Stone waterfall and stream lit from within so the moving water glows against the dark planting

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The Work

Every photograph here is a NiteLiters system on a real property. None of it is stock, and none of it is staged. The categories are the way we actually think about the work.

Plates are captioned by technique rather than by address. Our clients are asked whether their property can be identified, and a good number would rather it were not.

Before and after

Three of our houses, each photographed from the front lawn with the lights off and again with them on. Drag the line across each photograph.

The same brick and stone house with its gables grazed from below and the front beds lit — Before & after Stone gables grazed from below. The brick between them washed, the beds along the front picked out.

Brick and stone ranch house at dusk with its landscape lighting off, the walls going dark — Before & after Stone gables grazed from below. The brick between them washed, the beds along the front picked out.

The same house with downlights in the porch ceiling and under the eaves and its shrubs lit — Before & after Downlights in the porch ceiling and under the eaves. Before, the windows were the only light on the house.

Two-story brick house with a long front porch at dusk, lighting off, lit only by its windows — Before & after Downlights in the porch ceiling and under the eaves. Before, the windows were the only light on the house.

The same ranch house with each gable washed from its peak and the tree by the drive uplit — Before & after Each gable washed from its peak, and the tree by the drive lit up through its trunk.

Ranch house after dark with only a lit doorway showing, the rest of the house in shadow — Before & after Each gable washed from its peak, and the tree by the drive lit up through its trunk.

Pl. 30–44

Residential

Whether a house is new or a hundred and fifty years old, on a town lot or on forty acres, the elevation and its setting get lit as one composition.

Stone house and circular drive at blue hour, gables uplit and the motor court lit from the tree canopy — Pl. 30 Elevation, drive and canopy on three zones.

Symmetrical white columned house at night with a lit stone fountain in the foreground — Pl. 31 A smooth facade washed, not grazed.

Arched wooden front door lit from fixtures concealed within the surrounding stone archway — Pl. 32 Both fixtures inside the arch, invisible from the walk.

Stone and timber house at night with a lit drive curving past mature trees toward a lit outbuilding — Pl. 33 The drive lit from above rather than lined with stakes.

White columned porch at night with downlights recessed into the porch ceiling — Pl. 34 The porch lit from its own ceiling.

Stucco arcade at night, each arch lit by a single concealed downlight above the opening — Pl. 35 One fixture per arch keeps the rhythm.

Long low house at night with the entrance portico brightest and the elevation washed evenly to either side — Pl. 36 A wide elevation with the entry given priority.

Steep-gabled stone house lit at night through surrounding mature trees — Pl. 37 The trees frame; the entry carries.

Stone home with a lit fountain in the forecourt and warm light across the gables and planting — Pl. 38 Water in the forecourt, lit from beneath the spill.

White house lit at night and mirrored in the still lake below it — Pl. 39 Lit for the water as much as for the lawn.

Tall bare trees uplit behind a two-story home at night — Pl. 40 The tree line lit so the house has a backdrop.

Modern multi-level home at dusk with layered landscape lighting — Pl. 41 Clean lines kept clean: light on the planes, not the fixtures.

Large shade tree uplit against a blue-hour sky beside a lit house — Pl. 42 One specimen tree carrying the whole composition.

Fieldstone gable washed with light and framed by uplit trees — Pl. 43 Rough stone grazed so every face casts a shadow.

Brick colonial with lit columns, balcony and gables at night — Pl. 44 Columns lit from the base, gables from the soffit.

Pl. 45–58

Outdoor Living

Indoor lighting is for task and mood. An outdoor room is no different, and it needs a ceiling to light from wherever one exists.

Covered columned loggia with seating and a fireplace, lit from the ceiling above, pool beyond at dusk — Pl. 45 A roofed room treated like a room.

Arched stucco loggia above a pool and fountain, the columns and arches washed with warm light — Pl. 46 Light from the structure, not the water's edge.

Covered outdoor bar and seating area with brick walls, lit warmly with a fire bowl on the table — Pl. 47 Task light at the bar, conversation level everywhere else.

