Alexander Michael's Garden & Landscape Design

Outdoor Kitchen Lighting: 5 Outdoor Lighting Accessories to Install

by siteadmin | Jul 15, 2022 | Outdoor Kitchen Lighting, Specialty Lighting

Outdoor kitchen lighting makes the patio more stunning and allows you to be part of the party during food preparation. Outdoor lighting also reduces tripping hazards and fatal accidents at night, and helps your guests to interact while spending time outdoors.

What are some good outdoor kitchen lighting ideas?

Many aspects of the outdoor lighting accessories contribute to your space’s appearance. For example, under-counter lighting illuminates the space beneath cabinets to help with food prep, while pathway lights illuminate flowers and make it safe for your guests to walk to the yard.

Here are some great outdoor lighting options to accessorize your outdoor kitchen with. #AMGarden #outdoorlighting #outdoorkitchen Click To Tweet

Under-Counter Lighting
Pathway Lighting
Ceiling Fan Lights
Work Space Lighting
Accent Lighting

1) Under-Counter Lighting

Under-counter lighting is good if you prepare or serve food outside at night. It helps the visitors see their food during meals. Installing the under-counter lighting bulbs under the kitchen cabinets illuminates the space, making it ideal for meal prep. Notably, this lighting option can also set the mood for outdoor living.

2) Pathway Lighting

Besides making the walkways safer for your visitors, pathway lighting can also set the mood for your dining experience. Buy solar-powered path lights for landscape lighting to make your flowers more visible at night, so visitors won’t step on them when walking to the outdoor kitchen area.

3) Ceiling Fan Lights

A lighting designer will advise a homeowner to install a ceiling fan to reduce heat from the cooking area. Adding lights to the fan also makes the space more beautiful and comfortable. The air current from the ceiling fan is also perfect for keeping mosquitoes away. Besides, a dining area with perfect outdoor lighting accessories makes food preparation more manageable and the party better.

4) Work Space Lighting

Cooking outside requires you to see all the ingredients and mix them in perfect portions. Pendant lights will be a good option for this role as they illuminate the ideal amount of light in your working space. These lights are available in various designs. For example, you can buy those that hang from the ceiling, illuminating light on the countertop.

5) Accent Lighting

If you are looking for ambient lighting, accent lighting is the best choice. You can make the lights warm to set the mood of outdoor sitting. In addition, accents are simple and make the space feel cozy.

Set the Mood for Entertaining Guests in Your Outdoor Space

Outdoor space brings a good mood for a party, but they feel better with beautiful lighting accessories for outdoor kitchen lighting. Depending on your taste and needs, you can get different types of lights for your outdoor living.

Join the conversation today for more outdoor kitchen lighting ideas.

6 DIY Landscape Lighting Mistakes to Avoid

by siteadmin | Jul 8, 2022 | In-Ground Lighting, Landscape Lighting Services, Specialty Lighting

DIY landscape lighting mistakes are common among homeowners who don’t want to involve professionals in their outdoor lighting projects. Installing the lighting by yourself can save you the cost. However, you may end up with a poor landscape lighting design.

What are some mistakes that DIYers make with outdoor lighting?

Hiring professional lighting designers guarantees a beautifully lit landscape. You can opt for strategic uplighting on trees and vital architectural features to make your landscape more attractive. Unfortunately, that’s impossible with DIY lighting.

Before you do it yourself, understand the common landscape lighting mistakes made by most DIYers. Here’s why the outdoor lighting pros are always the best option: Click To Tweet

Unrealistic Project Budget
Wrong Fixture Location
Lighting Glare
Inferior Lighting Products
Too Many Fixtures
Not Enough Fixtures

1) Unrealistic Project Budget

While the lighting effect is the most crucial part of landscape lighting, it doesn’t mean that you should buy low-quality fixtures. Prepare a realistic budget for the fixtures and materials for installing them. Don’t invest much in cheap fixtures because they wear out quickly when exposed to sunlight, rain, and snow.

2) Wrong Fixture Location

Another costly mistake is installing fixtures in the wrong places, such as path lighting in turf areas. In that case, the fixtures can quickly get damaged. Don’t install the fixtures on lawns where hedgers and mowers pass because they can destroy the fixtures. Instead, install the fixtures on flower beds or core points to illuminate.

