Ideas For your Patio and Deck From Houston Lightscaping Experts

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Lightscaping Ideas For Your Houston Deck Or Patio

Warm weather makes men and women, along with children, pining to spend as much time outdoors as possible. Whether you want to grab an ice-cold beer of a glass of wine to enjoy those beautiful Houston sunsets from your deck or patio or sit outside catching up with friends, you need effective outdoor lighting.

Outdoor living areas like patios and decks can become an extension of your home when properly lit. These areas can become the perfect area to relax, dine or entertain outdoors surrounded by the sights and sounds of Mother Nature.

There are many different lighting choices that can help you create a deck or patio area where you can spend leisurely evenings enjoying the beauty that surrounds all of Houston. Take a look at our favorite options and include them in your outdoor lighting scheme.

  • Deck Post Lights – Deck post lights offer both practicality and safety. When you install deck posts lights to your prominent deck posts, they can illuminate large areas of your patio or deck. Furthermore, this lighting helps to show the location of your railing.
  • We can help you select deck posts lights that will coordinate with the surface and color of your decking so that they are barely noticeable. After dark, they will beautify your outdoor spaces and extend the time you can enjoy sitting on your deck or patio.
  • Bistro String Lights – Bistro string lights, also known as globe lights, can be added to your deck or patio area to create a cafe feel. These lights offer a unique ambiance thanks to their soft glow. Furthermore, these lights, when placed above your grill can make cooking in the evening a breeze.
  • Patio Seat Wall Lights – Patio seat wall lights are perfect for steps and patios. They help to illuminate natural stone and low profile areas, making them easier to see in the dark. This is especially beneficial to guests who are unfamiliar with your property.
  • Outdoor Deck and Patio Step Lights – Lighting any changes in elevation like steps and stairs will help to prevent any trips or falls while adding a unique ambiance to your outdoor space. Path lights help to illuminate the walking path and ensure that you and your guests can safely navigate uneven areas and stairs. Cascade lights, placed on exterior walls can be used to light the stairs themselves.

About Outdoor Lighting Solutions In Houston

The Latest Houston LED Lightscaping  Designs For Your Landscape

Outdoor lighting can become stark if not approached properly. Many people and companies only see it as a technological task; however, when LED landscape lighting is done properly, it can do so much more than illuminate your pathways. Creating a landscape lighting design can showcase gorgeous plantings and architectural details throughout your property. The design specialists at Robert Huff uses the latest LED lighting solutions to create a unique lighting profile that is as unique as you and your property.

The team of landscape lighting specialists often works with pool designers, landscape architects and builders to create a unique and one of a kind outdoor space for homes and businesses. We specialize in creating a lighting solution that embraces security, elegance, and beauty. We have been in business for more than 30 years. Robert Huff customers will testify that our company works with you to help you realize your outdoor lighting dreams for your deck or patio areas.

At Rober Huff, we understand that it is essential to use creativity and imagination to transform outdoor patios and decks into useable extensions of your home. We will go above the competition to ensure that you are fully happy with the design. When you choose Robert Huff for your outdoor landscape design, you will get an incredible design and the support that you need to fully enjoy all that your property has to offer.

For more than 30 years, the design specialists at Robert Huff has been the premier choice of outdoor lighting in Austin, Houston, and the surrounding areas. We have many satisfied customers and are fully insured and licensed. Contact us today to see the Robert Huff difference.

 

If you would like to discover more tips and tricks, visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

How To Prepare Your Residential Outdoor Lighting For Halloween

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Do’s And Don’ts For Residential Outdoor Halloween Lighting

Robert Huff Illuminations wishes you a Happy And Spooky Halloween! Halloween is almost here and everybody must be thinking about what to do to make their house a treat. Well, with proper lighting in your backyard, you can make sure that everybody including ninjas, zombies, superheroes, princesses and everyone else dressed up has a good Halloween. It’s a good way to keep everyone around the area safe to prevent injuries. Also, they will have a good idea of where to get the best goodies. You need to take time deciding the best lighting for your home this Halloween.

