Landscape Lighting Designed for Your Yard
Landscape lighting is part safety, part curb appeal and part making the most of the evenings you have. Good outdoor lighting lets you see the front steps on a dark November night, shows off the maple in the front yard and turns the patio into a place you want to sit after dinner.
We design every landscape lighting system in Ann Arbor around the yard in front of us. We walk the property with you after dark or talk through photos, look at how you move through the space and decide what deserves light and what should stay in shadow. The goal is a natural glow, not a runway.
Outdoor Lighting Installation We Offer
Our outdoor lighting installation covers the whole property:
- Path and walkway lights that guide guests from the driveway to the door
- Step and stair lights built into or mounted beside outdoor steps
- Uplighting for trees, stone walls, columns and the front of the house
- Downlighting from trees or eaves for a soft, moonlight effect
- Deck and patio lights in posts, railings and stair risers
- Security lighting with motion-activated floodlights at doors and garages
- Pool and hot tub lighting for safe use after dark
Low Voltage Landscape Lighting Pros and Cons
Most landscape lighting today is low voltage. A transformer steps household power down to about 12 volts, and fixtures connect along a cable that runs through the beds.
Pros of low voltage lighting:
- Safer around kids, pets and garden tools
- Shallow wiring that’s easy to reroute as plants grow
- Easy to add or move fixtures later
- Efficient LED lamps with low running costs
Cons to plan around:
- Long runs lose voltage, so far fixtures can look dimmer unless the system is designed for it
- Limited brightness for large security areas
- Cheap kit fixtures often fail after a few winters
Line voltage fixtures run on standard household power. They cost more to install because the wiring needs deeper burial or conduit, but they’re the right choice for bright floodlights and permanent post lights. We often mix both on one property.
Choosing Fixtures and Light Color
The fixtures you choose decide how the yard looks for years. Solid brass and copper fixtures cost more up front but hold up to weather and develop a natural patina. Integrated LED fixtures are sealed units, while fixtures with replaceable LED lamps let you change brightness or color later.
Color temperature matters outdoors too. Warm white light (around 2700K) flatters brick, stone and wood and feels welcoming. Slightly cooler light can make evergreen foliage look richer. We usually keep the whole property in a consistent warm tone, so nothing looks out of place from the street.
Transformers, Timers and Smart Controls
The transformer is the heart of a low voltage system. We size it for the total fixture load with room to grow, and we plan cable runs so each fixture gets steady voltage. A hub or loop layout keeps light even from the first fixture to the last.
For control, most homeowners like a photocell that turns lights on at dusk and a timer that shuts them off at bedtime. Astronomical timers follow sunset through the seasons, so you never reset them. Smart transformers add phone control and separate zones for the front yard, backyard and patio. If a smart setup acts up later, our smart lighting troubleshooting guide can help.
GFCI Outdoor Circuits and Safe Wiring
Every outdoor lighting system needs a safe power source. Transformers typically plug into an outdoor GFCI outlet with a weatherproof in-use cover, the bubble-style cover that stays closed while something is plugged in. Many older homes have no outdoor outlet where one is needed, or have one that shares a circuit with half the house.
We add dedicated outdoor outlets and circuits where it makes sense and run line voltage cable in conduit or at the proper burial depth. We call to have underground utilities marked before we dig, and we pull permits when the work requires them.
Deck and Patio Lighting
Deck and patio lighting is where outdoor lighting earns its keep. Post cap lights, recessed stair riser lights and under-rail strips make steps safe without glaring in your eyes. A few well-placed fixtures on a pergola or nearby trees let you see the grill and the table without flooding the yard.
We can add outdoor outlets for string lights, heaters and speakers at the same time. Tying the patio lights to a switch by the back door keeps them simple to use every night.
Planning Outdoor Lighting for Michigan Winters
Michigan is hard on outdoor fixtures. We plan every landscape lighting job for snow, ice, salt and frost:
- Frost heave pushes stakes and fixtures up each spring, so we set them firmly and leave slack in the cable.
- Snow plows and shovels find anything near the driveway edge, so we keep fixtures back from plow paths or use sturdy bollards.
- Salt and slush corrode cheap metal, so we recommend brass, copper or quality powder-coated aluminum near walks and drives.
- Short winter days mean lights run longer, which makes efficient LEDs and good timers worth it.
- Snow cover can bury path lights, so taller fixtures help along walks you use all winter.
Why Homeowners Choose Current Electrical Systems
Landscape and outdoor lighting have been part of our work since 1994, and our electricians are union trained through IBEW Local 252. We handle design, wiring, circuits and permits in one job, so you aren’t coordinating separate trades. Explore our lighting installation services for indoor projects, or ask about hot tub wiring and spa lighting if you’re building out the backyard.