Frame the house with trees
In Florham Park, uplighting on the trees frames a two-story home, and the landscaping in front stays visible after dark. Lighting the trees, not only the walls, gives the house depth.
Guide
Landscape lighting ideas from our own projects
The front of the house, the driveway, the pool and the trees, with photos of work we designed.
The best landscape lighting ideas come from looking at the property after dark. What do you see from the street? From the kitchen window? From the patio? Light those few things well and leave the rest quieter. A yard lit everywhere at once looks flat. A yard with a few strong moments looks composed.
Every photo on this page is a project from our portfolio. Lighting by Design has designed outdoor lighting in New Jersey since 2009, with decades of experience behind the team. For the full service, see landscape and outdoor lighting design.
Ideas for the front of the house
The front of the house is what the street sees. Start with the architecture and the trees that frame it, then light the walk to the door.
Bring out stone and brick
Grazing light close to the wall brings out the texture of stone and brick, as on this stone home in Cresskill. Small accent fixtures can pick out columns, trim and a tall entry.
Keep one warm color across the front so stone, brick and plantings look natural, and hide the fixtures in the planting where you can. Pair the facade with low, shielded path and step lighting so the walk to the door works as well as it looks. More on facade and exterior lighting.
Ideas for driveways
Light the trees along the drive
A driveway should be easy to follow from the road without looking like a runway. In Florham Park, driveway and tree lighting lead the way in. Mark the edges and the turns, and let the trees along the drive carry the light instead of lining it with fixtures.
Keep light off the street and the neighbors. Shielded fixtures aimed down, and timers or dimming late at night, keep the drive comfortable for everyone.
Ideas for around the pool
Light the pool for the view from the house
A glowing pool and the garden around it are what you see from inside on a summer night. Our Cresskill project pairs pool and patio lighting with uplit evergreens.
Light the patio for dinner, the steps so nobody trips, and the pool and plantings for the view. Aim and shield every fixture so the light stays in your yard and out of the neighbors’.
Ideas for trees and the backyard
Uplight the trees worth lighting
One uplight on a mature tree often does more than a path light every few feet. In this Cresskill backyard, light among the evergreens gives the yard depth. In Wayne, layered light on maples and garden steps does the same.
Planning tips
Plan once the landscaping is set. Plantings, walls and patios shape the plan. It is easiest once they are in place, or at least final on paper.
Skip the glare. Mushroom-style path lights and bare bulbs throw light in people’s eyes and into the sky. Low, shielded fixtures put the light on the ground.
Warm color, dark sky. Warm white suits most homes and gardens. Shielded fixtures, lower output and timers keep light where it is needed.
Fixtures made for outdoors. We specify fixtures and finishes that hold up year-round, with one color temperature across the property.
Curb appeal. Good exterior lighting adds curb appeal, which helps when it is time to sell, and it gives you back the yard you paid for in the evening.
Turning ideas into a plan
Every exterior project starts with a walk around the property, then a layout that shows each fixture and what it is there to light. You review the plan with us before anything is ordered. See what a lighting plan is, walkway and driveway lighting design and residential lighting design. The first consultation is free.
Common questions
What are good landscape lighting ideas for the front of a house?
Uplight the trees that frame the house, graze stone or brick walls, light the entry, and add low, shielded path lights on the walk to the door. Keep one warm color across the front.
How should a driveway be lit?
Mark the edges and the turns and light the trees along the drive, rather than lining it with fixtures. Keep light off the street and the neighbors.
What lighting works around a pool?
Light the pool and plantings for the view from the house, the patio for dinner and the steps for safe footing, with every fixture aimed and shielded.
Does landscape lighting add value to a home?
Good exterior lighting adds curb appeal, which helps when it is time to sell, and it lets you enjoy the yard after dark.
When should I plan landscape lighting?
Once the plantings, walls and patios are in place, or at least final on paper. We start every exterior project with a walk around the property.
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