Most homeowners love decorating their yards for the festivities season, whether it’s Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas. Soon enough, a lot of guests will be coming to your home for trick or treating. After that, a few people should pass by with Christmas carols and cookies. Therefore, if you want to have the best lighting, this is the time to start assessing your yard. Imagine yourself passing by there in the dark and determine whether you would be able to navigate effortlessly? Are there steps that need to be climbed yet your trees obstruct the light from shining?

If that’s a yes, you need to hire a residential outdoor lighting expert to make sure that your yard is well lit. That way, you can create a welcoming atmosphere for anyone passing through your yard and prevent injuries, a trip to the nearest hospital or liabilities coming from a lawsuit. Although you need your house to have a haunted theme this Halloween, you don’t want people to stay away from it if they are afraid of getting injured. That defeats the whole purpose of the spooky day!

Make sure everyone passing around or near your yard is safe during Halloween. If you don’t have a well-lit path, children or adults might pass through the areas you don’t want them in and it might be dangerous. Use the trees to position the lighting to create a moonlight effect. With the best light fixture, you can shine a light on the walkway without creating a glare. You can either place the lighting on one side of the walkway or put a staggering pattern. Your professional lighting expert should advise you on the best way to install the lights for the best outcome.

Whatever you do, stay away from floodlights because they shine a bright light on people’s eyes thus they would have a hard time seeing anything. Since most houses come with these, they might not be a safe option although they might seem attractive. Remember, people might be wearing masks or other elements that obscure their vision. Therefore, make sure they have a memorable Halloween by lighting their paths properly and not blinding them with a glare.

Good lighting creates a welcoming ambiance to anyone in your yard without it appearing like a creepy and spooky place or a resemblance of an airport runway or a prison. You can achieve this by hiring a certified residential outdoor lighting professional. Since they are trained in designing residential outdoor lighting fixtures and installations, you can always count on quality products. 

 

If you would like to discover more tips and tricks, visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

A home in Houston, TX, with landscape lighting

Houston Area Outdoor Lighting Experts Tell Us The Essentials In Outdoor Lighting

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The Most Important Elements Associated With Houston Outdoor Lighting

There are numerous elements linked to outdoor-lighting, yet it always comes down to the trio of components, installation and element designs that are all interconnected.

The Design

The design has to do with the way in which we achieve desired results along with making it look gorgeous. Great lighting designs use the foundational principles, but they do not lock into the cookie-cutter approach where pre-arrange kits are used and every home is treated the same. Design is what allows a designer to tap into their creative juices for each project. The expert lighting designers use only the best products to create effects that you should expect from your lighting which includes highlighting, safety, drama, warmth and more. We look forward to opportunities to create designs that will excite you.

The Components

Components linked to outdoor lighting, have to the do with the fixtures themselves. Yet components will also include the wiring, bulbs, connectors along with any other materials that are used in these systems. Importance of high-quality components should never be overlooked. The fixtures of quality with bulbs or lamps that are suitable and rated for outdoor use are essential for the system to offer you long-term use. Cheap aluminum and plastic fixtures are unable to stand up to outdoor elements or be able to perform like the copper or solid brass types will. The heat-shrink wire connections also work on protecting the connections, which allows the lights to operate for a lot longer in comparison to pierce types. An outstanding lighting design is not able to compensate for materials of poor quality. If your lighting is placed perfectly, but they are not able to work, the overall design will mean nothing. We suggest and incorporate high-quality brass and copper products for all the landscape lighting-projects that offer a far longer-lasting performance. An installation that is inadequate even when the product and design are of exceptional quality and perfectly positioned, will always end in disaster. The incorrect installation can result in frustration, failure along with unnecessary costs. A shoddy connection will usually fail prematurely, while wired that have not been buried correctly are prone to corrosion or the risk of being cut. Tree lights which have been installed incorrectly may cause harm or even the death of a tree while lights that have been placed incorrectly are prone to breaks. Cutting corners can lead to frustrating outages and many unhappy customers which is why never cut corners. Main elements involved in the best lighting designs, installation and components are interdependent and interconnected. Making a shortcut on 1 and others are unable to compensate, which is always why we strive for professional services when it comes to our techniques and materials. We have a goal of offering top-rated services when it comes to our lighting systems, making sure you are completely satisfied with the end product that you are able to rely on for years into the future.

