Category: outdoor lighting professionals raleigh

Outdoor Landscape Lighting,some people know what they want.

Posted on by admin in Landscape Lighting, Outdoor Lighting, outdoor lighting professionals raleigh
Beautiful new home Hastentree Wake Forest NC

I recently courtesy of my friend google, met the nicest young couple who have built a beautiful new home in our area. After speaking on the phone and setting up an appointment to meet one evening, we got in the car and at their request drove the the neighborhood of million plus homes to look at examples of good and not so good outdoor landscape lighting. With it being so close to Christmas I have to say I got to see some beautiful homes lit very nicely from some of the holiday lighting companies. My new friends evidently already had the local neighborhood handyman sprinkler installer who also does lights approach them and after viewing his work ,they decided they needed to call a actual outdoor landscape lighting designer. They talked about the too white ugly lights on a few homes where it seemed someone bought lights with whatever lamps they came with and stuck them under windows and created a nice horror movie look,spooky as the wife said. After our drive,I pulled out the battery pack and a few lights and with the husband walked around and looked at a few effects, we signed a contract that evening for their install and even ended up adding extra lights and will be doing more in several stages as the front is finished and the next phase in the back begins.I feel like we were brought together by a force bigger than us both and I am so fortunate to get to do what I love and enjoy for yet another beautiful home. Happy Holidays from Lite Visions.

Set Your Business Apart with Architectural LED Lighting

Posted on by admin in Landscape Lighting, Outdoor Lighting, outdoor lighting professionals raleigh

Set Your Business Apart with Architectural LED Lighting

If you own a commercial or industrial property in the Raleigh or RTP area, one of the most effective ways to improve the look of it is to install architectural lighting outside of it. Architectural lighting can be used to highlight the features of your company’s building, and it can call attention to the most appealing aspects of your property. If you don’t have lighting, people will probably drive by it at night without even noticing it, but architectural lighting can help shine a spotlight on your business – quite literally – and increase the aesthetic appeal of both the building and the landscaping that surrounds it.There are many other benefits that come along with adding architectural lighting, too. Let’s look at the advantages of having high-quality architectural lights shining at your building.

Make Your Property Safer

You want your commercial or industrial property to be as safe as possible, don’t you? Well, architectural lighting will you keep employees and customers protected. Not only will adding architectural lighting help those who walk in and out of your building feel safe when the sun goes down, but it will also help to illuminate features like stairways or doorways and prevent people from tripping and falling on any obstructions. Plus, if your property is better lit, it will deter thieves from striking and give everyone the impression that you care about safety first.

Separate Your Business from Competitors

When running a business, you want to do whatever you can to set yourself apart from other neighboring businesses. There are many ways to do this, but few of them will prove to be as effective as adding architectural lighting around your building. At night, people will have no choice but to look at your property when you have it lit up. Make your property draw the eye with attractive colored lighting or lights that shine on unique fixtures or structural aspects, showing off your property’s features in the best light possible.

Make Your Landscaping Even More Effective

During the day, everyone can see all of the effort that you’ve made to install landscaping that makes your property look great. But once the sun goes down, how many people are missing out on your landscaping when they drive by your property at night? Architectural lighting allows you to show off your landscaping all day and all night long. Plus, when you use LED lighting, you won’t have to use much energy to get these great effects.

As you can see, there are plenty of benefits that will come along with adding architectural lighting to your commercial or industrial property. Lite Visions Landscape Lighting of Raleigh can help you choose the right architectural lighting based on your specific property and its features. Reach out to us today to speak with a representative about the architectural lighting options we have to offer for your business.

Soft accent and security lighting for an outdoor patio in Raleigh NC

Posted on by admin in Landscape Lighting, Outdoor Lighting, outdoor lighting professionals raleigh

Outdoor Patio Lighting Raleigh NC

Photos of the lower patio area with brick columns before outdoor lighting.

outdoor patio lighting outdoor patio lighting

Night time demo with only 2 different lighting fixtures to demonstrate how the lighting would work and create 3 distinct lighting effects.

outdoor patio lighting

Yes that’s right

3 separate lighting effects, by mounting the lights as high as possible on the columns results in an accent effect on the architecture of the brick column.