3) Lighting Glare

Most DIYers don’t always consider the effects of glaring lights. The primary objective of landscape lighting is to create a light effect that illuminates landscape elements and not the light source itself. If the light coming directly from the lamp is too bright for the eyes, it distracts your eyes from the overall effect you are trying to create.

4) Inferior Lighting Products

Most DIYers go for cheaper, low-quality products when buying landscape lighting lamps and fixtures. Unfortunately, these products have short lifespans. The best thing to do is hire a professional lighting designer to help you buy high-quality lighting fixtures.

5) Too Many Fixtures

You don’t need to install many fixtures on a landscape to make it look more beautiful. Unfortunately, that’s one of the biggest mistakes most DIYers make. Too many lights on the pathways make them look like airport runways and can blind you rather than help you see where to step. Strategically fixing a few lights encourages soft lighting.

6) Not Enough Fixtures

While most homeowners usually use too many lighting fixtures, some may install a few. Unfortunately, a few lighting fixtures may not bring out the desired effect. If you notice some dark areas after installing some landscape lights, consider adding some lighting to illuminate the remaining dark spots.

Avoid These Mistakes by Working with the Experts

These DIY landscape lighting mistakes are avoidable. The best way to prevent such errors from occurring is by hiring a professional lighting designer who understands all the landscape lighting ideas. The good news is that AM Garden can help you through each step of the process.

Contact us today for reliable and affordable landscape lighting solutions.

In-Ground & Well Lighting Tips for Your Outdoor Space

by siteadmin | Jul 1, 2022 | In-Ground Lighting, Landscape Lighting Services

One of the best ways to illuminate your outdoor space and make it more inviting at night is installing inground and well-lighting fixtures. These up-lighting fixtures can highlight your home’s architectural features and landscaping elements, such as plants, trees, and fountains. It’s the best way to light up your landscape without cluttering it with fixtures.

If you don’t like lighting fixtures sticking up from your landscape’s surface, you better part with in-ground and well lighting. These outdoor lighting options offer directional light upward but are unobtrusive. In other words, they don’t stick out from the surface. The fixtures are less likely to get damaged during lawn care.

So, what are the benefits of in-ground and well-lighting options? Let’s find out! #amgarden #ingroundlighting #welllighting Click To Tweet

Benefits of In-Ground and Well Lighting

In-ground and well lights are safe because they are installed below the ground or leveled with the ground surface. This lighting option reduces tripping over them, especially when you have kids playing in the landscape. Here are the other benefits.

There are many beautiful styles of well and in-ground lights, making it easy to choose what fits your style
You can choose the lighting fixture material that suits your needs, whether stainless steel or antique bronze
You can install the lighting fixtures near your favorite shrubs and flowers on your landscape

Where In-Ground and Well Lighting Should Go

These lighting fixtures can be used in accent and ambient lighting. For accent lighting, install the lights at the base of trees and other decorative elements in your landscape to make them conspicuous at night. But when it comes to ambient lighting, space the lights evenly around your home’s perimeter to make your home glow.

Choosing the Best Well Lights for Your Landscape

Since there are many designs of well lights, you need to choose the fixtures that match your style. For instance, you can opt for well lights with flat tops or shielded surfaces.

Well light fixtures also come in various materials, including copper, brass, and stainless steel. Remember to choose the fixtures that can withstand your climate. For instance, brass and copper are suitable for humid climates.

Professional Landscape Lighting Design and Installation

Inground and well lighting is a sleek, modern way to brighten up your home’s exterior at night. When installed by professionals, the stylistic lights will add beautiful illumination to your landscape. That’s why you should never hesitate to hire AM Garden for help.

Contact us today for professional lighting design and installation services.

Outdoor Specialty Lighting to Consider for Your Landscape

by siteadmin | Jun 24, 2022 | Landscape Lighting Services, Specialty Lighting

One of the best ways to make your outdoor living space more inviting at night is outdoor specialty lighting for landscape designs. The lighting design you choose must bring the right feel and look that match your mood and style. With a vast range of custom lighting fixtures, you’ll find what suits your outdoor space. Invest in what will boost curb appeal.

