Landscape lighting ideas
We are the premier landscape design and planting company in the Richmond area. We have worked with everything Richmond has to offer, from narrow Fan lots with very little land to sprawling rural estates. Our aim is to garner the maximum appeal from every yard we work on, and our track record demonstrates this. Allow us to give you a proposal and we are confidant you will be pleased.
Additionally, we know the importance of good communication, which sadly is lacking in the contractor industry. We will return your calls promptly, carefully coordinate scheduling, and follow up. We are confident you will be very satisfied with our service.
Additionally, we know the importance of good communication, which sadly is lacking in the contractor industry. We will return your calls promptly, carefully coordinate scheduling, and follow up. We are confident you will be very satisfied with our service.
Lighting
Just because the sun goes down doesn’t mean that a landscape can’t be seen and appreciated. Why not add lighting to a landscape to not only serve as a security element but as a design factor as well? Lights need not be confined to the sides of a home or on the street. Lighting can also be added to the middle of a yard to add drama to the picture. Even mood lighting can add charm to a landscape, not to mention a safety feature for someone trying to make their way across your yard after dark.
Of all the different tools at the disposal of the landscape designer, probably the most flexible and potentially dramatic is lighting. Lighting can be subtle or bright, narrow, or all-encompassing. Light, in the right hands, can be one of the most dramatic elements of a design. Many types of lighting can be added to a landscape, each with its purpose. Not all light is created equal, and these differences can be used to their best effect. Even if all lighting is the same color, it doesn’t mean that different results can’t be achieved. LED lights, for example, come in different temperatures, which can add variance to a landscape. For example, a brighter light could add impact to a small garden in the middle of a yard, while lower amounts of light could be placed around the perimeter of a lawn to add a border that is nothing less than dramatic. And if you want to add more color to a landscape, why not use warmer colors like brown or cedar to highlight the surrounding area while more natural lighting is on walls or stonework? Even plants can be illuminated with colored lights, like shades of red, orange, and yellow. |
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More Lighting Ideas
Another factor to consider with lighting is how it will light distinct elements in a lawn. General lighting for a lawn is great, but for trees, shrubs, or other plants, they must get the appropriate light to show them off properly. First, consider how tall and wide the trees are that need illumination. Are they tall and spindly? Short and squat? Lighting should be used to illuminate plants to show them off, not to cut them off. Using a small light on a full tree or a broad light on a slender tree makes them look awkward and does not show off their natural beauty.
If there’s a buzzword that is making its rounds today, it’s lumens, or that amount of light given off by a given type of bulb. For example, an LED light will give off a lot of light for a minimal amount of electricity, instead of other light that won’t give off as much light but will run your power bill up in no time. LED lights add a dramatic punch to your landscape, but might be too bright when placed on a lawn. This is often dealt with by using fewer bright lights, so the benefits of both are given.
Lumens can add different touches for the effects achieved. With some imagination, there is practically nothing that can’t be done with lighting. It can add magic to your landscape, making a yard truly a fantasyland. What follows are just a few of the effects that can be achieved with the proper lighting types.
Uplighting. Uplighting consists of using low-wattage lights to light a tree from the bottom up. This will show off its trunk structure and overall shape. A couple of lights located at the base of a plant, about eight to ten feet away and pointing upward can add drama to a yard.
Downlighting. This is the exact opposite of uplighting. With downlighting, lights are placed on a structure such as a home or office to illuminate the structure from above.
Moonlighting. If an air of mystery is what is wanted for a yard, use lights to create what is called moonlighting, or that effect that is achieved when the light from the moon shines down on plants and trees. To do this, add lights to the limbs pointing below or at the home or building to throw much of the tree into darkness.
Silhouetting. Another interesting effect that can be created with lighting is silhouetting, which is achieved when light is placed between a plant and the home or building. This technique hides the light fixture behind the plant and immediately leaves a silhouette around it.
If there’s a buzzword that is making its rounds today, it’s lumens, or that amount of light given off by a given type of bulb. For example, an LED light will give off a lot of light for a minimal amount of electricity, instead of other light that won’t give off as much light but will run your power bill up in no time. LED lights add a dramatic punch to your landscape, but might be too bright when placed on a lawn. This is often dealt with by using fewer bright lights, so the benefits of both are given.
