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Outdoor Lighting Techniques

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The following techniques - with a balance of art and science - are used to create various lighting effects in the landscape.

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Path and Walkway Lighting

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Low Voltage vs. 120V?

Path and walkway lighting is one of the most important functions of low level lighting. These landscape lighting fixtures should cast a symmetrical light pattern and be mounted at a low enough level to avoid causing glare to the eyes, but direct visitors where to walk and also highlight plants along the walkway.

Lighting Techniques

Why Outdoor Lighting?

Accent lighting is used to project a spread of light onto interesting objects such as trees, architectural aspects of a building or interesting shrubs. The lighting should not be overpowering but rather subtle and used in conjunction with other lighting.

Spread lighting uses a low-level landscape light to illuminate ornamental grasses, ground cover, low shrubs and garden walkways with a smooth, uniform, non-glare pattern.

Silhouetting, or back lighting, adds a dramatic effect when outdoor spotlights are projected onto a wall or flat vertical surface from directly behind an interesting object or and exceptionally shaped plant material. The outdoor lighting is concealed on the ground directly behind the object being silhouetted.

Grazing allows us to accent architectural elements of the home. Finishes such as brick, natural stone, and wood columns look striking when they are enhanced with grazed light. This effect ties the house structure in to the entire lighting portrait. 

Downlighting provides a way to illuminate areas of a yard, patio, etc. with subtle light. The soft, warm light is a great alternative to typical, glaring backyard flood lights.