Project Spotlight:
Lakeside Estate in Cornelius, NC
It was a pleasure designing and installing the custom outdoor lighting system for this stunning lakeside home in Cornelius, NC. While the home had an existing lighting system, the homeowners decided it was time to upgrade the system with new fixtures and additional lights.
From the blooming landscape and beautiful, mature trees lining the winding driveway, to the gorgeous backyard overlooking Lake Norman and the elegant architectural features of the home itself, we were able to highlight the best features of this sprawling estate.
Outdoor Lighting Objectives
During the initial design consultation, the homeowners’ lighting objectives were to replace the existing fixtures and continue the lighting around to the back of the home. The clients were open to adding additional lights as needed to ensure that the home would be properly lit.
After taking an inventory of existing fixtures, we scheduled a nighttime demonstration. Nighttime demonstrations give us the opportunity to show the homeowners different fixtures as well as different color temperature lamps. They also help our lighting design specialist create a final design that perfectly reflect the homeowner stylistic preferences. During the demonstration, the homeowners selected 3000K for the architectural lighting which worked perfectly with the lighter colored exterior. We also tested out several styles of path lights and eventually went with a more traditional fixture.
In the end, we installed a total of 100 low voltage outdoor lights throughout the estate.
Creating Depth with Light
In situations like this where the home is set further back from the road, we always encourage homeowners to create visual interest and depth by lighting trees and other landscaping features throughout the property. From the beautiful Crepe Myrtles to the huge, mature trees lining the drive and the and springtime blooms, this approach was a dream to light. We made sure to light the larger trees with more than one light to ensure visibility from both viewing angles – driving up to the home and exiting the home.
Architectural Lighting
In the front, we used a combination of uplights, and wall washes, and gutter mount lights to highlight the architectural features of this gorgeous home. Now, as you approach, your eye is drawn to the beautifully illuminated architecture.
When the back of the home is just as beautiful as the front, you must light it up, especially if that home is perfectly situated on a beautiful lake with a steady flow of boat traffic. The architectural lighting surrounding the back of the home adds the perfect amount of drama and creates a lovely, inviting atmosphere for the homeowners and guests alike.
Outdoor Lighting for Outdoor Living
The number one way to create an inviting, nighttime atmosphere in an outdoor living space is to add ambient lighting. Notice how the architectural lighting here creates lovely, ambient light for the pool area and accents the architectural features of this home from afar.
Navigational Lighting
There are so many reasons to install outdoor lighting, but here you can really see how lighting facilitates safe navigation throughout the property. Notice how each fixture provides just enough light to softly illuminate the path, creating a visual interest in an area that would normally be flat and dark. Imagine coming out to this view every night. Stunning!
Seawall Lighting
And now for our favorite part of this custom lighting system - the seawall lights. Notice how these lights cast soft light directly onto the water creating a unique mirror effect and even show movement when the water is not still . Not only are these lights beautiful, but they also make the property more distinctive from a distance and increase safety near the water's edge.
Thinking about hiring a professional landscape lighting company?
At Limelight, outdoor lighting is all we do. We offer design, installation, and maintenance services and would love to help you design a system that makes the most of your landscape — day and night. Getting started is simple. Call Limelight Outdoor Lighting at (704) 989-3635 or schedule a free consultation through our website.