Established homes give lighting designers a lot to work with because there are so many interesting textures. This is the case with brick and stone, and this is only made more noticeable by the presence of columns, gables, and ornate entryways. At the same time, older landscaping and even mature trees give properties plenty to look at. That’s why architectural lighting in Kettering works best when it respects all these different layers.
When it comes to outdoor lighting, one of the greatest tools is darkness, or more specifically, contrast. If your home has a lot of character as it is, this kind of restraint pays off. A few carefully chosen techniques can show off the whole house without making it feel staged.
Bringing Brick & Stone To Life with Light
Brick is full of small changes in depth that can disappear under flat lighting. Grazing places the light sources close enough to the wall to allow illumination to go up the surface and create tiny shadows by mortar joints and brick faces. It’s a handsome aesthetic on an old Kettering home.
Stone, unlike brick, has a greater variation in its shape and color. The surface depth also varies quite a bit too. Designers working with stone have even more choices they can make. And it’s here that they can experiment with fixtures and light positioning to bring out the potential of the materials.
Make Columns and Entryways the Focal Point
When you look at a house, you probably immediately look at the front entrance without thinking about it. It’s the natural focal point of most homes by default. So any good lighting plan needs to make sure the entry looks its best. It’s here that architectural lighting can reinforce visual hierarchy by giving the doorway enough light to draw the eye and by shining light on porch details and columns if you have them.
This is another instance where contrast and darkness come to the designer’s aid. If every surface receives equal brightness, nothing feels especially important. Light and darkness both do their share of the work.
Use Roofline and Gable Lighting Selectively
Much of the visual appeal in older homes comes from their rooflines and gables. These are also very hard to see at night. Not every architectural line needs to be traced with light to remedy this, though. A few well-chosen accents can bring back the height and shape of the house while still leaving enough shadow to keep its sense of dimension.
Connect the Home to Mature Trees
Many established Kettering properties have mature trees that are every bit as important visually as the house. This is where landscape lighting can keep those trees in the nighttime scene where they can put on a wonderful show rather than allowing the architecture to sit in an empty black yard as an island of light.
Uplighting can emphasize trunks and branches. It’s a dramatic effect. Downlighting is the opposite, but no less useful. It’s elegant. It causes soft illumination from the canopy downward. You can also do some cross-lighting to reveal form from more than one angle when a particularly important tree deserves additional depth.
Looking for Architectural Lighting in Kettering?
Beautiful homes do not need every inch cast in illumination, as tempting as that is. There needs to be push and pull between light and dark, and that's where design matters. Architectural lighting is about this kind of design, not just buying fixtures.
Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Dayton & Cincinnati can design a system around your Kettering home and what makes it special.
Looking for outdoor lighting companies near me? Call Outdoor Lighting Perspectives.
For experts in outdoor lighting design, installation, and maintenance, call one of the most trusted names in the business. Outdoor Lighting Perspectives is eager to speak with you. Call us today at (937) 421-8101.
