Archive for the ‘Lighting’ Category
The Outdoor Lighting Expert brings you The Holiday Bright Lights
by Maria Bargellini
Holiday Bright Lights is a new brand we’re bring you for this 2011 holiday season. They feature Light Links which is a new way to decorate your home for the holidays. There are 23 incandescent options and 12 LED Light links to choose from- below are just a few. If you don’t want to use ordinary lights this year and are hungry for a change this is the option for you. Here’s a way to do something different by tastefully adding different shapes, colors, and even bring lights into the front yard with cohesion. The light Links tie into the available lawn decorations to make it look like a professional design instead of a mix match of after Christmas sale decorations. If you would like to see more you can visit our other sites below for more pictures and information. To view the full Holiday Bright Light Catalog click here.
Dallas Holiday Lighting, DFW Christmas Lights, The Outdoor Lighting expert and Lawn Sprinklers Dallas, are operated by Dallas Curb Appeal Inc., a full service landscape contractor.Disclaimer.
The Outdoor Lighting Expert on Landscape Lighting Design Tips
Landscape Lighting Design Tips
Below are tips to help you in designing your landscape lighting. This post will discuss cohesion, layering, focal points, quality of light and how it relates to landscape lighting. These are areas where most homeowners fail to spend time researching or implementing. Landscape lighting isn’t just about buying a one size fits all boxed set of landscape fixtures and throwing them up against your house.
Cohesion: Your Landscape lighting design needs to make visual sense. It needs to flow in a way that doesn’t confuse the viewer and lets their eyes roll along the lighting transitions, without interruptions by too many or sporadic black or dark shadowed areas or large gaps that make the eye ping pong around the space. Landscape lighting that is unbalanced, disorganized, has too many focal points and generally just doesn’t make sense or have any flow, will not be as aesthetically pleasing. The goal is not to light everything in your yard as though it were daytime, nighttime in Vegas or to highlight every single plant, pot and tree, but rather to make use of the shadows to make the space inviting, while highlighting subtle features that would otherwise be lost at night.
Layering: Sometimes referred to as depth, layering is the use of light in areas of the home other than up against the house or it’s perimeter only. There’s nothing wrong with only lighting the house itself but when you add lights at varying distances throughout the landscape it adds dimension and interest. It’s like going from 2D to 3D. Illuminating the outer edges of your home with landscape lighting can make your home look wider, longer, or deeper depending on your landscape lighting technique.
Lighting Focal Points: The term “Focal point” is used in design to describe a center of interest. This can be an item, an area, structure etc. You can use landscape lighting to highlight whatever you wish to draw attention to, for use or appreciation. Some of us may have many “special” or “interesting” items and that’s OK, you can keep these things to be viewed, but take care to only highlight one item or a grouping of items at a time. Focal points can also be used to anchor your landscape lighting design by giving it a base or a starting point. Working from your focal point outward can help you better design your landscape lighting.
Consistency and quality of light: What do you think of when you hear the terms romantic lighting, dramatic lighting, and subtle lighting? These are references to how lighting makes you feel. Your landscape lighting is meant to invoke emotions. It’s how you want both yourself and other viewers to respond and experience the area that has been lit.
Dallas Holiday Lighting, DFW Christmas Lights, The Outdoor Lighting expert and Lawn Sprinklers Dallas, are operated by Dallas Curb Appeal Inc., a full service landscape contractor
The Outdoor Lighting Expert on Path Lights
By Maria Bargellini
The most common type of landscape lighting I see today are pathway and area lights. These lights are usually found lining the pathway up to a home and are often confused with one another because they are similar– but they are in deed different. A pathway light will have the bulb located in front of the stake or support to shine its light in front of the fixture and on the path itself, while an area light will have its support in the middle with the light being cast on all sides surrounding the stem or support. You can use either as long as you have enough light to cover the area to be used effectively. Because these types of landscape lights are so common they are also commonly installed incorrectly. This may be a case of beauty being in the eye of the beholder but I think most of you will agree that airport strips are best left at the airport and not your home. Here’s a short list of do’s and don’ts to help you install your outdoor lighting like a professional.
Don’t- Use Solar lights: These are good for the environment but currently bad for your front yard. They have yet to come out with fixtures or technology that can produce a solar landscape light that will actually light the pathway and not just the fixture itself. In the end most people end up throwing them out which is actually bad for the planet. The other issues are the inconsistancy in light output and timing, often lights will be on during a cloudy day or when shaded by your landscape. This both adds light when not needed and uses up it’s energy for the nighttime display.
