Accent Lighting

Landscape lighting is a subtle art. Light plays off materials, textures and colors in many different ways, and understanding how to accent certain characteristics of a landscape can create an attractive nightscape.

Accent lighting is an umbrella term for highlighting certain aspects of a landscape’s design, regardless of what type of lighting intensity you use, says Richard Lentz, president of the Lentz Cos., which includes Lentz Landscape Lighting, in Dallas.

For instance, consider a statue surrounded by a semi-circle of 20-foot evergreens. You can use uplights to give the statue shadows and contours. Likewise, you could accent the statue with downlights, by suspendeding lights above the statue.

“Accent lighting isn’t so much about the design but the purpose, whether it’s safety or aesthetics” says Jeff Korhan, president of Treemendous Landscape in Plainfield, Ill.

Plant Lights
Knowing which plants and features to accent is key. After all, shining a light into a plant that does not reflect the rays is wasted energy. Deciduous plants reflect light and show off their colors and textures well under accented light, Korhan says. The Kentucky coffee tree is among his favorites to accent because it has “a fascinating shadow effect during all seasons, both through its branches and on its bark.” Evergreens, on the other hand, absorb the light. “I rarely put a light on an evergreen,” he adds.

Learn the Basics
Although knowing where to place a light is important, it’s just as important to know where not to put one. Consulting with someone who knows how lights work, such as an electrician and landscape lighting professional can help your lighting plan tremendously, Lentz says. Knowing when to use metal halide lighting, a softer, warmer light, as opposed to a high-intensity discharge (HID) light can save you time and money.

One of the areas landscapers struggle with most, is knowing when to use HID light for safety illumination and when to use it for highlighting a building’s aesthetics. Although the uplighting accents the house’s features, Lentz says it often is too bright and creates a hotspot, an area of intense light, on the house. “You want to illuminate and accent a home with warm light, not floodlights,” Lentz adds. Using a softer light still can provide lighted security.

Electrical Work
Whether you are a landscape architect or landscaping business owner, be sure to consult an electrician on how to devise a lighting scheme. One of the challenges you might face is balancing the load on the electrical system. “We install all low-voltage work, but if we need line voltage, then we’ll hire an electrician,” Korhan says.

If lighting becomes a larger part of your business, consider seeking landscaping certifications that certify you to install low-voltage lighting. Check local trade associations to see which certifications are available.

Accent Lighting Trends
-Accent lighting is most often used for downlighting pathways, steps and stairs, but there are many other practical and creative uses. Below, Lentz provides a few emerging trends to keep on your radar.
-Fiber optics work well in swimming pools or on steps.
-Low-voltage rope lighting, similar to the lights found in movie theater aisles, can be used to illuminate pathways
-Metal halides, ideal for public sidewalks or parking lots, are starting to be used in smaller landscape lighting fixtures because they provide better, softer light and color to the items they illuminate.
-LEDs are becoming more popular for landscape lighting as energy conservation becomes more paramount.