About Our Houston Outdoor Home Lighting

Outdoor lighting for residential properties may in some cases appear to be similar to utilitarian home projects, and many companies make the mistake of approaching these projects as technological tasks. Our latest LED landscape outdoor lighting combines functions and form to offer landscape-lighting solutions which do a lot more than only provide lighting to your garden or yard. To create the best types of LED landscaping lighting has to do with work provided by the Robert Huff design team that brings together collective architectural-designs that employ the very latest when it comes to outdoor solutions for LED landscape lighting. Our team often works alongside pool designers, architects and landscapers to arrive at the renowned Robert Huff lighting effects when it comes to all types of outdoor spaces for either your business or home. Robert Huff Landscape Illuminations is proud to be in the business of designing home-lighting outdoors with Security, Elegance, and Beauty for more than three decades. We also have a specialty in installation and designs of the commercial based LED landscaping lighting. Our clients have come to trust in Robert Huff as we are always delivering outstanding designs in residential and commercial outdoor lighting all over Houston, TX.

Here at Robert Huff, we strongly believe it only takes one innovative idea in order to transform your own outdoor spaces. While the other companies might offer different outdoor-lighting solutions, our Robert Huff designs always extend above-and-beyond. When choosing Robert Huff for outdoor LED landscape-lighting, you are offered with fully-inclusive support and designs that are built upon excellence, creativity, and experience.

More Than 30 Years In Houston Outdoor Home Lighting Designs

Robert Huff Lighting has gone onto spend over 30 years as the pioneer when it comes to outdoor lighting. This is why we are a premier choice when it comes to outdoor-lighting solutions all over Austin, Houston, and the surrounding areas. With our extensive experience, we already have lists of satisfied customers for commercial and residential projects. We are also insured, licensed and each team member equipped and trained when it comes to assisting you with your outdoor lighting requirements.

 

If you would like to discover more tips and tricks, visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

Our Fool Proof System For Outdoor Landscape Lighting In Houston Part I

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An Easy 5-Step System For Houston Landscape Lighting Part I

If you are looking for a way to make your home’s exterior more beautiful and dramatic after dark, installing landscape lighting is an excellent option. The five steps outlined below will help you create an outdoor space that is not only functional but also attractive, even after the sun has set.

Step 1: Choose Several Key Focal Point

Evaluate your outdoor area during daylight hours, searching for features that you want to highlight. For instance, maybe you have a large tree or a small group of shrubs on your property that you would like to draw attention to. Perhaps you have a beautifully designed wall made of stone. Maybe the exterior of your home has a unique texture thanks to the fact that it is made out of brick or stucco. Other characteristics that could be worth highlighting include water features, flowering shrubs, or garden gates. The features you choose to highlight will be the first things that people notice after dark, so make sure to choose them wisely. After planning your focal points, you can then move on to designing lighting for other areas like your decks, sidewalks, or walkways.

Step 2: Draw Your Outdoor Space

Making a sketch of your outdoor space is extremely beneficial during the planning process. Start by drawing lines that indicate the outer edge of your property. Next, add in key features like your house, outbuildings, decks, trees, outdoor furniture, or other large elements that you are planning on keeping in their current place. In your drawing, identify the focal points that you decided to highlight in the first step. Write down the general measurements of each feature, including its height and length. If you already have landscape lighting installed, note where your current lighting fixtures are placed. This information will make it easier to decide whether you can get by with 12 V landscape lighting or whether you need to install a 120 V system.