You also get a nice soft pool of light on the concrete patio area below the column.

The soft pool of light on the concrete reflects itself back up onto the soffits and ceiling panels above to give you a beautiful soft light effect all over the patio area.

This also created some much need security lighting around the back patio area under the homes lower level.

Now isn’t this a much nicer effect than a security flood light or spotlight blinding you out on the patio?

outdoor patio lighting

Call us Today 919-518-9950 Lite Visions Outdoor Lighting and Landscape Lighting Professionals Raleigh NC

Ambiance with soft outdoor lighting in Raleigh

Posted on by admin in Landscape Lighting, Outdoor Lighting, outdoor lighting professionals raleigh

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 I come from working in a creative field around lighting design and lighting effects my whole life, I sometimes visualize things other people simply can’t. I feel I have been blessed with this gift.
Years ago when I talked to my mom about a privacy fence in the backyard she just said no way. After it was installed, the first thing her and my sister said was WOW, we never really noticed the plant material in the yard.
Yes, I said, do you know why?
We simply took some material and created a backdrop for the plants that were already in place to make them really POP .
We  do the very same thing with outdoor landscape lighting. Why would you have beautiful landscaping or hardscaping that you paid good money for only to have it all disappear in the evening hours? By using several different lighting techniques we create depth and dimension and pull your eye away from looking into your neighbor’s yard.
Have you ever noticed a home with all the lights on inside? If your home has outdoor lighting, peoples eyes are pulled away from the inside lights when they see your home with outdoor lighting.
Let us create some outdoor evening ambiance for you to enjoy tonight in the Raleigh area.
Lite Visions outdoor lighting and landscape light can make your home and yard safe secure and beautiful into the evening hours.
Call us today 919-518-9950

What is Outdoor Security Lighting & Why is it Important in Raleigh NC?

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Outdoor Security Lighting Raleigh

Security lighting should provide security by discouraging trespassers. A well-lit home is less likely to be broken into.

Outdoor landscape lighting adds beauty and dimension to a home. Lighting is also an integral part of an effective home security system. Outdoor security lighting discourages would-be intruders from targeting your home by increasing the risk of being caught. The best lighting design allows physical detection and facial recognition minimizes hiding spots and increases your sense of safety.

You don’t have to light your home like a football field to feel safe. Over-illumination with floodlights pointed all over can draw unwanted attention to valuable items in your home or business and can cause light pollution. In this guide, we offer an overview of security lighting and simple tips to help you identify potential safety and security risks, select the best security lights, and determine their placement to ensure your safety and security.

 

A 2007 Washington Post article found burglars search for homes that appear to be unoccupied. Lighting adds an element of surprise and establishes an occupancy pattern that deters intruders from targeting a home in the first place. Residents that use outdoor lighting as part of their security plan significantly decrease their chances of being burglarized.

Outdoor Security Lighting Raleigh

The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) further explains that good security lighting anticipates potential threats and predators, and increases the means necessary to commit a crime, discouraging would-be criminals from breaking into a home. This security approach is known as target hardening. In other words, the longer it takes to plan and execute a break in, the less likely criminals are to target that home. According to the IES, home security lighting must have the following aims:

  • Provide a clear view of the area; including people and objects such as fences, walls and barriers
  • Allow facial recognition at a minimum distance of 30 feet
  • Make tasks such as finding your keys, retrieving the mail, or walking the dog easier and safer
  • Help people avoid criminal threats and/or defend themselves when a threat is perceived
  • Enhance your sense of safety when spending time outdoors

Call us Today 919-518-9950 Lite Visions Outdoor Lighting and Landscape Lighting Professionals Raleigh NC

 