Do – Buy a quality landscape lighting fixture that will stand the test of time. Most professional outdoor lighting companies will offer fixtures with a 10yr, 15yr or even a lifetime warranty on materials. If installed correctly your outdoor lights will be using the same amount of volts, resulting in an even output of light at all the fixtures. Digital timers installed in your transformers will turn the lights on and off when you schedule them not when it’s cloudy out.
Don’t - Install an Airport strip: Please o Please do not do this. In this case less is truly more. Don’t use more than you need just because they came in a set, and don’t put them right across from each other. This is not as aesthetically pleasing and won’t win you any yard of the month prizes for sure
Do – Install fixtures using caddy corners or on a diagonal, this will give you enough light without over doing it. Depending on the fixtures every 10-15 feet apart should be good, smaller or shorter fixtures scan be at 8-10 feet apart. Make sure to highlight any tripping hazards or obstacles. Don’t worry if there are shadows on the ground, if the outdoor lights are properly placed you will automatically follow the low of the path. There will be no bogey men in the dark spaces I promise. OK well I can’t really promise that but ya know what I mean.
Don’t – Leave Crooked lights: Having a bunch of crooked lights sticking out of the ground isn’t pleasing to the eye at all. Inexpensive fixtures with weak stakes provide little if any resistance against lawn mowers and little feet. These lights won’t have a chance against playing kids, speeding dogs and running lawn mowers.
Do – Buy high quality fixtures: OK there’s no way to ensure with 100% certainty that the lights will always be standing straight unless you set them in concrete, which isn’t necessary, but- buying good quality fixtures definietly helps as the material are usually far superior to that of most inexpensive box store brands. You could also limit access by installing a border. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, it can simply be some edging and gravel or mulch. On average you should only have 2-4 lights on the path (depending on length), in a custom design vs. the 8-12 pack you’d get
Whether you’re installing them yourself or have a professional outdoor lighting company install them make sure you go over the design in detail and if possible ask for a nighttime demonstration. Most landscape lighting companies will be able to do this and you can see for yourself just how it will make you feel.
Maria Bargellini is the president of Dallas Curb Appeal Inc. a full service landscape contractor that operates The Outdoor Lighting Expert, Lawn Sprinklers Dallas, DFW Christmas Lights, and Dallas Holiday Lighting.
The Outdoor Lighting Expert on using Outdoor Lighting to set the mood and atmosphere
By Maria Bargellini
Setting the mood? Huh, sounds like something out of a bad 70′s movie. Well in terms of outdoor lighting it’s not just turning them on or off. It’s about designing your landscape lighting in such a way as to invoke feelings of comfort, drama, and even mystery. OK, you think I’m over-romanticizing outdoor lighting, well maybe, I did read all those mushy paperbacks on the train getting to high school. The eyes and brain is a densely packed bundle of nerves that are sensitive to stimulation and of course over stimulation. For instance I like the look of moonlighting but I am also a big fan of horror movies and it reminds me of that all too common desperate run through the woods with the ax wielding killer hot on your trail –and of course ….the inevitable fall. So for me I like it at your house but not my own. Here are a few techniques to help you set the mood you want.
Moon Lighting: Walking through a property that has incorporated this type of lighting will look and feel similar to walking through the woods at night with blue tinged light filtering through tree branches, and large spreads of light. Some people fancy this type of setting because it reminds them of a certain place or time, and some simply like the way it makes them feel. (Me – horror movies). You can only successfully have this moonlit look if you have tall trees 20-25 feet tall with plenty of branches to shadow on the ground. Trying to do this on a small or bare tree will not have the same result.
Accent or up lighting: You can accent trees, statuary, walls, etc. If you’re careful as to not light too many “special” things this can be a great way to showcase your home and landscape. It can make you feel comfy, accomplished, safe, or just plain happy. As with moon lighting this can be overdone or done incorrectly. Too many accent lights can lead to a busy backyard that lacks a consistent flow. When up lighting shrubs, especially with blue or green lenses, you can bring out the color in the foliage making the dark a little more relaxing. You outdoor lighitng design should look balanced and not be over done –with lighting less is usually more.
