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.
Bad Design Fixture In Grass
Good Design Fixture Protected
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 .
bad light placement lighting up windows
proper lighting placement
proper lighting placement
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
We started talking with Tree Runner Adventure Park in Raleigh last year about a energy efficent low voltage LED outdoor lighting system to replace the rope lighting they had been using to have the park open at night. Here is a look at some of zone 1 of three zones we are lighting in the park so they can climb at night. This low voltage lighting is a combination of different lamps and fixtures along with colors. We are working in conjunction with the parks climbers who are installing the lighting that we specified and are consulting with the design along with installation and night focusing.
Nothing looks worse than a BAD outdoor lighting design. There are alot of people out there who call themselves outdoor lighting experts. Many of these so called lighting experts work in another industry and probably attended one lighting manufacture’s class and buy their light fixtures with the lamps that come in them and have no idea the difference in color temperature and beam spread let alone wattage.
A true outdoor lighting designer has many years of knowledge and continuing education to create a properly designed outdoor lighting system. No two outdoor systems are alike. While a 2700 kelvin lamp will make a crepe myrtle look outstanding,put a 3000 kelvin lamp on another crepe myrtle beside it and it will look like an alien due to the light being too white. I see this alot in subdivision entrances leaving neighborhoods I work in at night.
A professional outdoor lighting designer has quite a few tricks up his sleeve to make your outdoor lighting shine better . From different filters to diffuse and soften a lamp to different wattages ,beam sizes and even colors.
An American flag is lit properly from the bottom of the post to the eagle on top to the flag when flapping in the breeze. This takes knowledge of a proper amount of light fixtures as well as proper color temperatures.
Lite Visions has many years in the concert industry and as professional lighting designers we take pride in proper outdoor lighting that will last and make your home and property shine like the castle that you are proud of. You worked hard for your dream home. Don’t just let anyone light it up.
THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONTRACTORS IN THIS INDUSTRY
CONTRACTORS WHO BUY THEIR POORLY MADE PRODUCTS ONLINE FROM CHEAP SOURCES WITH NO LOCAL SUPPLIER BACKING AND TRY TO MAKE A CHEAP BUCK.
THEN THERE ARE LIGHTING DESIGNERS WHO UNDERSTAND THE ART OF LIGHTING AND TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN THEIR DESIGN AND INSTALLATION AND WORK AND ARE NOT ONLY USING THE BEST QUALITY LIGHTING SOURCES AVAILABLE TO THEM FROM A LOCAL SUPPLY HOUSE,BUT THEY ALSO STAND BEHIND THEIR WORK AND INSTALLATION.
Alot of homeowners do not understand,going to a big box store and buying a LED bulb not made for wet area use or in an enclosed fixture might not last 30 days to six months. I have personally heard another contractor asking a vendor for the cheapest lights he could make the most money on,because after they get the check they are done with the job and walk away from it. I could not believe my ears. No wonder so many people have complaints about different contractors these day.
We are NOT A OUTDOOR LIGHTING FRANCHISE that anyone can buy into,We have a long history in lighting design and lighting tech work with live concerts.
At Lite Visions,we design our systems to not only look great,but with longevity in mind,from using the highest quality outdoor lighting fixtures available to us. But also working with a family owned local supply house where they keep a good supply of the lighting supplies we use on a regular basis and where we can get warranty items taken care of locally.
We are a member of the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals who helps our industry in many ways, there are only a small handful of outdoor lighting designers who are a member of this small group of outdoor lighting professionals.
We have 5 star reviews on google ,yelp,houzz and facebook.
Nothing beautifies your home more than outdoor LED lighting. Low voltage LED lighting’s purpose is to unify your home and the surrounding landscaping into the evening hours. There are few things that will impact your home’s value and curb appeal better than a correctly designed and professionally installed outdoor LED lighting system.
The many advancements in today’s LED out lighting fixtures have made your choices even more attractive and can add long term value to your property.