Stone terrace at night with a sunken fire feature, seating and a lit wall and planting behind — Pl. 48 The retaining wall used as mounting height.

Stone outdoor fireplace lit at night with chairs around it beneath mature trees — Pl. 49 Firelight carried by the trees above it.

Covered outdoor living area with a timber vaulted ceiling lit from concealed fixtures — Pl. 50 The timber ceiling does the work once lit.

Pergola and pool at night with the surrounding trees lit from within the canopy — Pl. 51 A pergola gives you a ceiling where there was none.

Timber pergola lit from the beams with planting and a garden path visible beyond — Pl. 52 Fixtures set into the beams, aimed down.

Courtyard seating beside a curved brick wall washed in warm light — Pl. 53 A curved wall washed evenly from end to end.

Outdoor kitchen and stone fireplace at night with the chimney face lit from below — Pl. 54 The chimney lit from below, the counters from under the cap.

Brick patio and outdoor fireplace at night with lanterns and lit planters — Pl. 55 Low light in the planters so the fire stays the focal point.

Arched brick loggia with downlights in its ceiling above a lawn — Pl. 56 Downlights in the loggia ceiling light the arches from inside.

Covered pavilion at the end of a lit walk, with garden accents and an uplit ornamental tree — Pl. 57 A walk that leads the eye to the pavilion.

Arbor swing in a dark garden lit softly from above — Pl. 58 One swing, one light, the rest of the garden left dark.

Pl. 59–64

Camouflaging

These are the only daylight photographs on the site, and that is the point. Hiding the cable and the hardware is the part of this trade we enjoy most, and the only time the work is difficult is at noon.

Painted brick wall in daylight with a pale fixture tucked against the base among ground cover — Pl. 59 Housing matched to the wall it sits against.

Black lamp post and a low path fixture beside a driveway and flowering bed in daylight — Pl. 60 Path fixtures kept low and back from the edge.

Brick pillar in daylight with a small dark fixture mounted against the mortar and no cable in sight — Pl. 61 Cable inside the mortar joint, re-tuckpointed over.

Cut stone wall in daylight with a bronze fixture mounted flush against the coursing beside a stone urn — Pl. 62 Finding it is the test. Most people cannot.

Brick garden wall and ornamental iron gate in daylight with dark fixtures against the piers — Pl. 63 Hardware chosen to disappear against brick.

Garden statue on a plinth surrounded by clipped shrubs in daylight, the fixture hidden in the planting — Pl. 64 The fixture is in the bed. You have to know it is there.

Pl. 65–69

Trees and Plantings

A mature tree is the largest thing on most properties and the first thing to disappear at dusk. Lit from beneath, the canopy becomes the backdrop the house sits against.

Bare tree uplit into a white silhouette from a hidden fixture — Pl. 65 Winter structure, with the fixture nowhere in sight.

Ornamental grasses backlit against a grazed fieldstone column — Pl. 66 Grasses backlit so they glow against the stone.

Weeping Japanese maple uplit from below — Pl. 67 A maple lit from under its own canopy.

Japanese maple canopy glowing red and orange from a hidden uplight — Pl. 68 Fall color, shown off after dark.

Spreading ornamental tree uplit against a deep-blue sky — Pl. 69 Fixtures tucked into the bed beneath the tree.

Pl. 70–82

Art, Sculptures and Water Features

A fountain, a statue or a waterfall that vanishes at sunset is an investment you only own in daylight. Moving water is the one thing that wants a fixture inside it rather than aimed at it.

Stone staircase and terraced planting lit at night with an urn and beds picked out below — Pl. 70 A stair lit from the side so every tread edge reads.

Stone waterfall and stream at night lit from within so the falling water glows — Pl. 71 Fixtures set beneath the spill, not in front of it.

Tiered stone fountain lit at night against a brick wall with roses planted behind it — Pl. 72 Tiers lit so each basin keeps its own edge.

Woodland stream and stone steps at night with the surrounding trees lit through the canopy — Pl. 73 Canopy light above, water light below.