Step 3: Choose Your Light Fixtures

To get the best results, you need to make sure that the light fixtures that you choose for each area of your outdoor space are appropriate. Depending on your space, you may need a combination of floodlights, accent lights, and in-ground fixtures. Thanks to today’s technology, the color, and brightness of the light emitted by all of these different types of fixtures can easily be controlled.

Whether you have a 12V system or a 120 V system, you typically have a couple of different options when it comes to materials. These include k-alloy aluminum and solid die cast brass. Although both of these types of materials have a bronze finish, solid die cast brass is a better choice if you live near the coast or in an area where there is a lot of moisture. Some of the factors that influence whether you can get by with a 12 V system or whether you need to install a 120 V system include the following:

  • Whether or not you already have outdoor lighting installed.
  • The overall size, shape, and layout of your space.

120 V systems can be quite costly and labor-intensive to install. Typically, the wiring for these systems is required to be buried deep underground. Because of that, most experts recommend only opting for 120 V lighting if the wiring is already installed in your outdoor space or if there is a nearby electrical outlet that you can use to power the system. If neither of those situations applies, installing a 12 V system is a much easier and more affordable choice.

The section that follows describes some of the most commonly used outdoor light fixtures along with information on the specific situations that they are designed for.

  • Path Lights. These lights are designed to light up sidewalks or pathways, making it easier for people to see where they are going when they arrive at your home after dark.
  • Accent Lights. These lights can be used to create a number of different effects, depending on how they are installed. If you point them in a downward direction, they tend to add a sense of moodiness to the space. On the other hand, if you point them up at different objects, they can add a lot of drama to your landscape. They are perfect for illuminating focal points like trees or architectural features in your outdoor space.
  • Wash Lights. If you have a wall, fence, or another relatively wide surface that you want to light, a wall wash light is a great choice.
  • In-Ground Lighting. With these lights, the body of the light is buried in the ground. They are an excellent choice for lighting driveways or pathways. They can also be used to light features in your yard like trees or shrubs.
  • Hardscape lights. If you have structural features in your yard like walls, benches, columns, decks, or outdoor cooking surfaces, hardscape fixtures are the best choice for providing light. The unique low-profile design of these fixtures makes them easy to hide when installed on or near architectural features.
  • LED Tape Lights. For a subtle lighting effect, consider installing LED tape lighting around objects that are difficult to light in any other way. For instance, you can place a strip of LED lighting around your porch roof or in an outdoor kitchen. Some types of tape lighting can be used underwater, as well, making them perfect for installing in backyard water features.
  • Step lights. If you have stairs in your backyard or if you need to mark the edge of a deck or patio, step lights are a great way to keep your outdoor space safely illuminated.
  • Indicator lights. These lights are often used around the outer perimeter of a property in order to indicate where the property ends.

For more on this topic, read on to the next article. If you would like to discover more tips and tricks, visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

Our Fool Proof System For Outdoor Landscape Lighting In Houston Part II

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An Easy 5-Step System For Houston Landscape Lighting Part II

Step 4: Spacing Outdoor Fixtures

How far apart landscape lights should be set is a subjective, situational decision. Most lights come with six feet of lead wire, but lights can be spaced closer or further apart as necessary.

Here are some basic spacing suggestions for different landscape lighting situations:

  • Path & Area Lights: Path and area lights can be set 10 feet apart. Remember, the goal here is to guide people down a path, not illuminate it completely.
  • Accent & In-Ground Lights: Small objects can be lit with one or two fixtures. Larger objects, like large-canopy trees, may need three or four. As a rule of thumb, use more lights when you anticipate multiple viewing angles. Most in-ground light fixtures allow you to adjust their angle and overall light output. Order a few extra and make adjustments based on the way the lights actually work on your property.
  • Wall Washers: You can get even illumination on walls by placing your lights one to two feet away from the base of the wall. Space the fixtures out with six to eight feet in between them.
  • Hardscape Fixtures: Use three-inch light strips in tight spaces. Six-inch strips are standard for illuminating deck handrails, steps, and retaining walls. Order larger sizes if you have need of more illumination.
  • Tape Lights: Tape lights have certain built-in maximums. Runs can be no longer than 40 feet, and each run can carry no more than five amps. Tape lighting is typically sold in one, five, and 10-foot lengths.
  • Step Indicators: Light outdoor entertainment areas (e.g. patios and decks) wherever you expect foot traffic.
  • General Indicators: Marky out the edges of spaces you want to define with lights spaced at least two feet apart.

Step 5: Running Wires, Powering Lights, Final Adjustments

Your last step is to move from your layout sketches to real life. If you’re building a 12V system, you’re probably running all of your fixtures off one transformer. This is feasible even if your setup includes both dry and wet (i.e. underwater) fixtures. Most 12V transformers can be plugged directly into a standard power outlet. These transformers are available in different wattage capacities; you can cover anything from 75 to 600 watts with a standard transformer. Size your transformer according to the number of fixtures and runs in your layout.

It’s a good idea to leave a little additional capacity in your system. This allows you to add on new fixtures later, if, for instance, you install a new feature you want to light. A little foresight can save you the expense of revising your entire setup.

Don’t forget to add a timer or a photocell to switch your lights on and off automatically.

A smart landscape lighting setup will use the latest and greatest technologies (like high-efficiency LEDs) to bring your property to life. Make your outdoor areas safe and beautiful after dark with our cutting-edge LED landscape lighting.

For more information, feel free to contact us or call today! Visit our blog for more outdoor lighting tips!

Optimizing And Updating Your Houston Outdoor Lighting System

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How To Convert Your Houston Outdoor Lighting System From Halogen Into LED

There are numerous reasons why you may want to consider converting your outdoor lighting system to LED lamps from halogen lamps: you might want to reduce your energy bills, or maybe expand your current outdoor lighting system, or perhaps you would just like to reduce the amount of routine maintenance that you need to do. Whatever the case may be, there are no disadvantages to using LED lamps as part of your outdoor lighting system. for inspiration or examples of LED’s used in outdoor lighting systems, take a look at Our Work!

Use LED To Save Money

It is amazing how much your energy bill can be reduced by using LED lamps. Less electricity is used by LED lamps compared to traditional halogen lamps. Typically low-wattage LED outdoor lights use 80-90 percent less electricity compared to halogen systems. The reason why less electricity is used is LED lights reduce your outdoor system’s overall electrical load. For a majority of outdoor lighting systems, when they are converted to LED it takes the load off of the operational costs of the outdoor lighting system. In most cases, The average electrical bill for an outdoor lighting system using LED can be reduced down to $3-$5 a month.

Reduce Routine Maintenance and Lamp Replacement

The overall costs of routine maintenance and replacing lamps are also reduced when you switch over to LED. With halogen systems, lamps must be replaced about once a year. You need to take into consideration the cost of replacing each lamp every year and the cost of every individual lamp. However, if you switch to LED lamps, it eliminates how often you have replaced your system’s lamps. A majority of reputable LED lamps in today’s marketplace are rated to last for 10 years at least and have a 5-year replacement warranty. That is because high quality LED lamps are designed to last. Although LED lamps might be more expensive upfront, they actually pay off very fast. One thing that needs to be noted is that switching over to LED lamp doesn’t completely eliminate needing to service the system and maintain its optimal operating condition.

