Lighting is the star of the show when it comes to creating beautifully polished, highly functional, professionally done outdoor living spaces. Thoughtfully designed and executed lighting enhances the beauty of the property’s architecture and landscaping well after the sun goes down, increasing safety, usability, and the home’s value.
Heinen delivers custom outdoor lighting with decades of expert design and installation experience.
The Professional Advantage
All outdoor lighting systems are not created equal. Durability over time, functionality, usability, and even brightness can vary significantly. DIY solutions available at big-box hardware and home improvement stores can initially appear to be attractive options. They promise easy installation and low cost, but money savings upfront are quickly diminished as the low quality of these systems becomes apparent.
Inexpensive solutions seldom withstand the rigors of daily use, and long-term exposure to extreme weather conditions often damages these systems. Extension-cord light systems are easy to install, but they are particularly susceptible to damage from lawn care equipment or chewing pests. Solar lights lack flexibility as they can only be installed in areas that receive sustained periods of direct light. And, even when fully charged, solar lights often don’t produce enough illumination to achieve the intended effect.
In short, basic DIY lighting solutions may be cheap and not too difficult to install, but they are not durable, reliable, or long-lasting.
Professional design and installation is the only way to guarantee dependable, long-lasting, and visually satisfying outdoor lighting. Heinen’s team of specialists brings decades of experience to every project, designing custom lighting systems uniquely tailored to every client’s needs. Both residential and commercial clients are guaranteed expertise that meets the highest standards of quality, aesthetics, and functionality.
Lighting Solutions by Zone
Professional lighting boosts curb appeal after dark.
1. Entry and Front Yard
Curb appeal and safety are the most obvious benefits of front yard lighting. Directionally-focused light fixtures can be used to accentuate the most appealing architectural and landscape features of a property. Proper scale and lumens (the brightness of the light) must be calibrated to avoid over- or under-lighting. Careful fixture selection and placement provide just the right amount of illumination and avoid flooding an area with too much light or underwhelming an architectural feature with too little light.
Strategically placed lights along pathways, driveways, sidewalks, and steps make parking the car, navigating sidewalks, and going up and down steps easier and safer for family and visiting guests by lowering the chances of slips or stumbles. Lighting around the property also deters would-be trespassers when entrances are illuminated, and dark zones are eliminated.
Under-seat-cap wall lighting provides gentle warmth-enhancing ambiance, and the added illumination helps prevent trips and stumbles in outdoor entertainment areas.
2. Outdoor Living Spaces
Lighting is essential for extending the use of outdoor spaces after dark. Properly designed, light can be used to make outdoor kitchens and seating areas fully functional and usable while also creating warmth and an overall calm ambience. Accent lights can also spotlight other patio features, such as sculptures or architecture that may otherwise go unseen and unnoticed.
Functionality is as important as aesthetics when it comes to outdoor entertainment spaces. Step lights, recessed fixtures, task lighting in cooking spaces, and ambient lighting in seating areas increase visibility while creating a warm and welcoming look and feel. Adjustable lighting control systems create flexibility and allow homeowners to adjust brightness for entertaining, dining, or quiet evenings alone.
Selecting the proper fixture is key to showcasing the beauty of various plantings.
3. Landscaping and Gardens
Professionally designed and installed outdoor lighting systems that transform landscapes and gardens into masterpieces of light and shadow rely largely on placement and fixture selection. Techniques like grazing textured foliage, uplighting tall plantings, silhouetting shrubs along walls and fence lines, and moonlighting through tree canopies accentuate a home’s landscaping through depth, contrast, and drama.
Professional lighting designers avoid over-lighting or creating glare by carefully balancing fixture choice for each application to ensure that each feature is highlighted suitably and does not overwhelm the overall composition. Lighting professionals consider scale, space, and layering when illuminating each individual area of a landscape with the intent of producing a cohesive and holistic final result.
Highlight water features to create a stunning evening display.
4. Pools and Water Features
Correct lighting can turn pools and water features into stunning nighttime focal points. From highlighting the movement of water to adding subtle radiance to the surrounding landscaping, a variety of lighting techniques can be used to create depth and visual interest. Uplighting and wall washing emphasize textures and architectural features, while underwater lighting makes the water itself glow from within. Careful layering of these lighting methods creates a balanced and dynamic result.
The safety benefits of professional lighting around pool areas cannot be overstated. Lighting that clearly delineates wet areas and dry areas, transitions to steps, pool edges, and walkways helps prevent accidents. Faulty fixtures or insufficient brightness can make these areas especially hazardous after dark.
Work with KC’s Top Lighting Team – Heinen Landscape!
Elevate outdoor spaces with expert help from the lighting specialists at Heinen. The secret to magazine-worthy lighting displays is great design and planning, as well as utilizing top-quality products from the lighting industry leaders that Heinen has partnered with for years – including FX Luminaire. And Heinen’s best-in-class lighting design techniques take into account every angle, texture, and feature on a property. What’s more, the Heinen lighting design team has over 35 years of experience designing and installing high-performance, reliable lighting systems for homes and businesses throughout Kansas City.