When designing your outdoor lighting,we take into account your personal style and adapt your exterior environment to evoke a particular mood or place that is soothing to you.
Even modest homes or those with limited yards can benefit from outdoor landscape lighting.
You have a substantial investment in your home and homeowners are looking more and more to outdoor landscape lighting to increase their outdoor living spaces well into the the evening hours.
Call us today to get started with your outdoor lighting project ,the summer evenings are already growing shorter in NC
One of the sad things in this industry is how many outdoor lighting manufacturers trying to push their products by giving a shortclass to landscape industry companies who stick lights in the ground and never come back to focus them properly and do not use good installation methods. Here are a few recent examples of what we fixed.
VOLTAGE PROBLEMS Outdoor lights getting 16 volts to a 12 volt light fixture and blowing bulbs on an old halogen system, we corrected the voltage and then installed all new LED lamps.
BAD WIRINGOutdoor older halogen system browning out due to getting only 8 volts to some of the lights, there was corrosion in many wire splices and poorly done wire connections. We fixed the voltage and now they have an energy efficient LED system.
NO MAINTENANCE, system not working due to tree roots damaging cables and lights actually growing into tree roots. We ran some new wires replaced fixtures and re-lamped with new LED lamps.
DIFFERENT LAMP TEMPERATURES, lamps had been purchased at several different chains and were not all the same color temperature or beam spreads. We took out and reinstalled all new same color temperature LED lamps and the system looks brand new.
WHITE LIGHTS ON CREPE MYRTLES : There are several different color temperatures of LED lamps, some DO NOT look right on certain trees. We installed correct color temperature lamps along with a filter and now the Crepe Myrtles look natural lit up at night.
A Lighting Designer is someone who understands the science of working with light and shadow,using a pallate of many different outdoor lighting fixtures,lamp types,different color temperature lamps for different purposes as well as different lamp beams and shields, filters or louvers to shield light from peoples eyes so they can see only the effect, not the source. He might only use one fixture from a certain manufacturer that does one thing better for the specific outdoor lighting job.
A customer recently called and asked if I could look at updating their older lighting system and that they were getting a quote from their landscaper also after telling him about their lighting interest, I said No Problem I can guarantee my quote won’t be as low as his but feel free to call me to fix the landscapers work as I do it all the time.
A lighting designer installs the outdoor lighting system correctly the first time, with the bulletproof waterproof connections that will not be a problem down the road. He also checks to make sure all the light fixtures are getting the correct voltage and comes back the evening after the lighting install to properly focus the outdoor lighting system.
As aLighting Designer who only installs outdoor lighting , we stand behind our outdoor lighting installs and use the best-LED lamps available to the professional outdoor lighting designer,I have overheard pond people and landscapers talking about once they pickup their check they simply do not care how long the lights last.
We are a member of the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals, we are one of only a small handful of professional lighting designers in the NC area.
Please read our 5 star reviews on Google and give us a call about seeing your home in a new light
Lite Visions outdoor lighting made our lake home look like a nighttime oasis. Joe came up and took a look at our home and showed me a few ideas.After talking for a few weeks,we decided upon an install date and we could not be happier with how the lighting design turned out. He even suggested adding some down lighting bulbs in our 120 volt outdoor garage area lights to create a non glare look.We feel now we can enjoy our privacy at night as well as having added security without the harsh glare of the old floodlighting we had. I highly recommend Joe and Lite Visions to anyone looking into outdoor lighting in NC.
Great experience. Clear pride in his work and followed up to make sure I was happy. Lights look great and are much better quality than the big box store options. Hoping my outdoor light trouble shooting is behind me.