Pierced sphere sculpture lit from within, throwing a pattern of light across the brick wall behind it — Pl. 74 Specified for what it throws on the wall behind.

Bubbling rock water feature lit from beneath at night with the surrounding stone and planting dark — Pl. 75 Moving water scatters light. Still water would only reflect it.

Stone waterfall over rock ledges at night with autumn planting lit alongside — Pl. 76 Each ledge lit separately so the drop has depth.

Abstract pale sculpture lit at night against a brick wall, the form modelled by light from two sides — Pl. 77 Two directions, or the form goes flat.

Large domed sculpture grazed with light under a moonlit sky — Pl. 78 Grazing light to show the texture of a curved surface.

Tiered fountain lit from within in front of a lit facade — Pl. 79 Light under the falling water, not aimed at it.

Rows of flowering trees uplit along a garden allee at night — Pl. 80 Blossoms lit from beneath while they last.

Stacked stone waterfall with underwater lights at each fall — Pl. 81 One light behind each spill.

Metal butterfly art casting a large shadow on a brick wall — Pl. 82 The shadow is meant to be bigger than the piece.

Pl. 83–86

Color-Changing Lighting

Most nights a system should stay warm white. Color-changing fixtures keep that and add an option: a pond, a pool or a sculpture in a color picked for the evening.

Pond and rock waterfall washed in blue light with the trees uplit in white — Pl. 83 Blue in the water, white in the trees.

Wire horse sculptures lit blue above a warm-washed brick wall — Pl. 84 Cool light on the sculptures, warm on the wall.

Stone waterfall lit purple by color-changing fixtures — Pl. 85 The same waterfall can be a different color on a different night.

Blue-lit pool with magenta water jets and a timber pavilion beyond — Pl. 86 Pool and jets on color fixtures, the pavilion left warm white.

Pl. 87–101

Decks, Pools and Moonlighting

Moonlight through branches reveals openings you never notice in daylight. Placed high in trees and structures, lighting can give you that effect every night of the year.

White columned house above a lit pool at night with the terrace and steps lit from the sides — Pl. 87 The house lights the water by reflection.

Curved pool at night beside a brick colonnade with the columns washed in warm light — Pl. 88 Nothing lit at the coping. The colonnade carries it.

Pool at night with the surrounding hedge and trees lit, their reflections carried across the surface — Pl. 89 What you see on the water is the tree line.

Brick drive beneath mature trees at night with dappled light falling through the branches — Pl. 90 Moonlighting a drive. Pools of light, dark between.

Crepe myrtle uplit beside a pool at night, its form doubled in the still water — Pl. 91 One tree, doubled by the surface.

Pool and pavilion at night with the surrounding tree line lit softly from within the canopy — Pl. 92 The tree line as the back wall of the garden.

Arched stucco elevation at night with downlights under each arch and a pool in the foreground — Pl. 93 Downlights under the arcade, reflected in the pool.

Timber deck at night with a table and chairs lit softly and the house windows glowing behind — Pl. 94 Deck lighting low enough to keep the sky visible.

Modern home at blue hour above a lit infinity-edge pool — Pl. 95 The vanishing edge lit so it still reads after dark.

Rear of a lit home reflected in a still pool — Pl. 96 Still water doubles every fixture, so fewer are needed.

Circular paver terrace with a fire pit beside a blue-lit pool — Pl. 97 Seat walls lit low so the terrace edge is clear.

Wood deck with post-cap lights beneath an uplit forest canopy — Pl. 98 Post-cap lights on the deck, the canopy lit beyond it.

Uplit trees casting dappled shadows across a lawn under a full moon — Pl. 99 Moonlighting, photographed beside the real thing.

Tree limbs casting shadows across a curved brick garden wall — Pl. 100 Light from high in the tree draws the branches on the wall.

Uplit oak limbs framing a lit porch home at blue hour — Pl. 101 The oak lit from below to frame the house.

Pl. 102–110

Commercial and Civic

Most commercial property assumes line voltage. Integrating low voltage into that scheme is what makes a building worth looking at rather than merely visible.