Lumens can add different touches for the effects achieved. With some imagination, there is practically nothing that can’t be done with lighting. It can add magic to your landscape, making a yard truly a fantasyland. What follows are just a few of the effects that can be achieved with the proper lighting types.
Uplighting. Uplighting consists of using low-wattage lights to light a tree from the bottom up. This will show off its trunk structure and overall shape. A couple of lights located at the base of a plant, about eight to ten feet away and pointing upward can add drama to a yard.
Downlighting. This is the exact opposite of uplighting. With downlighting, lights are placed on a structure such as a home or office to illuminate the structure from above.
Moonlighting. If an air of mystery is what is wanted for a yard, use lights to create what is called moonlighting, or that effect that is achieved when the light from the moon shines down on plants and trees. To do this, add lights to the limbs pointing below or at the home or building to throw much of the tree into darkness.
Silhouetting. Another interesting effect that can be created with lighting is silhouetting, which is achieved when light is placed between a plant and the home or building. This technique hides the light fixture behind the plant and immediately leaves a silhouette around it.
We would love to have a look at your yard and give you some ideas Please call us at 804 331 8400 and we will set up an appointment.
Shadowing. Shadows can create stunning effects when used in a landscape. This is achieved by placing a light fixture to the side of a tree or plant, casting the resulting shadow on the ground to the other side. Just don’t allow the light to hit the front of the yard since it will probably reach anyone who passes by and will ruin their view.
Grazing. If there’s an interesting fence or other feature in a yard, try placing a light fixture at its base with the light facing upwards. This will light up the fence and cast shadows onto everything else in the area.
Walklighting. Walklighting is a basic form of safety lighting that illuminates a sidewalk or other walkway. Walklighting can add a dramatic effect, but its primary purpose is safety. Besides walkways, other features of a property can be made safer with lighting such as a pool. Owners can also use lighting to achieve ambiance for a pool by placing lights around the perimeter of the pool and even in it.
Cross lighting. If you think lighting can be dramatic, you haven’t seen anything yet. Why not double the impact with what is called cross lightning? This is what is achieved when two lights are used and the beams they project are crossed. This can be overdone, but it can also add a fun element to a landscape.
Spotlighting. This lighting effect is most often used to highlight an object in a yard such as a sculpture, a flag, or even the home itself.
Washing. Like painting with watercolors, a wash in lighting illuminates a subject and lets the light “wash” over it, allowing the light to cover a line of bushes, plants, and other features.
The right lighting can help to accentuate virtually any feature of a landscape. Still, caution must be exercised when it is used because lighting can be dangerous when exposed to water. Make sure that the lighting you use has been approved for use around water.
Those that carry an Underwriters Laboratory label are ideal.
Grazing. If there’s an interesting fence or other feature in a yard, try placing a light fixture at its base with the light facing upwards. This will light up the fence and cast shadows onto everything else in the area.
Walklighting. Walklighting is a basic form of safety lighting that illuminates a sidewalk or other walkway. Walklighting can add a dramatic effect, but its primary purpose is safety. Besides walkways, other features of a property can be made safer with lighting such as a pool. Owners can also use lighting to achieve ambiance for a pool by placing lights around the perimeter of the pool and even in it.
Cross lighting. If you think lighting can be dramatic, you haven’t seen anything yet. Why not double the impact with what is called cross lightning? This is what is achieved when two lights are used and the beams they project are crossed. This can be overdone, but it can also add a fun element to a landscape.
Spotlighting. This lighting effect is most often used to highlight an object in a yard such as a sculpture, a flag, or even the home itself.
Washing. Like painting with watercolors, a wash in lighting illuminates a subject and lets the light “wash” over it, allowing the light to cover a line of bushes, plants, and other features.
The right lighting can help to accentuate virtually any feature of a landscape. Still, caution must be exercised when it is used because lighting can be dangerous when exposed to water. Make sure that the lighting you use has been approved for use around water.
Those that carry an Underwriters Laboratory label are ideal.