Alexander Michael's Garden & Landscape Design

Simple & Effective LED Retrofit Lighting Upgrades

by siteadmin | May 27, 2022 | Landscape Lighting Services

An effective LED retrofit lighting upgrade can transform your outdoor space into a smart home. LED lighting technology makes your home beautiful and secure at night, helping you save energy. If you still use traditional lighting bulbs in your outdoor space, LED retrofit lighting is what you need. The energy-efficient lighting will also earn you rebates.

How does retrofitting work and what are the benefits for your outdoor lighting system? #amgarden #retrofitting #outdoorlighting Click To Tweet

LED retrofit lighting might seem to be an expensive project but will help you save more money in the long run. It is as simple as replacing the traditional lighting fixtures with LED bulb fixtures. But before you implement the project, consider performing financial and technical analysis to establish the project’s feasibility.

What Are the Benefits of LED Conversion?

Retrofitting the current garden lights with LED fixtures comes with the following benefits:

Improved Energy Efficiency: LED light bulbs use less energy than traditional light bulbs. You can install many LED fixtures in your garden and save energy.
Easy Installation and Upgrades: Replacing the low-voltage landscaping light fixtures is easy. You won’t need to worry about anything during the upgrade.
Cheaper in the Long Run: Purchasing LED bulbs for upgrades is relatively cheaper than buying new garden light bulbs.

How Retrofitting Works

So, what is LED retrofit? A lighting retrofit replaces the parts of existing lighting systems with more quality and energy-efficient components. In this case, traditional light bulbs get replaced with energy-efficient LED bulbs. It’s the best way to upgrade your current garden setup without spending much money. Use a LED retrofit kit during the upgrade.

Smart Lighting Systems

If your outdoor lighting systems seem to consume much energy every month, consider installing smart light bulbs in your compound. The modern lighting systems are energy-efficient, helping you save big on energy consumption. Use smart LED bulbs connected to an app or smart home assistant to allow you to control the fixtures remotely.

Get Your LED Retrofit Lighting Upgrade Today

LED retrofit lighting is a cost-effective upgrade due to its super energy efficiency and longer lifespan. The good news is that there are many retrofit kits available to help you upgrade your lighting fixtures. Although installing LED retrofit upgrades is easy, you will need a professional lighting designer to help you upgrade your lighting systems.

Contact us today for a professional LED retrofit lighting upgrade at an affordable cost.

Expert Path Lighting Design & Inspiration

by siteadmin | May 20, 2022 | Pathway Lighting

You can transform your outdoor living space with expert path lighting design. There are many ways to illuminate your front or backyard paths at night. The category of pathway light design you choose depends on your style because each option has pros and cons.

Pathway lighting is essential because it ensures safety and security at night. It makes your outdoor space beautiful in the dark. Before choosing a path lighting inspiration for your home, check various designs’ features, pros, and cons.

Here are the different pathway light designs to consider for illuminating your outdoor space! Click To Tweet

Traditional Path Lighting

Traditional path lighting systems have two parts: a top hat with the bulb and a post supporting the entire fixture. There are many designs of these path lighting fixtures, some coming with flower shapes. These fixtures direct light downward onto the path.

The good thing about traditional path lighting fixtures is that they are versatile. You can use them to illuminate several pathways in modern landscapes. Unfortunately, they are more susceptible to damage. Kids playing around the lawn can destroy the fixtures.

Moon Lighting

Also known as downlighting, moonlighting illuminates a landscape area with soft light from above. Light fixtures are mounted high above trees to cast light downward over a specific target. Most people love the lighting systems because they cover wide areas.

Since down-lighting fixtures are installed high in the trees, they are safe from damage by kids throwing balls around the compound. The major drawback is that it needs high-rising platforms. That means tall trees and buildings must be along the pathways.

Directional Path Lights

These lighting systems work like traditional lighting. However, you can adjust the fixture to change the light direction. Rather than a top hat, the fixture has a directional head that can be adjusted or swiveled to light up the pathways on your landscaping.

The good thing about directional lighting fixtures is that a light beam can be adjusted at a particular angle to shield your eyes from the light. It gives you control over the light effects. Unfortunately, they are not fit for illuminating wider areas.

Beautiful Path Lighting Designs for Your Outdoor Space

With these landscape lighting ideas, you can select a path lighting design that matches your style. Pick a lighting fixture that’s easy to install and can produce enough amount of light on your paths. Thankfully, there are different types of outdoor fixtures, including wall lights, solar lights, flood lights, bollard lights, and deck lighting fixtures.

Connect with us to discover more path lighting tips and ideas for your landscape.

All About Low Voltage LED Lighting for Outdoor Design

by siteadmin | May 13, 2022 | Landscape Lighting Services

Installing outdoor low voltage LED lighting is a perfect way to boost your home’s safety, security, and safety while saving on energy. It makes your outdoor living space friendly for relaxing immediately after the sun goes down. The good news is that installing the low voltage LED lights is less risky due to low or no cases of electric shock to installers.