Joe made a great transformation to our house. The outdoor lighting he installed looks absolutely wonderful. It was a pleasure working with him. I’d recommend Lite Visions to anyone needing outdoor lighting
Joe from Lite Visions outdoor lighting created a magical look for my backyard garden and pool areas. We got Joe’s info from a neighbor who recently had outdoor lighting installed and could not be happier. After looking through his information about his concert lighting background ,we did not need to talk to anyone else. We definatly recommend Joe and Lite Visions outdoor lighting
Joseph Smolenski7 reviews · 6 photos4 months agoJoe from Lite Visions is passionate about what he does with decades of experience. His patience is probably his other greatest asset. He’ll walk you through recommendations and listen to your ideas. He has a great guarantee, extras, and warm personality. It is clear the cost of his services are secondary to his primary goal of helping you.
Joe was super friendly and amazing to work with. Very professional and the work was done so fast! He came over and did a demonstration to make sure we liked everything and we are in love with our uplighting on the front of our home. We would highly recommend him to anyone!
I am so pleased with my new lighting, installed last week by Joe after laying out the demo and design. The fixtures are beautiful, high quality, and the outdoor lights look amazing at night! Joe and Lite Visions installed 34 LED lights (pathway, up-lights, and down-lights), replacing a semi working old halogen system and even installed 2 bbq lights on a switch for me. Joe is very knowledgeableabut outdoor lighting from his concert lighting background. I highly recommend Joe and Lite Visions of Raleigh for your outdoor lighting . A truly great experience.
Joe is extremely knowledgeable and a real lighting professional. He installed lights in our front yard and turned a dull looking yard into something very interesting and appealing. He will create a plan and communicate that plan, and then execute it in a dependable, professional way. We have some other areas we are planning to ask Joe to assess for us, due to such a great experience with him.
Decided to go to NC home show at State Fair Grounds and met Joe. He is very professional and extremely creative. He setup a demo system for one night and it looked stunning. Few of my neighbors were impressed as well. So we decided to get the lights installed. He made our home look great in the evening and we love it.
A neighbor had recommended Joe and Lite Visions Landscape Lighting in Raleigh to us. Joe spoke with me on the phone,came by one afternoon looked around the property,he then came back and absolutely convinced me he was the only person for the job with not only his concert lighting experience,but his nighttime demo at our property sold me on his being a lighting designer. Joe and Lite Visions did a great job on our home and will soon also be doing a job for us at our beach home. Thanks Joe for your creativity and working with us around a rainy few days.
Lite visions landscape lighting of Raleigh just finished a beautiful lighting job at my residence in Raleigh. I got Joe’s info from a neighbor whose house he had just lit and I am loving our new outdoor lighting. I was impressed with Joe’s professionalism as well as his night time demo of the entire lighting system for us and his explaining and showing us different effects. I would highly recommend Joe and Lite Visions landscape lighting.
Rick French1 review10 months agoI typically don’t write reviews but I couldn’t be more pleased with the professionalism, design and great work that Joe did for me, hence the exception here. He is a true pro who has provided lighting set-design for many major touring acts and he showed the same level of attention to detail in designing an architectural lighting plan for my home. I can’t recommend Joe and Lite Visions highly enough. His work brought the exterior of my home to life. Really happy I responded to his direct mailer and contacted him.
My wife and myself are fairly new to the area. We met Joe from Lite Visions thru a referral from another contractor we were using. Joe cane out and did a nightime outdoor lighting demo for us and we had our lighting installed recently and could not be more pleased. Joe has the best guarantee in the area and has been doing lighting for concerts so long that there was no other choice for us. Ifyou are thinking about outdoor lighting in or near Raleigh,we highly recommend you do not consider anyone but Joe and Lite Visions.
Love our new outdoor landscape lighting, Joe and Lite Visions are the best you will ever find. I have never dealt with a more precise person. Joe went out of his way to do a full night lighting demonstration for us and explain everything along the way. Including having us check to make sure there was no light in our sleeping area.His working with concerts along with his warranty and 3 year FREE maintenance contract took him over the top. Joe not only stands behind what he tells you. He takes extreme pride in his work to ensure customer satisfaction. Need outside landscape lighting, I guarantee you will be satisfied. Give Lite Visions of Raleigh a call!
Joe did an amazing job with the lanscape lighting in our backyard. He is an expert at what he does and offered lighting ideas that completely changed the look and feel of our yard.