Brick church elevation at night with tall arched windows grazed by warm light from ground level — Pl. 102 Grazed brick keeps the arches deep.

Large blown-glass sculpture lit in blue and yellow against a curved multi-storey building at dusk — Pl. 103 Glass lit through rather than onto.

Etched glass memorial panel lit from below at night, engraved figures and lettering legible — Pl. 104 Etching catches; the glass around it stays dark.

POW MIA memorial stones lit from ground level at night with the engraved numerals readable — Pl. 105 Shallow-angle light, so the inscription reads.

Brick church with a white bell tower and arched entrance lit at dusk against a deep blue sky — Pl. 106 The tower carries the composition.

Row of tall arched church windows at night grazed with warm light up the brick face — Pl. 107 Rhythm kept by lighting each bay the same.

Engraved granite memorial wall lit at night with a family portrait etched into the stone — Pl. 108 Engraved stone is a legibility problem first.

Church interior at night with stained glass windows lit and pews visible down the nave — Pl. 109 Stained glass only reads outside when the inside is lit.

Brick office building at dusk with its gable traced by soffit lighting — Pl. 110 Soffit light traces the roofline.

Pl. 111–123

Safety and Security

A common misconception is that brighter lights create a higher level of safety. In reality bright lights create dark shadows, producing a false sense of security and undermining the benefit they were installed for.

Curving exterior staircase and iron handrail lit from beneath so each tread edge is visible — Pl. 111 Every riser lit from beneath the nosing.

Front entrance with stone steps and planters lit evenly at night, the doorway clearly legible — Pl. 112 An entry you can read from the street.

Paver walkway at night lit by low fixtures set back in the planted beds on both sides — Pl. 113 Fixtures set back from the walk, not lining it.

Planting bed at night with a path fixture lighting ornamental grasses and a stone ornament — Pl. 114 Low output, wide spread, no hot spot.

Wide paved court and basketball area lit evenly at night with trees lit at the perimeter — Pl. 115 Even coverage so the eye adapts and shadows stay soft.

Stone patio at night with a table and chairs lit softly and the lawn and water beyond in darkness — Pl. 116 Enough to move safely, little enough to keep the view.

White fence and gate lit at night with a flowering tree beyond and the drive surface lit — Pl. 117 A boundary you can see without a floodlight.

Parking court at night beside a house, lit from the surrounding trees rather than from poles — Pl. 118 A parking court lit from the canopy, not from poles.

Long stone wall grazed with light along a curving drive — Pl. 119 The drive edge shown by the wall, not by stakes.

Arched entry with steps and a curved walk lit by path and accent lights — Pl. 120 Every step readable from the drive.

Natural stone steps with path lights between uplit trees — Pl. 121 Path lights placed where the footing changes.

Boulder steps with step lights beneath uplit trees — Pl. 122 Step lights set into the stone.

Driveway wall grazed by fixtures hidden in the plantings — Pl. 123 A long wall as a guide rail of light.

Pl. 124–128

Outside In

Most of the time a lighting system is seen from inside the house. Light the garden and the windows show the view instead of a reflection of the room.

Living room at night with the lit garden filling the picture window — Pl. 124 The garden as the view from the sofa.

Screened porch at night looking out on uplit trees and plantings — Pl. 125 Lit beyond the screen so the porch looks out, not in.

Living room with tall windows framing lit trees outside — Pl. 126 Without the outside lit, these would be black mirrors.

Sunroom with a stone fireplace at night, lit trees in every window — Pl. 127 A glass room that still has a view after dark.

Two-story arched windows at night with the lit pool and yard beyond — Pl. 128 The tallest windows in the house, filled with the garden.

Keep looking

The invisible halfMost of what these photographs show is cable you cannot find in daylight.Moonlight through a canopyThe shadow patterns in the tree photographs, and how they are made.Your townWhere these systems are, across three states.

Let's look at your property after dark

A designer comes out, walks the property with you and gives budget numbers by area. That visit carries no charge. If you want the drawing, we quote a design fee from there.

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NiteLiters Inc. · 729 Cumberland St, Owensboro, KY 42303
Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm