Tag: outdoor and landscape lighting design raleigh nc

Outdoor living spaces

Posted on by admin in Landscape Lighting, Outdoor Lighting

Seems the big trend this season in Raleigh , Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary,  Wake Forest and the Research Triangle area whether remodeling or building a new home is outdoor living spaces.
Kitchens, Patios, Bars some with water features or even a hot tub.
It is amazing to watch these projects come together and take shape, from adding lighting to a few stone stairs to lighting a complete outdoor kitchen and patio with several different types of outdoor landscape lighting. These outdoor living spaces allow you to enjoy entertaining and also just simply enjoy your outdoor space well into the evening hours. You can even have a wood fired outdoor pizza oven and make pizza better than most pizza places.

I am looking forward to working on a lot of these outdoor projects this summer and will be sharing some of the photos of the completed projects as they come together.

Let us illuminate your outdoor living space today.

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.

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

Concert lighting to outdoor and landscape lighting Raleigh NC

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

I have had several people ask me recently, what makes me and Lite Visions Landscape Lighting and outdoor lighting in Raleigh NC different from everyone else who does outdoor lighting and landscape lighting in Raleigh NC.

First and foremost I have been a lighting technician and lighting designer since 1979 in the music business when I started working with local bands.I went on to tour with bands from theatre to arena concerts and when home in Raleigh worked as a stagehand in lots of the local concert venues and still do to this day part-time. From climbing in the ceiling and focusing stage lights to operating a spotlight for a show at Memorial Auditorium. I simply love being creative and feel fortunate to have been able to travel a lot of my life and see many different cities and sights. I love the feeling I am an artist who simply paints with lighting.

My first huge TV special and first major arena tour I was a lighting tech on was this 1984 Kool and the Gang show at the New Orleans Worlds Fair for HBO’s video jukebox, the Light Designer most recently lit up the American Idol TV Series and it was a learning experience. The beautiful venue was built right on the river. We had a giant heart that came down from the ceiling during the show’s opening.I got to run lights for KC and the Sunshine band, some new band called Run DMC  and a girl singer called Shannon, her hit was called Let the music play, they were some of our opening bands on the tour. My job was to set up one of the lighting trusses as well as connect all the wiring to the lighting dimmers and babysit our dimmer area during Kool and the Gangs show beside the stage.

Here is the video from that concert.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TesMhfSMgRk

Call us today about lighting up your outdoor area or landscaping in Raleigh NC

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

working with a lighting designer and planning to enjoy your home and lifestyle after the sun goes down

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

As an outdoor landscape lighting designer in Raleigh NC, we work with Triangle area homeowners to determine how you enjoy your outdoor space, particular features or a structure that you would like to highlight. What you like most about your homes architecture, specific trees or plant you like. A walkway or path you would enjoy or use more if it was illuminated. A  favorite pond or water feature. Features you love most in your outdoor kitchen or along your hardscaping.

 

 

Accent outdoor lighting  gently grazing the surface of the stone, stucco, and brick will add depth and dimension your home’s architecture as well as showing the features

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Adding outdoor lighting to such things as an arbor, fence a statue or structure and trees will give you a dramatic and attention-getting visual lighting effect, creating a lighting scene with a backdrop as well as mimicking moonlights natural effects.

 

 

Water feature outdoor lighting.

Illuminating a water feature, pond or pool combines 2 effects, you might have some trees or plantings near the water that will look interesting with up lighting. You also get stunning mirrored images on the water’s surface, creating dreamlike effects rippling across the water’s surface.

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Add outdoor lighting and illuminate a bridge over a water feature to highlight it’s features and create safety

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Adding path or walkway outdoor lighting will create a sense of security along stone pathways and lawn walkways as well as adding a hint of intrigue to plant beds and boulders along the way.

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Adding down lighting with lights placed up in trees shining thru the trees creates stunning shadows on the ground below mimicking moonlighting effects.

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Patio and deck outdoor lighting will feature and accentuate all of the architecture, beauty and detail of your deck, patio, outdoor kitchen, hand railings, steps and more while creating safety.

 

Hardscape outdoor lighting brings out your stone features along with your outdoor kitchen, retaining walls, steps and more.

 

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

 

Lite Visions Landscape Lighting at the Raleigh Fairgrounds Home Show

Posted on by admin in Landscape Lighting, Outdoor Lighting
Nice blog about Lite Visions Landscape Lighting on The Raleigh Fairgrounds Fall Homeshow page

 

EXHIBITOR SPOTLIGHT: LIGHT VISIONS LANDSCAPE LIGHTING

Aug 22, 2018

We’re excited to have Light Visions Landscape Lighting joint us at the Fairgrounds Southern Ideal Home Show. Lite Visions is not a outdoor lighting franchise, but a locally owned outdoor lighting design and installation company. They pride themselves on delivering the best LED Outdoor Fixture, workmanship and customer service to our clients in Raleigh and the surrounding areas. They do custom outdoor lighting to both residential and commercial properties.