Joe does the best Landscape lighting in the area! From his music touring days and professional lighting experience he knows the ins and outs of the lighting systems he is installing. I had several quotes from other companies which were more expensive and not as detail oriented as Joe. Joe knows how to add just the right amount of light for the project and has the artistic eye for the best placement. He is honest and will not try to “sell” you on more fixtures. He did a Demo light set up which was invaluable!!!! (Other companies not wanting to do this because they “know where the lights need to go”) If you are spending the money on landscape lighting it is helpful to be a part of the process and see the placement of the lights. We may extend our lighting system in the future and will not use anyone else other than Joe (owner) of Lite Visions!
Lite Visions Landscape Lighting of Raleigh recently did our homes outdoor lighting and we could not be more pleased with the outcome. Joe is a true lighting designer and a lighting artist and made our home and landscaping look great in the evening.We loved the fact that Joe had been working in the concert lighting industry and we love our home and patio area in the evening hours.
Robert Hammond7 reviews10 months agoIf you want landscape lighting you can be the envy of your neighbors call Joe, he will make it happen. I don’t think there is anything he can’t do with accent and lighting, very professional.
When I started Lite Visions landscape lighting, I decided to take myself over the top by giving a 1year warranty along with the Manufactures warranty.
I also give a 1 year FREE Annual maintenance agreement as well. I do this simply to show my gratitude for my customers and I want to help keep their lighting system looking 100% always. Coming from my music and touring background. I feel confident in my skills as a lighting technician and lighting designer, as well as lighting fixtures and installation methods.
I back our systems with the best warranty and FREE Annual service contract in the Raleigh area! It’s not about the sale, it’s about providing a stunning lighting design for our clients for years to come. I want you to tell your friends & neighbors about us! Most of my landscape lighting business is word of mouth referrals from friends and neighbors who saw your night time demo or lighting system. From cleaning your fixtures, adjusting them due to growth or simply cutting a few small branches that are in front of a light fixture, I always want your lighting to look 100%
Unlike a lot of companies who simply have added outdoor lighting as a secondary sideline to their other business, or have bought into a cookie cutter outdoor lighting franchise.
Outdoor Lighting is Lite Visions only business and recieves 100% of my attention.
Pathway and Bridge lit up at night
I spent many years travelling in the music industry doing lighting for bands.When I decided to stop travelling 10 months out of the year and was talking to a friend who was in the outdoor lighting industry he convinced me that outdoor lighting design would be a natural transition for me,as I was already lighting up structures only on stages.
Me with some record awards
I started out many years ago working for a neighbor whose kids I grew up with in a beach band called the Embers,that set the stage for working with a local group that had a record out called Nantucket and another Raleigh band who had several records out Glassmoon. I was in Atlanta doing a show and called a friend with a production company to eat lunch and it was a turning point in my career,he offered me a tour with a group called Kool and the Gang,not only would I be a technician setting up themassive concert lighting,but I would get to operate lighting for several opening bands including KC and the Sunshine band. Over the years I was fortunate to work in all generes of music from rock to country to pop and even got to tour with WWF wrestling and the holiday sensation Trans Siberian Orchestra.
Me with Lou Rawls
I consider myself very fortunate to have had a long career in the music industry,but am glad to be close to home and designing beautiful outdoor lighting that homeowners can enjoy.
Note from Timothy B Schmidt from the Eagles who played on a Dan Fogleburg tour as well as Beth our opening act
I design and install all outdoor lighting systems and am available to personally address your needs if anything should ever come up.
I only use and install the best products available that we believe in and will not install inferior cheap fixtures just to make a profit.
About Joe Yanulevich
Born in Raleigh NC
NC Insured low voltage lighting contractor
Lighting designer and touring electrician for over 35 years.
Graduate of Nightscaping outdoor lighting university
Graduate of Garden Light Design university
Member of the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals
3 Doors down 2001 tour itenerary and live lighting photo
