Landscape Lighting Techniques

A great landscape lighting design can wow your friends and neighbors. Using a variety of techniques brings your home into an all new light.

Outdoor patio of a home at dusk with landscape lighting and fire pit

The play of light and shadow on walls creates a beautiful visual appeal. There are multiple techniques that can help create the effect you want.

modern home exterior at night with up lighting

Wall-Washing

This technique delivers a subtle, low amount of light to a wide area, up close to the structure, with minimal hot-spots and density.

Grazing

Utilize this technique to add depth and dimension to stucco, brick, stonework or architectural features of a home or building.

In-Ground

Deliver light to permanent and semi-permanent installations such as sidewalks, large mature trees, walls and flagpoles.

exterior home with lights shining directly on tall shrubs

Shadowing

This technique directs the eye to the textures, shapes and height differences of items in plant beds, adding depth and ambiance.

Illustration of an exterior of a home with lights behind tall shrubs, aiming directly at the wall of the home

Silhouette

Draw attention to an interesting shape by lighting a vertical surface behind the object to accent that unique shape.

Hardscape

Highlight stone features, retaining walls, outdoor kitchens, steps, handrails, benches and more.

Lighting up pathways, walkways and garden edges is both functional and appealing, making walking safer and beautiful.

Depending on your application, you may need different techniques.

Back patio at night featuring Nocar wall lights, step lights, and accents lights

Back patio during the day featuring Nocar wall lights, step lights, and accents lights

Xeriscape

Cacti, grasses and the stone used in xeriscape designs benefit from lower lumen illumination than traditional landscaping.

Path & Spread

Illuminate sidewalks, stone pathways and lawn walkways while adding a hint of intrigue to boulders and plant beds. Spread lighting uses a path light inside a landscape bed to illuminate the plantings.

Deck & Patio

Accentuate the beauty and details of decks, patios, outdoor kitchens, steps, handrails and other vertical features.

Create beautiful effects with the play of light through leaves or water. These techniques can bring a sense of calm and wonder to your yard.

Illustration of a pool with shrubs that have uplighting and creating a lit reflection

Mirror

Create dream-like water scenes by strategically lighting background areas around bodies of water that then reflect the landscape off the water.

Illustration of a backyard at night with the lights in the trees casting down

Moon

Placing a fixture high in a tree catches the details of branches and leaves, emulating the look of moonlight.

Illustration of a small waterfall with lights under the water

Underwater

Enhance and highlight flowing water in waterfalls, streams and fountains, creating a magical mirroring effect on still waters.

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