Provide Your System With More Lights

When your lighting system is converted from halogen lamps over to LED lamps it also takes off an electrical load from your overall lighting system, which allows room for additional lights. Allow me to explain this further. Any lighting system has a set amount of wattage that it can handle, which will depend on the kind of transformer it has. For example, a 300-watt transformer is restricted to being able to support 200 watts without tripping and possibly overloading the system. With halogen systems, 20-35 watts is used by each lamp. With a maximum 260 watt capacity, a halogen system only is able to support 8-13 fixtures or lamps without possibly overloading. Theoretically, if the same 300-watt transformer is taken, and 4 watt LED lamps are used rather than 20-watt halogen lamps, the same system will be able to support 65 fixtures or lamps rather than 13 (when properly designed). If you retrofit your existing halogen system with LED lamps, that will reduce how much electricity is used. When a load is taken off of your system through LED lamps there is more room for adding fixtures without needing a bigger transformer. It is very important to understand there are numerous things that need to be taken into consideration if you would like to add more lights to your system after retrofitting it with LED lamps. Are your lines properly balanced? How will voltage drops affect more lights being added? How long will your wire runs be? Each system is uniquely engineered and needs to be approached in a different way. Consulting with your lighting specialist regarding LED lights as well as other lighting solutions is always a good idea.

Contact us or call today to revolutionize your space.

How Many Lumens Do I Need for Houston Outdoor Lighting?

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How To Choose The Right Lights For Houston Residential Outdoor Lighting

At Robert Huff Illumination we help you navigate the ins and outs of all facets for your residential outdoor lighting needs. The intensity of a light is measured with a unit called a lumen. This is something you should pay attention to when checking the specs of a lightbulb or other lighting solution. The ideal amount of lumens for your outdoor lighting will vary in function of the type of lighting you need. Step lights, path lights, and hardscape or landscape lighting are typically used to create a soft atmosphere. There is no need to invest in bright lights for these uses, but you need to make sure your step and path lights will be bright enough so you can easily so the ground. The recommended range goes from 50 to 200 lumens for these lights. Some lights such as motion sensor lights or pond and pool lights need to be more visible for safety reasons. Look for lights in the 200 to 700 lumens range depending on the size of the area you want these lights to cover. Lastly, floodlights are used to light up a broad area and should be very noticeable, even from afar. You will want to look for lights in the 700 to 1,300 lumens range for this use.

LEDs or CFLs?

Should you get LED or CFL lights for your outdoor lighting system? LED lighting is a popular option and will probably be more adapted to your needs. Here is what you need to know about these two options. CFL stands for Compact Fluorescent Light. This technology relies on a filament that is heated up and becomes incandescent thanks to electric current. The downside of this technology is that exposure to extreme temperatures considerably reduces the lifespan of the filament inside of the bulb. The other downside of this technology is that it can take a few minutes for the filament to heat up and emit the full range of lumens of the bulb. LED stands for Light Emitting Diodes. These lights use small diodes rather than filaments. The diodes don’t emit any heat and are more resistant to extreme temperatures. They emit the full range of lumens right away. The biggest advantage of LED lights is that they use a lot less energy. In fact, a CFL bulb typically uses twice the amount of energy of an LED light with a similar lumen range. You should easily get the number of lumens you need for your outdoor lighting system with low-wattage LED lights and save money on your energy bills. The lifespan of LED lights is another advantage. An LED light will typically last five times longer than a CFL bulb. CFL might seem like the best option due to their lower initial price. However, the prices of LED lights have been decreasing and both technologies are available in a somewhat similar price range.

Other Features To Consider For Houston Residential Outdoor Lighting

There are a few features you should consider when choosing an outside lighting system. Start by looking at the lux of a light. The lux represents the amount of light per square meter. This spec will give you an idea of the size of the area that a single light bulb can cover. Keep in mind that one lux is based on how much illumination you can get by standing three feet away from a candle. Pay attention to the wattage of a light. A 200-watt bulb will use 200 watts per second of use. A light with a high wattage will result in higher electricity bills. If you want to install several high-wattage lights, think about hiring an electrician to install a new outdoor system. Get in touch with us if you need help with choosing the best lights for your outdoor lighting system! Also, be sure to take a look at other examples of our work, and slide on by our blog for a little inspiration!

