In the best landscape lighting designs, all of the lights work together in different ways to achieve the desired effect. One of the ways that this is achieved is with lighting zones. Knowing which lights are best grouped together in which zones can really make a difference in your clients' lighting design.
When lights are grouped together in zones, you not only have optimal control but you can also create the precise lighting arrangements that you desire, explains Jesse Wisley, owner of Mid South Night Lights in Memphis, Tennessee.
This helps you to get maximum aesthetic appeal and functionality out of your lighting.
"Creating lighting zones provides a professional, highly controlled landscape lighting design," Wisley says. "This involves wiring specific groups of fixtures together so that they come on simultaneously."
Ultimate control
These days, lighting zones can be controlled by a smart device at the simple push of a button. There's a convenience factor to having lighting wired into groups and controlled by zones, says Wisley. Clients won't have to go around and turn on a bunch of individual lights.
According to Wisley, most of his projects have three of four zones, though every project is unique. Larger landscapes might have even more.
"Just as an example for how to zone the front of a home, one zone could be trees, one could be the architectural lighting on the house, and one might be the sidewalk area," he says. "Some homeowners like to set zones to come on and off automatically that way they are coming on even when they are not home. This is particularly beneficial for front-of-the-house lighting, which serves a security purpose, too."
A functional backyard
In the backyard, homeowners are likely interested in functional lighting for hanging out.
"Some might even want a 'party lighting zone,' which would provide extra lighting than normal for get-togethers," Wisley says. "When entertaining, people commonly need extra lighting and you can have that ready to go at the push of a button."
Ultimately, you want to make sure that lights are grouped together in a way that is aesthetically appealing and highly functional. If not, you might miss the opportunity to get the most out of your landscape lighting design.
Your clients will appreciate your skill and expertise in grouping lights together in a way that maximizes their design.