Architectural Lighting: Most neighborhoods aren’t filled with blocks of cloned houses. In most cases different materials are used, there’s varying styles, layouts, lines etc. With outdoor lighting you can make your house look wider, taller, deeper or all of the above. You can showcase the different textures of the material such as bricks or natural stone by using a grazing or highlighting technique. This type of outdoor lighting is usually more dramatic than any other type. Lighting columns, coves, stone, and entries can really change the way your home feels and is received by others. Now you just can’t throw lights in the ground shining on your house. To make your lighting design look good it should look balanced, and the light output should be the same throughout so that there are no hot spots or “off areas”.
Path/Area lighting: There’s definitely a wrong way of lighting a path. Airport strips are for planes only. The most common mistake is to have too many lights. The second is to have your outdoor lighting fixtures directly across from each other. This is not a good look and it screams “help me!” The worst offense is to have a bunch of these on the walkway to your home and then not have any other lights at all. Whether you’re installing them yourself or have a professional outdoor lighting company install them make sure you go over the design in detail and if possible ask for a nighttime demonstration. Most landscape lighting companies will be able to do this and you can see for yourself just how it will make you feel.
Maria Bargellini is the president of Dallas Curb Appeal Inc. a full service landscape contractor that operates The Outdoor Lighting Expert, Lawn Sprinklers Dallas, DFW Christmas Lights, and Dallas Holiday Lighting.
The Outdoor Lighting Expert on Task Lighting
By Maria Bargellini
Simply stated task lighting means providing light to see objects needed for a task, like say walking. This article is about outdoor task lighting and I want to help you understand task lighting and its value to your outdoor lighting design for both Safety and Security.
Safety: When most people think about lighting their homes safety isn’t always the first thing on their minds, it’s usually the overall look. Outdoor Lighting that helps people see immediate obstructions should actually be considered first, especially areas that are by a pool where someone can fall into the water. I know what you’re thinking, “what idiot would fall into the water? Well here’s the recipe: a good party, a few drinks, a quick trip over a stone, then a little sprinkler of Murphy’s Law and splash. Anywhere you have a step up or a step down that is too dark to see – should be lit. By most city codes a tripping hazard is anything less than 4″ tall, so believe it or not, the smaller the step the easier it is to trip over it. Most people light the front and the bottom of a set of stairs or path. If your stairs are not all the same depth or heights consider adding lights to the center where that fact can be seen, so that guest can adjust their stride. We’re so used to uniformity in steps everywhere else that are bodies are trained to take equal steps. Steps, pathways, and low entry ways, are where you should put landscape lights in. Keep in mind that these types of outdoor lighting fixtures are some of the most attractive out on the market. as they are highly visible. Typically, landscape lights are supposed to be hidden from view. Path, area and step or deck lights are offered in scores of decorative shapes, finishes, heights, and designs. Keep an eye on that budget – they can also be double the cost of a regular landscape light.
Security: These types of lights aren’t usually considered task lighting but if you ask me they perform a very important task — keeping your home illuminated so as to discourage any would be thieves from getting in and any sly teenagers from getting out, is most definitely a serious task indeed. Now I’m sure the first thing that popped up in your mind when I mention security lights are those huge bulb, antler looking things. Not the most attractive fixture in the world and the light emitted by those huge bulbs can take out the best of us. Security lights do not have to be unsightly. And if the burglar is close enough to set the lights off–he/she got a lot closer than they should have gotten. You can incorporate low voltage and LED lights on your property to both highlight the home and keep it safe. Landscape lighting fixtures are smaller, use less energy, and are a lot more attractive for this purpose than traditional security lights.
So when you’re going over your property take a good look at the less glamours aspects like tripping hazards and security, you’ll be glad you did.
The Outdoor Lighting Expert, DFW Christmas Lights and Lawn Sprinklers Dallas is owned and operated by Dallas Curb Appeal Inc.
LED Landscape Lights
“Finally, an Outdoor LED Lighting Fixture that Outlives the LED Itself”
CAST Lighting LED Engineered Wall Light (CEWL5LED1)
The use of LED’s in Landscape Lighting has become more and more widespread. This trend picked up momentum as consumers learned of the long life and energy efficiency of these electronic light sources. With the growing demand, lighting manufacturers rushed LED lights to market, and hundreds of new LED fixtures and replacement lamps found their way into gardens and lawns across the land. Unknown to consumers, however, was that the great majority of these lights will fail long before their promised lives.
CAST Lighting’s LED Research and Development
Several years ago, CAST Lighting launched an intensive research and development effort to create integrated LED lighting fixtures that live up to the company’s high standards of durability, reliability, serviceability, and performance. It was a long process because the technology continued to improve over time; many of the early LED components were unsuitable because of their susceptibility to heat and moisture damage.
