Landscape lighting is one of the best ways to add character, depth, and drama to the exterior of a home after dark. But it can be difficult to create the perfect landscape lighting installation in Alpharetta GA.
5 Steps for Your Next Landscape Lighting Design and Installation Project
Professional landscape lighting expert, Lindsey Rodericks, shares her process for designing the perfect lighting installation for every home for her landscape lighting company Southern Landscape Lighting Systems in Alpharetta, GA. They create functional designs that put the property in the best possible light at night while enhancing the home's features and providing security lighting to round out their residential and commercial outdoor lighting services.
Step 1: Get an Idea of the Scope of the Project
The first step is to walk through the garden during the day to select the key focal points. This can be anything from softscaping features such as an established oak tree to a tall, striking palm tree. Or it could be a hardscape feature such as a fountain or archway. The key to selecting the features is to identify the immediately noticeable main visual features as these will be the first areas to light up. Once these key focal areas have been defined, the rest of the lighting installation will flow from there looking at the exterior of the home, pathways, deck areas, and the driveway.
Step 2: Sketch Out the Landscape
After identifying the key focal areas, it’s time to put pen to paper and sketch out the landscape. This includes drawing a perimeter and adding in the most important details such as buildings, benches and decks, noteworthy shrubs and vegetation and any hardscaping elements in the garden.
Step 3: Select the Landscape Lighting Fixtures
The choice of fixture is important as the need to match their application. In most gardens, there will be a combination of accent, flood, and in-ground landscape lighting fixtures required.
Path and Area Lights
These will be needed for walkways to create passages that are both safe and welcoming for guests and help to form part of the visual landscape after dark.
Accent Lights (Spotlights)
Spotlights help to create a dramatic effect when used as uplighting, or a subtle contrast when used as downlighting. They’re adjustable so they’re perfect for use as precision lighting for trees, and other architectural elements.
Wall Wash Lights
A wall wash light creates an even wide spread of light on any surface; they’re commonly used for lighting the outside facades of homes, as well as fence and garden walls.
In-Ground Lights
These are an effective choice for path lighting, particularly when installed alongside a long driveway. They can also be used to illuminate softscape or hardscape elements in the garden.
Deck and Patio Lighting
These lights are needed to effectively illuminate outdoor entertainment wares to ensure that they are safe and accessible even after the sun goes down.
Step 4: The Spacing of Lighting Fixtures
The spacing of each light will depend on the type of light, the area being illuminated, and the effect that is being created. Path lights should be around 10 feet apart, while wall wash lights should be 6 to 8 feet apart. For accent lights, typically one or two fixtures will be needed to light up a small object, while large trees may require three or four.
Step 5: Installation
Here, the sketch is brought to life. In general, the lighting will be powered from a single source, and the transformer size will need to be chosen based on the number of fixtures used. It is at this point that a professional landscape lighting installer will ensure that there is spare capacity so that if additional elements are added to the garden, they can be also be lit up without having to rework the landscape lighting system.
Led by recognized expert and award-winning designer, Lindsey Rodericks, Southern Landscape Lighting Systems in Alpharetta, designs, installs and maintains outdoor LED lighting installations for their valued clients. They also service outdoor lighting systems, another crucial component to maximizing the value of the investment and ensuring longevity with the landscape lighting system. With a strong, 5-star reputation and an excellent track record, they are the leading landscape lighting company serving clients in Alpharetta Georgia and the surrounding communities.
