Environmental Insights

Professional Landscape Lighting Design Tips

Posted by Tim Lake on Jan 4, 2018 2:25:09 PM

Want to know how to install professional-looking landscape lighting? Sure, I can give you some landscape lighting tips. I’ll post a few of my best below.

But first, bear with me, because I just have to rant about what NOT to do with landscape lighting. It’s actually easy to demonstrate. All you have to do is get in your car and ride around after dark. I can almost guarantee that within a few blocks you’ll have passed case after case of really bad lighting installations.

 

Like the giant square box runway lights that just blast light at a building as if it were daylight, doing nothing to highlight the architecture or evoke a mood.

Or the residence where somebody bought bullet lights and aimed them at a shrub, and it looks like what Moses saw on Mount Horeb: a single bush all alight with nothing but harsh shadows all around.

Or the facade of a house that has a bright, bright light in one spot right next to a patch of blackness so dark the devil could be hiding there. It’s jarring. When will people learn that you can’t just go buy lights and point them at things and expect it to come out looking good?

Now that I’ve got that off my chest, let’s talk about how to do landscape lighting right.

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Topics: Landscape Construction, Landscape Architecture, Landscape Design

The 9 Best Landscape Renovation Ideas For Spring

Posted by Tim Lake on Feb 9, 2017 5:05:00 AM

Chances are if your landscape has been in for 15 or more years it is overdue for renovation. Even if your landscape was well planned and maintained for the long haul, a decade and a half’s worth of growth is almost guaranteed to leave it looking a bit unkempt. Crowded roots, straggly growth, overgrown trees and shrubs, bare spots, ho-hum or dated appearance: these are all signs it’s time for an overhaul.

If you’re reading this and nodding your head in recognition, here are some landscape renovation ideas to consider this spring.

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Topics: Landscape Construction, Landscape Architecture, Landscape Design

Outdoor Design Trends For Retail And Mixed-use Properties

Posted by Tim Lake on Nov 8, 2016 12:45:04 PM

Landscape design for retail areas can be challenging. You’ve got to take a lot of things into account, including safety, accessibility, and economy of space as well as aesthetic appeal. In mixed-use situations, factoring in the needs of residential occupants adds to the challenge.

One big thing to remember when designing retail landscapes is that this space comes at a premium. Parking, utilities, buildings and other infrastructure all must share limited space, so one always has to be thinking about how to best get ROI on amenities spaces. A well-planned installation can successfully tie the disparate elements of the retail landscape together to create a sense of unity in design, even while economizing on space.

Here are some trending outdoor design ideas that are worth considering for retail and mixed-use applications:

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Topics: Landscape Architecture

Homeowner Error: 9 Landscape Design Mistakes To Avoid

Posted by Tim Lake on Aug 22, 2016 6:00:00 AM

To prevent headaches and costly problems, avoid these nine residential landscape design mistakes with your next project.

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Topics: Landscape Architecture, Landscape Design

The 7 Most Serious Commercial Landscape Design Mistakes

Posted by Tim Lake on Jul 13, 2016 10:55:11 AM

There are four words no one wants to hear: We have a problem.

And when you hear that as a property manager, you know it’s probably going to be another late, restless night.

To keep from having serious problems, here are seven commercial landscape design mistakes to avoid on your Macon GA property.

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Topics: Landscape Architecture

The Pros And Cons: Solar-Powered Commercial Landscape Lighting

Posted by Tim Lake on Nov 19, 2015 2:46:52 PM

When someone approaches your property at night, what do they experience? Are they impressed? Can they find their way easily? Do they feel safe?

Your landscape lighting is one of the biggest variables in making or breaking their experience. Lighting is often overlooked when it comes to landscape-related budgeting, but it shouldn’t be.

Lighting is a safety essential for your commercial property. The right lighting can also enhance your brand and even save you money.

While still an emerging technology in Georgia, solar-powered commercial landscape lighting is one of the most exciting options we are aware of in terms of these benefits and more. We have excellent solar exposure here, second only to the American West and much better than the Northeast and Europe where there’s higher usage.

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Topics: Landscape Architecture

7 Ways Outdoor LED Landscape Lighting Can Improve Pedestrian Safety

Posted by Tim Lake on Jul 30, 2015 12:27:00 AM

Your commercial property takes on a whole different appearance at night.

Whether it maintains its attractiveness or becomes a forbidding or even dangerous place depends a lot on your lighting. Outdoor LED landscape lighting is an important safety and security feature.

A well-lit property discourages criminal activity, puts your visitors at easy, and helps prevent accidents and injuries caused by poor visibility.

The downside is that lighting your commercial property can get expensive. According to U.S. Dept. of Energy estimates, outdoor lighting accounts for at least 8% of commercial lighting expenses on average, and probably more. Fortunately, newer lighting technology offers a solution.

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Topics: Landscape Architecture