Running a low-voltage landscape lighting system is cost-effective and energy-efficient. It helps you save energy by 85 percent, reducing the cost of operating your outdoor lighting system. Notably, there are many types and designs of LED outdoor bulbs. You’ll never run out of choices when looking for what suits you.

Let’s see what outdoor low-voltage LED lighting systems are and the types available for landscaping design. #outdoorlighting #ledlightingsystems #amgarden Click To Tweet

What is Low Voltage Landscape Lighting?

As the name suggests, low voltage landscape lighting uses low voltage to work. The most common option is the 12V lighting system for residential outdoor living spaces. The lighting system converts the standard 120V current to 12V using a transformer. So, it mitigates the risk of electric shock.

Common Types of Landscape Lighting Fixtures

Here are some LED landscape lighting fixtures to install in your home.

Path Lights: Illuminate pathways and walkways to guide residents at night. You can also install the fixtures in large flower beds with much ground vegetation.
Flood Lights: Provide large light pools to illuminate wider areas using a single fixture. They have a 60-degree or more beam angle.
Spotlights: These are the most common landscape lighting fixtures because they illuminate specific features on your landscape.
Hardscape Lights: These low-profile fixtures are suitable for highlighting specific architectural features.
Underwater Lights: These systems get submerged partially or fully in water throughout the year. They are common in ponds and fountains
Step Lights: You can install these lights on your outdoor stairs to illuminate the path. These lighting fixtures reduce the risk of tripping.

Professional Outdoor Lighting Design and Installation

A low-voltage LED lighting is the most preferred outdoor lighting system in residential properties. While you can opt for DIY installation, you may have trouble designing the lighting layout. That’s where outdoor lighting experts come in to help you. Consider hiring outdoor landscapers and lighting professionals at AM Garden for installation.

Finding the Right Outdoor Lighting for Your Garden

The versatility of the outdoor low voltage LED lighting system makes it the number one choice for many homeowners. You can get various lighting fixtures that fit your style and outdoor living space. AM Garden can help you brighten up your garden when you’re ready to get started.

Contact us today for stunning landscaping and lighting solutions in your garden.

Unique Exterior Wall Lighting Ideas

by siteadmin | May 6, 2022 | Landscape Lighting Services

One of the best ways to make your home stand out in the evening is by installing exterior wall lighting. Wall lanterns and sconces come in a variety of colors, styles, designs, and sizes to suit your home’s unique look. Homeowners choose outdoor lighting either for security purposes or to make landscaping stand out at night.

These are some of the unique style choices you can choose for your home’s new outdoor wall lighting. #AMGarden #outdoorlighting #exteriorlighting Click To Tweet

First, you’ll need to know what your purpose for new outdoor lighting will be. Is it to provide light for safety purposes, or to accent a new addition to your home garden? There are many types of outdoor wall lighting that can be used to create different effects for your desired look. Let’s see what options homeowners can choose from:

Exterior Sconces

A sconce is indoor or outdoor wall-mounted lighting that comes in different styles to give specific effects to the exterior of your home. These can be used to create ambiance for backyard parties, or with motion sensors for security such as in floodlighting. You can also choose outdoor wall sconces that match the style of your home.

Flush Mount
Semi Flush Mount
Wall Lanterns
Barn Light
Bulkhead Light
Spotlights
Floodlights

Security Lighting

A big reason for outdoor wall lanterns is to provide security from crime. With a well-lit outdoor area, you’re ensuring no predators can hide on your property. Motion sensor spotlights and floodlights come with different settings so they won’t go off with smaller motions from animals. It’s also handy to have motion-detected light if you’re coming home late and didn’t leave lights on, so you won’t be tripping over stairs or searching for keys in the dark.

Wall Light Styles

You can also choose light fixtures that complement the style of your home and your unique tastes in outdoor decor. Today’s LED outdoor wall lights are made to suit anything from simple and modern to eclectic or timeless. Outdoor lighting comes in a variety of the following style choices:

Coastal
Modern
Traditional
Country
Rustic
Mission
Industrial

Full-Color Lighting

Another modern way to illuminate your landscape is with full color LED lighting options. These lights come in a range of different colors and can be controlled easily through a mobile app. The beams can shine upward, downward, or both for numerous lighting design options with your specific outdoor space. These wall sconces look beautiful in backyards, front porches, pergolas and more.

Choosing Innovative Exterior Wall Lighting for Your Home

When you decide on the look you’re going for with your exterior wall lighting upgrade, it’s time to start design and installation. Get in touch with our team at AM Garden today to discuss outdoor lighting options for your home and find the perfect match.

Connect with us to learn more about unique exterior wall lighting!

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