The release of CAST Lighting’s LED Engineered Wall Light (CEWL5LED1) constitutes a breakthrough in the industry. It is the first in a series of outdoor luminaries that are designed specifically for the harsh environmental conditions present in the landscape.
Long Life – For Both LED and Fixture Body
The Nichia LED chips used in this new lighting fixture were specifically chosen for their durability, brightness, and lumen maintenance. To further enhance their long life, these chips were driven with only half their maximum current. Many manufacturers push the current to the maximum to achieve greater brightness at a lower cost. By reducing the current, far less heat is produced and full brightness is maintained over a longer period of time. The CAST Lighting Engineered Wall Light is estimated to maintain at least 70% of its brightness (L70) for 50,000 hrs. – that’s over 20 years.
While many lighting manufacturers also claim an LED life of 20 years, the consumer should ask the question, “Will the lighting fixture itself last as long as the LED light source?” CAST Lighting fixtures are uniquely constructed to make this claim. The body of the wall light is made of solid sand-cast bronze – a material that resists all types of corrosion. (Bronze statues have been known to survive for over 2,000 years with minimal corrosion.) The wire used in the fixture, and throughout all components of a CAST Lighting system, are tin-coated, marine-grade No-Ox – specially made to survive the most corrosive marine environments. Other manufacturers use copper, brass, aluminum and other materials – all subject to corrosion damage from soil and atmospheric salts and acids.
Other factors that can reduce the life of an LED fixture are voltage spikes and fluctuations. The CAST Wall Light is engineered to accept a wide range of voltages (8 to 20 volts) and has built-in voltage spike protection.
To read the full article click here.
The Outdoor Lighting Expert, DFW Christmas Lights are owned and Operated by Dallas Curb Appeal. If you would like to learn more about this topic please feel free to leave a comment below or to call us anytime at 214-257-8155
Outdoor Lighting Dallas: Connections and Connectors
By Maria Bargellini of The Outdoor Lighting Expert
Your electrical connections don’t matter–A connector is a connector right?–WRONG
The connectors we use for outdoor lighting and irrigation are made specifically for the purpose of protecting copper connections (splices) that will be underground or underwater. Keeping your electrical connections dry is key to having your lights or irrigation working properly for years to come. These connectors are made by DryConn, the leader in the industry, raising standards for this type of product. —The DryConn connectors are UL 486D Listed, and while they are rated for 600V, they feature outstanding proven performance for low voltage, waterproof splice protection and direct burial. Using DryConn connectors helps ensure that our installations meet critical industry standards for performance; which will protect your system in our crazy Texas weather against shorting out and oxidation.
Oxidation is the formation of rust. This most commonly occurs when you have copper electrical connections that have been spliced and buried with inferior indoor connectors that allow water to seep in and corrode the copper. The connectors one uses for their home are very different then the ones described in this article. They are considered “dry” connectors. This means they are not approved for wet locations-and with good reason. The DryConn’s have a silicon additive, which is a corrosion preventative inside that protects the copper against rust, condensation, dust, water, and vapors. Indoor or ‘dry’ connectors do not have these qualities, but they are about 1/4 of the price which make them enticing to installers or contractors looking to save a buck. Make sure to ask your contractor what materials he or she is using. For more details on this connector please click here.
Maria Bargellini has 13 years in the electrical industry and has been a Journeyman electrician since 2003. The Outdoor Lighting Expert is and DFW Christmas Lights are owned and operated by Dallas Curb Appeal.
Adding Outdoor Lighting to your Holiday Display
Outdoor Lighting
Incorporating Outdoor Lighting into your Landscape Comes with Many Benefits
- Enhance your Homes Curb Appeal
- Add Security without harsh spot light glare
- Highlight Architecture
- Showcase your Home
- Enjoy the Outdoors Longer
- Safely light pathways for adventurous kids
- Add Value to your home
- Entertain outdoors and invite more friends home
- Timers and photocells come standard. No worrying about turning lights off at night.
Whether you want something subtle or want to be the stand out house in the neighborhood, Dallas Curb Appeal can help you enhance your homes appearance at night as well as during the day.
We offer three different lines of fixtures to fit every budget. Using our Good – Better – Best approach in estimating helps you decide for your self which one is right for you.
