On this project, we uplighted the columns on the right and left of the front door, along with the final column to the far right. The columns in the middle were not illuminated in order to provide some shadow. A mix of shadow and light is an integral component of any good landscape lighting design. To highlight the porch railing balusters, however, a washlight was used between the two unlit columns. This combination of uplighting and washlighting is an effective means of accenting various architectural features.
To accent the upper center gable, a washlight was installed on the lower horizontal roofline gutter to illuminate the upper portion of the home softly without intruding into the upper bedroom windows. The areas flanking the upper center section were intentionally left dark to provide the proper mix of shadow and light.
To incorporate the client’s landscaping into the lighting plan, uplighting was specified for the palm and select specimen trees. This softens and contrasts the hard materials of the home’s architecture. An in-ground uplight was used under the palm tree, rather than a staked above-ground uplight, due to the lower profile of the tree.
A soft downlight was installed on the far right corner of the garage. It serves to expand a viewer’s vision of the entire width of the house. The downlight was specified here because the drive is paved up to the house, precluding the use of a ground-mounted uplight.