Designing a landscape lighting system in Raleigh NC

Posted on by admin in Landscape Lighting, Outdoor Lighting, outdoor lighting professionals raleigh
There are many different factors that come into play when designing a professional outdoor lighting system in the Raleigh NC area.
Are we retrofitting an older system?
Are we working on new construction of a project?
Fixture materials, aluminum, brass or copper, any custom finish on path lights.
Are we installing fixtures with a drop in LED bulb or integrated LED fixtures with a longer warranty.
Access to power for transformers and cable runs to fixtures.
Standard control vs smartphone control.
How many feet of low voltage cable have to be run .
Ease of running cable to fixtures
Ease of access behind plant materials walkways etc.
Location of fixtures,ground mount,gutter mount ,tree mount , mounted to brick or stone.
Are we using custom light diffusing filters, louvers or color filters to replicate a moonlight effect?
Are we installing fixtures with color changing lamps?
No two professional outdoor lighting systems are designed alike.
While your neighbor’s home might have only required 14 lighting fixtures to do the front of their home, your home might require 21 lighting fixtures to do the front of the home and the two trees in the front that you love.
If you are budget conscious, we can always try to work with you and install your outdoor lighting project in different phases.
Call us today for your  design consultation
                          919-581-9950

Replacing LED Landscape Light bulbs

Posted on by admin in Landscape Lighting, Outdoor Lighting, outdoor lighting professionals raleigh
While there are many LED landscape light bulbs available out there
Do you have any idea what you are buying in the home improvement store or other stores?
Is the bulb manufactured for use in a fully enclosed fixture in a wet location?
Do you know what the bulb color temperature is?
Is it the equivalent of the other bulbs wattage and color temperature wise?
2700k is the nice warm white bulb we use in alot of installations.
3000k is a warmer white bulb that looks great in some locations.

Will the manufacturer stand behind the warranty?

Do you know what the bulbs beam width is?
LED bulbs come in a variety of beam widths from a narrow 15 degrees to a very wide120 degrees.
We will never use or install cheap LED light bulbs to save money as many contractors do.
We use only the most high quality professionally tested LED light bulbs made for use in enclosed fixtures and in a wet location that carry the best warranty out there. These MR-16 LED lamps have been redesigned to better fit into a standard, low voltage, MR-16 fixture. These LED’s are thermally engineered to operate in enclosed fixtures and provides added security by automatically cooling down (and reducing lumens output) only when exposed to extreme heat (air temperatures above 125◦F). In addition, there is no color shift when lumens output is reduced, and the overall lamp life is improved. FEATURES: Dimmable with most magnetic transformer Enhanced ESD (Electro-Static Discharge) Protection (IEC-61000-4-2) Heat Overload Protection Technology Fully potted PC board
The LED chips are made by Cree a company right here in the Raleigh NC area.
We believe we are building customer with our professional lighting designs and installations by only using the best products available.
We do work on older lighting systems that we did not install and offer maintenance contracts to keep your old system looking great.

Outdoor Lighting ,Do one thing and do it right

Posted on by admin in Landscape Lighting, Outdoor Lighting, outdoor lighting professionals raleigh

I have been working in the music industry since I was 18 years old, being a Roadie for bands and doing lighting. I have always worked in the lighting industry and coming into the world of architectural and outdoor lighting seemed very natural transition to me.

I, however, have NO desire to be a

landscaper, pond builder, hardscaper, irrigation company or a pool company.

I did not simply buy a lighting franchise.

On the other hand, it seems nowadays everyone thinks they can add landscape lighting as a sideline to their existing business. After attending an hour-long manufacture seminar they now a certified lighting designer. Unfortunately, many of the companies are profit driven and encourage these other industries to install lighting as a profit sideline to their existing business.

I drive thru high-end subdivisions all the time at night after leaving a job location and focusing the client’s lights after dark, I see all kinds of badly done lighting installations that someone paid a lot of money for. From just the other night seeing an entrance to a subdivision that has lights pointing in your eyes as you drive by with no lighting shields to seeing a water feature at a Japanese steakhouse I eat at on a regular basis have a pond company install a bad lighting job.