As a homeowner, you want to make your landscape look beautiful and scenic at night, and that’s where specialty lighting comes in handy to help you. You may never find a template design to light up your home. You have to pick a lighting design that highlights your home’s central theme to make it more appealing.

Try these specialty lighting designs to install outside of your home! #amgarden #outdoorlighting #specialtylighting Click To Tweet

Custom Lighting Designs

You can design custom lighting fixtures that match your landscape design, especially when you hire an expert to help you bring the perceived designs into reality. Look for custom designs of brass and copper of high quality and longevity. However, aluminum and powder-coated custom lighting fixtures are also available.

Moon Globes

You can make your yard more welcoming at night with moon globe lighting designs. The globe is spherical at the top and has a hidden flat base for stability, although it looks like a whole globe. Moon globes come in varying sizes, from 10-inch to 30-inch in diameter. These globes can come with or without lights, with the lighted options having batteries. The good thing is that you can remotely switch the moon globes on and off.

Stained Glass Lights

Stained glass lights are a great addition to your landscape as it comprises attractive materials, for instance, solid copper, sculpted bronze, and colored stained glass. The stained glass lights are handcrafted using high-quality materials to make a landscape stand out. The good news is that these lighting bulbs can withstand severe climates and weather conditions. They can retain their beauty for many years after installation.

Creating a Fully Customized Landscape Lighting Design

Nothing makes your yard more stunning and inviting at night than an outdoor specialty lighting system. You can customize the landscape lighting design to match your home style. This guide has covered some lighting designs to transform your outdoor space into a paradise at night. Besides, AM Garden can help you with each step of the installation process.

Contact us today to talk to our lighting design experts about your home remodel project.

Express Yourself with Outdoor Color Changing LED Lighting

by siteadmin | Jun 17, 2022 | Color Changing Lights, Landscape Lighting Services

Every homeowner desires to make their homes beautiful even at night, and that’s where color-changing LED lighting comes in handy. You can brighten your outdoor space by installing colorful lights in your landscape. Your home will look stunning at night.

Besides improving your home’s curb appeal at night, installing a color-changing LED light bulb will improve security around the home. You’ll feel safe at home as the lights will keep away thieves. Thankfully, LED lighting saves on energy costs.

Let’s look at how color-changing LED lighting can transform your outdoor space! #colorchanginglighting #outdoorlighting #amgarden Click To Tweet

Types of Color Changing Lighting

The color-changing lighting technology has revolutionized the landscape designing sector. Advancements in LED lighting have hastened the development of the following types of color-changing lighting:

Lighting the Landscape for Security: Color-changing lighting improves your home security by brightening all the dark areas. It illuminates your landscape to scare off potential intruders.
Lighting the Patio for Beauty: You can install colored light bulbs on the eaves of your patio. Project the lights downward to highlight your patio. Everyone walking on the streets will want to turn their heads and admire your home.
Lighting Your Curb Appeal: Install colored bulbs in flower beds to emphasize your plants. This will make your landscape stand out among other homes. You can use several color combinations on your outdoor elements.

How Color Changes Mood

Color-changing light bulbs can make your outdoor space more inviting, making them a perfect choice for mood lighting. You can change the colors from blue to red, purple, and green, depending on the mood you want to create in your home. For instance, red, orange, and yellow can evoke higher arousal emotions like love, happiness, or passion.

Mobile App for Easy Control

You can conveniently create your landscape lighting design with a color-changing lighting app. The app allows you to change the light bulb colors remotely depending on your desired theme. Invest in a highly versatile lighting automation app for a magical lighting experience. You can set up the lights for a special occasion like Christmas.

Get Creative with Full Color LED Landscape Lighting

So far, you understand how a color-changing LED lighting system works. You can brighten your space with a color option that matches your style. Invest in smart light technologies to automate and control lighting remotely. If you have trouble choosing color lights that match your style, let AM Garden help you get the best lights kit.

Connect with us to learn the benefits of color-changing LED lighting.

« Older Entries

Next Entries »

Home2022