Before you see the Light Visions team at booth #2129 get a sneak peek at what they’ll be bringing to the show by reading our brief interview below.

Describe your products and services.
Outdoor Landscape and Architectural Lighting Design and Installation done right by someone who worked in the concert and live music industry for over 30 years as a lighting technician and lighting designer.

What are your best home or garden tips for this season?
As a lighting designer, I work with homeowners in and around the Raleigh NC area to determine how you enjoy your outdoor space, particular features or a structure that you would like to highlight with outdoor lighting. What you like most about your homes architecture, specific trees or plant you like. A walkway or path you would enjoy or use more if it was illuminated. A favorite pond or water feature. Features you love most in your outdoor kitchen or along your hardscaping that would look great with outdoor lighting.

What are your featured items this season?
I am installing a new series of lighting this season designed by an architectural company. The lights are groundbreaking in the fact that not only can you adjust the beam spread and angle, but you can also adjust the wattage output and color temperature of the lights to the right temperature no matter what type of surface you are lighting. These fixtures give off a very soft subtle lighting effect. Too many outdoor lighting companies tend to over light a home. As always I am offering a discount to anyone who signs up for a lighting quote at my booth during the show. My company is different I am different in the fact that I am the lighting designer and installer.

What are your home or garden pet peeves?
People who only light items one sided and have no design knowledge or thoughts of the customer seeing this flat lighting effect when they pull up to their home, but not being able to see it from the home itself. Example a beautiful Crepe Myrtle or Riverbirch tree light from the front with only one light. A tree should always be lit up 3 dimensional to bring out it’s structure and beauty.

What is the strangest client request you’ve ever received?
I get people who don’t understand what I do and sometimes I will get requests to install floodlights over a garage.

What is your favorite part about the home show?
I love meeting people and talking to new potential customers, it seems alot of people are building outdoor kitchens. I try to give alot of advice to people remodeling or building as I want to make sure they are prepared as they deal with the builders, electricians stone contractors etc. to make adding their outdoor lighting as easy as possible for them. I am working right now on a project at Hyco lake near Roxboro on a amazing outdoor kitchen for a customer I met at the last home show.

Any additional company info you’d like to include?
I feel I bring something different to outdoor lighting as I come from a concert lighting background, from working with local bands such as the Embers right out of school to local recording acts Glassmoon and Nantucket to working huge arena concerts such as Kool and The Gang, Joan Jett, Alan Jackson, Tim Mcgraw, Dan Fogelburg, 3 Doors Down, Whitney Houston to the Christmas sensation Trans Siberian Orchestra. I still do a few concerts now and then and also work at the Memorial Auditorium venues when I can.

I do maintenance on older existing systems as well as LED retrofits. I am a member of the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals a small group of professionals who are some of the best in the business.

The Fairgrounds Southern Ideal Home Show will be taking over the North Carolina State Fairgrounds September 21-23, 2018. With hundred of home improvement experts to speak with, like the team at Light Visions Landscape Lighting, this is a must attend event. What are you waiting for? Get your tickets now!

SAVE $3 – BUY TICKETS ONLINE

LED Retrofit into older outdoor landscape lighting systems Raleigh

Posted on by admin in Landscape Lighting, Outdoor Lighting

LED RETROFIT INTO OLDER LANDSCAPE LIGHTING SYSTEMS

Sometimes I will get a phone call from a customer in the Raleigh asking if it is possible to come and look at their 15 year old landscape lighting system in and around the Raleigh area and possibly retrofit it to the new LED bulbs. I am always glad to come look at an older existing system as long as it is a professionally installed system with professional landscape lighting fixtures and not some of the big box store lighting that someone installed themselves. If the light fixtures are high grade materials and there is an existing professional transformer in place and the wiring and connectors are still in good shape, it is possible to upgrade an older landscape lighting system to the new energy saving and green friendly LED bulbs. There are many options available ,from just retrofitting the existing fixtures with drop in LED lamps,to redoing the system’s connections,updating wiring and installing the new long lasting LED chip on board landscape lighting fixtures. Some of these nice fixtures even have a variable wattage and focus on the fixture.

Give me a call today to look at your old outdoor lighting system in the Raleigh NC area.

Light Visions Outdoor Lighting and Landscape Lighting

Raleigh NC

919-518-9950

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