Being able to simply stick a lighting fixture in the ground by no means makes you a lighting designer

Lighting is an Art and I believe I am painting with light, by knowing the proper use of different types of bulbs, beam spreads, wattages ,color temperatures.  There are many many tips and tricks to keep lights your of your eyes.

I might use a combination of lights up in a tree pointing down with a moonlight lens filter along with a combination of path lights to create a unique vision for your walkway.

I might create a backdrop in your backyard to not only visualize your property but to keep your eye from your neighbor’s property

I might use a combination of different light fixtures along a brick or stone wall to create texture, interest, and shadows.

I might place a few lights at angles alongside a privacy fence to create beams of light dancing in between plant material.

No two projects are alike and that is what makes lighting interesting to me, anyone can stick lights in the ground and believe it or not some of those other companies never even come back at night to properly focus the lighting.

At Light Visions Landscape Lighting of Raleigh, We do one thing and do it RIGHT.

We also offer the best warranty and FREE maintenance contract in the Raleigh area

Please make sure to read thru our google reviews

 

 

Good Vs Bad Outdoor Lighting Design

Posted on by admin in Landscape Lighting, Outdoor Lighting, outdoor lighting professionals raleigh

Today’s blog is going to talk about things we have seen driving in the evening from installing a lighting installation.

Here is the first example below of good and bad lighting placements, the fixture in the grass will be beaten up by lawn maintenance and equipment and will not last very long in that area. Path lights should be installed in a mulched bed or walkway to not only use them properly for their effect but also to protect them from landscapers and equipment. Also notice you do not see the lamp source only a soft pool of lighting with good lighting. You should never see the bulb or glare in a lighting fixture if the lighting is properly designed with the correct fixtures.

  • Bad Design Fixture In Grass
  • Good Design Fixture Protected
  • Good Design and Path Lights provide safety light

DO NOT place lights under windows ever,this not only looks bad but will also cause lighting to spill into windows and cause a glare so you can’t see out of your windows. A lighting designer would never install lights under a window. As a lighting designer we use several filters and know the difference in lamp color temperatures.

  • Waste of money lighting under windows
  • Notice architecture softly lit with no glare from windows. pathway also lit softly

Transformer placement, shiny aluminum transformers should be hidden behind plant materials or placed alongside other mechanical equipment,Transformers should never be seen in plain sight in front of a home or building.

  • Ugly transformer job
    and even lit up at night

  • Transformer well hidden out of sight behind plant materials
  • Do you see the transformer ?

Call or contact us today if you want your outdoor lighting design done right the first time.

919-518-9950

Building a new home? Make sure you have the the LED lighting option

Posted on by admin in Landscape Lighting, Outdoor Lighting, outdoor lighting professionals raleigh

I did a home and garden show recently and spoke to a lot of couples who were building homes. When we started talking about things they were doing I was surprised to find out LED lighting isn’t a standard in every home built today. I can’t imagine installing landscape lighting today with the old, not efficient halogen light bulbs that do not last. With most LED manufactures giving a warranty of 5 years or 50,000 hours I can’t imagine why LED lamps are not required and why the old very un-efficient halogen can lights used in most homes are still installed in this day. If you are building or remodeling a home, please do yourself a favor and ask the builder or electrician about the many LED options available from can lights to very nice track lighting and wall sconces. Visit a professional lighting showroom and have them go over the options with you. Most LED sources are also able to work with dimmers and if you are installing a beautiful stone fireplace, do yourself a favor and have them install some LED track lighting just above the stone with the lights focused down along the stone. There are also many nice outdoor LED fixtures for garages and floodlights. There is ever a very interesting LED candle flame effect that looks really nice in the outdoor lantern type fixtures. Do yourself a favor and use energy-saving green friendly LED lights in your home and watch the power bill go down.

 

https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/save-electricity-and-fuel/lighting-choices-save-you-money/led-lighting