We install our systems to be trouble free and grow with your landscaping needs. With every install you get a FREE years maintenance and bulb replacement. Call for more details.
Landscape Lighting Ideas Dallas: Outdoor Lighting Fixtures
Landscape Lighting Ideas Dallas: Outdoor Lighting Fixtures
BY Maria Bargellini
Dallas Landscape Lighting Contractor
Not all outdoor lighting design are created equal. Landscape lighting is not about throwing a few lights on the ground and pointing them up a wall. There’s proper technique, classic design, and many more factors. One important factor is the outdoor lighting fixture itself. Here is an example of a outdoor lighting fixture that is used by some less creative and training installers. This first picture is what is commonly seen today around town. It is a 120v “outdoor lighting fixture“–or at least that’s what they think. This type of fixtures in wrong wrong wrong. The bulbs are too big, too noticeable, and worst of all- the fixture is not approve for use in an upward position. It even says so on the fixture.
The reason it’s not supposed to be pointed upward is to not allow water to enter the fixture. Water entering the socket will rust corrode the interior socket. In most case the components will oxidize and will no longer make the necessary contact with the bulb. It also makes it more dangerous to change the bulb.
Why you shouldn’t use them
- Exposed bulbs that get hot
- Sockets will rust when water enters
- Not approved for this application
- Not an attractive outdoor lighting fixture
- They are usually installed 24″ from the ground and if there aren’t any shrubs planted they can be very distracting and unappealing
Outdoor lighting fixtures that point upward should be encased in glass that should be properly angled toward a drain hole that will release the water. If you currently have these fixtures installed on your house you will have some maintenance
issues on your hands such as some of the following:
- Constant changing of bulbs
- unreliable performance
- possible shorts
- re-sealing fixtures to the home to prevent leaks
- Light angles that are too wide
- Unflattering light
- Low angle ability
- Too much concentrated light
If you need help or have questions about your Outdoor Lighting in Dallas please feel free to call us at 214-257-8155.
Landscape Lighting Dallas: Indoor and Outdoor Lighting Dallas
Landscape Lighting Dallas: Indoor and Outdoor Lighting Dallas
Your home is more than likely the biggest investment that you will ever make in one lifetime – which is the reason why it pays to pay attention to the smaller details like indoor and outdoor lighting. Lighting is not particularly expensive when you compare it to purchasing new siding, a wood deck and furniture, however it can make all the difference in how your home looks and feels. It can completely change your paint color, open up a room or make it feel more comfy. Outdoor lighting as well as indoor lighting fixtures have come a long way from the old brass gold colored fixtures. They are available in highly decorative shapes ranging form the insanely modern to copies of rare antiques.
Now you can’t talk about fixtures without talking about bulbs, which are referred to as lamps. Lumen output, foot candles, energy ratings—all the terms can make you nuts. Make sure you visit a showroom to get a better understanding of what different light bulbs look like when lit. Fluorescent lights deserve mention and they have made many improvements to the color of the light but the have a long way to go. And although they conserve energy because of the mercury inside them, discarding them is an issue. You can find more about fluorescents here. Click here for an article on the Best bulbs by popular mechanics. Are compact fluorescents better? Click here for more. There are dozens of bulbs available.
Indoor Lighting
Lighting should work around your furniture. Figure out your furniture placement first and foremost. You can make your fixture a focal point, like a chandelier or use things like low voltage recessed lighting to high light other focal points. A lot of people think recess cans should be equally spaced when in fact the spacing is irrelevant to what you are trying to accomplish. If you have visitors that compliment your light spacing you need new friends. Highlight artwork, seating areas, graze textured walls or architecturally interesting areas-as for the spacing forghetaboutit.
Outdoor Lighting
Although there are some beautiful fixtures available for the most part you should see the result of the fixture without seeing the source. Care should be taken that there aren’t any glare or hot spots. You want your lighting to showcase your yard or home not smack your guest in the face with 20-50 watts of blinding light. Install your fixtures to highlight textures, artwork, interesting plants and colors. Installing lights in the trees to highlight focal points like fountains and statues below. First figure out what you what to light, then how much of it you want or need it to be lit and then you go shopping for the fixtures. Pre-packaged lights at the box stores are OK but overall the quality and effect is just not there. Solar lights have also come a long way but the light output still hasn’t reached the level of low voltage fixtures. In addition if the light is a deep shade it will not collect enough light to function properly.
If you have any questions or would like to request a Outdoor Lighting Demo please call us at 214-257-8155