Whether it’s residential outdoor lighting or commercial, lighting a patio, or custom lightscaping your whole yard, Robert Huff Illuminations has you covered. Feel free to call us or contact us today to see how we can help illuminate you.

How To Optimize Your Houston Exterior Lighting Pt. 1

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Great Tips For Enhancing Your Outdoor Environment – Houston Landscape Lighting How To Pt. 1

Here at Robert Huff Illumination, we receive numerous requests and questions from customers who are intimidated by landscaping and exterior lighting. However, assisting customers with adding value to their properties through the use of Houston residential outdoor lighting is my specialty, and I know many ways to make our customers’ outdoor areas – gardens, decks, backyards, front yards – look fantastic through the use of outdoor lighting techniques and fixtures.

The bottom line is that outdoor lighting doesn’t have to be a confusing or overwhelming project. You can make it as detailed or as simple as you would like it to be. After reviewing the following basics, also check out the ideas I have for putting them into practice – these are all things that you can do right now to enhance your outdoor areas.

My goal in writing this “Basics of Landscape Lighting” guide is to get some of the key outdoor lighting concepts introduced that you can get implemented immediately. To make it even more helpful, I will be using specific examples to illustrate the principles behind the concepts. That will provide you with plenty of information to starting thinking about what will work the best in your outdoor environment and how you can use lighting to create a beautiful outdoor area.

Some of the common questions that I get are “I would like to give my yard some extra life and would like to use lighting to do that. What do I need to know before I begin? Where do I start, and what should I do?” When you are considering how to best design your exterior landscape lighting, one of the most important things that you need to understand is that less is often more Since the eye is drawn into areas that have the highest level of visual contrast, you don’t necessarily need a lot of lighting fixtures in order to create an effect that is very beautiful. We also have a great blog to pull ideas from.

Once you have the fundamental “less is often more” concept in mind, your next step is to figure out what you would like to light. Do don’t want to light up your entire yard so that it resembles a Las Vegas casino. If you try to highlight everything, then nothing is going to be special or stand out. Instead, you should think about which features you would like to show off, and then determine how you are planning on using specific outdoor areas. Choose a few selected features, make sure they are lighted well (in terms of fixture placement, appropriate beam spread, and light quality), and then think about how you would like to fill other areas in.

Make sure you consider the perspective that you will be looking from and viewing objects when you are thinking about lighting. For example, if you will be featuring a tree that is seen from every side, then one accent light is not going to give you the effect that you desire. You are going to need to have other lights on the other viewable sides as well.

Browse our Landscape Lighting Selection

How much light is needed for creating a nice outdoor environment?

Not too much if you just want to light objects in your yard. Just like with desk mounted, small task lamps, a little can go quite a long way when a small amount of light is placed exactly where it is needed. If overall light levels are kept low, then the contrast in between shadow and light of a highlighted outdoor feature will create a very dramatic effect.

For a favorite outdoor reading area, you can place a spot over a pergola or in a tree, and then direct the light over your shoulder and down. For outdoor entertaining and dining, you don’t need lots of light. There are numerous ways that you can use light to create a fun summer entertainment center, especially in Houston. Ultimately, what you want to do is create a relaxed and casual mood for your outdoor area.

Be sure to contact us or give us a call for all your Outdoor Lighting needs, also read the conclusion of this article!

two story house with moonlighting

How To Optimize Your Houston Exterior Lighting Pt. 2

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Great Tips For Enhancing Your Outdoor Environment – Houston Landscape Lighting How To Pt. 2

What Exactly Is Color Temperature? When you look at the light quality you will notice that it is important just like the quantity, but what about color temperature? This is a temperature that is measured on the Kelvin scale. You are going to notice that the light temperature for the bulb is on the packaging. You will see that the temperatures over 3500K are considered to be cooler and will often going to be a bluer in color going to a noon sun with the higher temperature. You will find that the temperatures under 3000K are often thought to be warmer. The amber tone will be seen as the number goes lower. These are the details we at Robert Huff Illuminations keep in mind with every job.

