Landscape Design + Lighting

​​I have a project happening right now in Montclair, NJ. We created a master plan for the property and are now installing a phase one for the design. The first phase includes a deck, plantings and fencing along with a few other items.  
 
As the construction moves forward, the clients are thinking of adding lighting to the phase. The master plan includes lighting plans for the entire space, but there’s been some back and forth about the best light fixture for the space.

It's Worth the Money
My personal opinion is that lighting is the most undervalued aspect of a design project. Interior design almost never forgets to add some type of light, but exterior project often go without lighting.  Or worse, if lighting isn’t included….it’s not used in the best ways, like the wrong fixtures are selected and too much lighting is used. 
 
Well-designed fixtures that are tastefully located can take a great project to eye-popping.  Of all the elements in a design, it is lighting that can make it awesome at night. 
 
See for Yourself
To illustrate this, I wanted to share a study my office did for the Montclair project that shows a rendering of an area that is under consideration for lighting. The image at the top of this blog shows the new fencing (Garapa wood) with plants located.  No lighting is included.

This second image above shows the same scene but with light fixtures during the daytime. 

​A little light can go a long way as the image above shows how the selected lighting will brighten the space at night. 

This final image is just a contrast to lighting at night in the same space.  As it illustrates, no lighting at night means it's going to be a bit too dark to enjoy being outdoors.

Turn It On 
This type of graphic is always helpful for clients in seeing the value of adding lighting. There’s always lots of conversation about the best lighting for a project. Price, location, finish and temperature all play a huge role in the selection.