it before their family visited for the holidays.

Motor court, wall wash, and letting the dogs out.

The homeowners desired prettier aesthetics and a better lit property, but on a budget. When they pulled into their motor court, nothing was visible and had to hope a garage light was on to see a thing. The backyard was also pitch black. In the motor court we used architectural lighting with up-lights for a mini wall wash and in the back we installed accent lights. This husband and wife each had their own specific concerns that needed solutions. With the husband leaving for work at 5am, we set the timers to give him safety and security while walking out to his truck at the start of the day. The wife was able to let the dogs out at night without having to flip on a floodlight. This provided peace of mind as she was now going out to an already lit area rather than flipping on a light and creatures scattering.

Silhouettes, stairs, and finding just the right mood.

With a backyard consisting of multiple sections, this homeowner previously had some lighting done by an electrician. Unsatisfied, he said “I know it can be more. I don’t want somebody that can do lighting, I want a lighting designer.” We started with the first section; a fire pit with artificial turf. We lit up the new landscaping and installed in-ground well lights to illuminate the palms and to silhouette the forefront plantings. Section by section we continued to light up the rest of the backyard including a new ipe deck. We installed step lights concealing everything under the steps to keep it looking seamless. A bit of balance and reconfiguring was required, as we worked within the parameters of the existing transformer to provide the right amount of light with limited voltage. It was indeed beautified but now everyone could actually see where they were stepping. Phase three brought us to the hot tub and outdoor shower where the goal was strictly mood lighting. We put bistro lights on their own transformer so that they could be controlled separately and with a dimmer to curate the mood. In each of the phases, light played an integral role in completing each of those individual spaces. It created an experience from day through night in the fire pit, deck, and the hot tub and shower.