You will want to try to stay away from the cooler numbers when you are doing the lighting for the landscape. The bluish tones that are seen can make the area look a little bit unnatural or even as being on edge. Instead, you will want to consider the warmer colors that are going to have 2700K for the ideal temperature and 3000K is only considered okay. The 2700K is going to have a soothing feel that can be seen as a campfire type of glow. This will make it a comfortable environment that you can enjoy outdoors, especially in Houston.

You need to remember that one thing that you will see is temperature is going to be the appearance of the white light, which is different than the LED lighting. While still newer, the RGB LED fixtures are going to give you the chance to add in LEDs into the design. You will want to use these sparingly outside and allow them to give you the party feel.

How Is Layered Lighting Going To Impact my Houston residential outdoor lighting space? In this form, you will notice that the lights are going to be designed to create a different type of high and low that you will want to have in your space. You will notice that this is one important tool that you do not want to overlook. This is also the way that a lot of outdoor theaters set the mood.

You will notice that it can be as easy as putting the lights onto different breakers. You may find that the pathway lighting is on its own circuit, but the deck lighting is on another one. You will find that the layered lighting will allow you to have more control over the lighting in the area for the purpose you want it to serve. You will notice that you have dimmers and other controls that are available if you want to use these on the same circuit. You may even notice that you will be able to set up preset levels for the patio lights based on what is going on from eating to cleaning up.

You will find the layered lighting is an amazing way to show off your artistic ability. You will find that you can even have step lights that are connected to motion sensors. This will allow the stairs to be lighted when people start to climb them. You may even find that you can get these lights timed up with music!

Don’t hesitate to contact us or call us for any questions you have about lighting up your life!
We also have amazing Commercial Outdoor Lighting Designs, and don’t forget our blog for design ideas!

Robert Huff Outdoor Lighting: The Ultimate Guide To Color Temperature Part 2

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Robert Huff Outdoor Lighting: A Color, Light, And Temperature Guide Part 2

Choosing Your Measured CCT

When choosing your desired CCT, it is best to keep in mind that all the objects, as well as the colors within a designated space, are brought out with that of warmer CCTs. As a result, designers suggest temperatures of 2700K and 3000K to highlight the reds and yellows of wood grain flooring. From a commercial or industrial standpoint, they generally tend to lean to those sources which can provide 4000K to 5000K since it readily matches that of outdoor lighting and creates a productive feeling. As far as cooler light is concerned, an advantage is that it has always been seen as being brighter than those of warm sources. As such, numerous businesses are bending toward cooler temperatures which can, in turn, save them some money. This is achieved as a result of saving energy since less light would be used when compared to warmer sources.

The Pros And Cons Of Residential Outdoor Lighting In Houston

There are several pros and cons with respect to the warmer temperatures of outdoor lighting for residential use. This is as a result of the environment that the lights are being placed into, as such, warm colors are generally thought of as being not bright enough when they are placed into areas where people want to work with white light that is crisp. Some areas present cool colors which occur naturally and when they enter, they can be seen as being more yellow or even pink, this then causes individuals to think that the lights are not working properly. Cool colors are typically viewed as being institutional or even sterile and this is a huge downside.

Warm Color Temperatures

With all said, numerous individuals wouldn’t prefer the change from a warm color since they may feel that it is too bright for their liking. In order to choose the proper outdoor lighting, it is best to assess your environmental needs beforehand and inform your supplier of the type of environment as well as the ambiance that you intend to create. It should also be noted that if you’re interested in changing your initial light sources, such as in the case of fluorescent to LED or even CCT, you should definitely ensure that your entire room has been completed since come differences are not distinguishable to others.

If you are looking to further learn about the temperatures of colors and how they can affect the colors within your backyard outdoor lighting projects, be sure to contact Robert Huff Outdoor Lighting or call us at 713.861.2000. Or simply visit our blog.