Commonwealth Landscape Lighting Turns Daytime Project into Nighttime Wonderland

By Mark Piantedosi, Commonwealth Landscape Lighting

Each Birch tree is up-lit using twin Cast bullet lights per tree (20-watt MR 16). The Japanese maple is lit up using two well lights with 17-watt Par 36 lamps. Additional down-lighting using copper Artisan fixtures gave depth perception to the landscape beyond the patio. Photos courtesy of Mark Piantedosi, Commonwealth Landscape Lighting

This bluestone patio has four copper FX Pezzoforte pathlights using 20-watt bi-pin lamps providing traverse lighting along the walks and exits at each end of the patio. The stone-seating wall has five discreet Hadco copper Linelyte fixtures mounted under the bluestone cap providing a wash of light around the perimeter of the patio. Electrical conduit and sweeps were incorporated into the wall during construction to allow the fixture wires to be run out behind the wall below grade. The fixtures were later mounted to the underside of the bluestone cap. Smaller Ace-brand connectors were used for these splices.

Three Cast bullet lights with 20-watt lamps were used to light the silo, and in the foreground, two copper Nightscaping Roseliter were added for fill effect. A 600-watt transformer with a timer and photocell controlled the front, while a 1200-watt transformer with a wireless remote gave independent control over the back yard.

Commonwealth Landscape Lighting turned a Boston-area residence into a stunning nighttime paradise designed specifically to look good regardless of the season. A silo, a pool and a host of Birch trees were just a few of the elements lit up in this elegant suburban project.

''When designing a lighting plan, seasonal changes in the landscape should be considered. A property can look dramatically different in the winter. The lighting plan should take into account those features, which will present the best lighting opportunities,'' said the contractor.

The contractor used tall copper Michelleliter pathlights with 12-watt lamps to cast light over the perennial bed and driveway.

Combining up-and-down-lighting of three Birch trees in the back yard provided depth perception. In total, six copper down lights and six bullet lights were used, all lamps were 20-watt MR16 to create a soft effect. Higher standing pathlights use two 12-watt incandescent lamps. Their function is more of an area light, casting illumination over the lawn and perennial beds.

Early involvement with the owner, landscape designer, masonry and landscape contractors was necessary to ensure the lighting needs of this project were integrated into the overall landscape plan. Simple things like conduit sleeves under the bluestone patio or more involved pre-wiring of the seating wall became part of the master plan.

The contractor buried a 2-inch schedule 40-conduit sleeve during the base preparation for the patio. The sleeve ended below an existing receptacle, which had an independent 20-amp circuit. A 600-watt transformer controls the lighting system with a digital timer and photocell. Commonwealth installed electrical sweeps with conduit risers extending above the segmented wall.

This overflow parking area uses three tall copper pathlights with 12-watt lamps to cast light over the perennial bed and driveway. The ornamental tree in the background was up-lit using two bullet lights running 20-watt MR 16 lamps.

This project required lighting around an existing pool. The pool deck, segmented retaining wall and patio were installed as part of the project. Due to the width of the deck, seven taller standing copper pathlights with 12-watt incandescent lamps were used. The taller the light source, the further the light can be cast. Along the back of the decking two copper Tiki torches were placed. These fixtures incorporate a 12-watt incandescent down light with a kerosene/citronella burning wick torch on top.

After the hardscape was installed, wiring was pulled through the sleeves to the fixture locations. All wire connections were made using Ace connectors. These brass, barrel shaped connectors use a plastic heat shrink tube to create a weatherproof permanent connection. The pathlights along the deck were installed through individual pavers, which were drilled with a rotary hammer.

Due to the width of the deck, the contractor used seven taller standing copper Michelleliter pathlights with 12-watt incandescent lamps. The taller the light source, the further the light can be cast. ''This is important when lighting stairs. The thickness of the wall places the fixture too far away from the actual step for a smaller fixture to effectively light the tread,'' declared the contractor.

Combining up-lighting and down-lighting can give a wonderful effect in the landscape. The down lighting is soft, while the up-lit vine provides a dramatic touch. The wire running to the down-lights is discreetly tucked in the vine. All other wire is run below the deck to a transformer mounted in the basement of the home. The transformer was plugged into a receptacle, which was controlled by a wall switch. This elevated deck is down-lit using twin copper fixtures mounted in the tree. The vine-covered trunk is up lit using two bullet style fixtures. All lamps are 20-watt MR 16 units.

The exposed rock ledge is illuminated using three fixtures to wash non-focused light across the face of the ledge. The lamps are bi-pin halogen 20-watts. The small, upright tree is up-lit using a single Cast bullet style fixture with a 20-watt MR 16 lamp. In the foreground are the tops of 2 copper Footliters, which follow a path to the back yard. The lamps are 12-watt incandescent units.

Along the back of the decking, the contractor installed two Nightscaping copper Tiki torches. These fixtures incorporate a 12-watt incandescent down-light with a kerosene/citronella burning wick torch on top. The large Birch tree clump was up-lit using twin Cast bullet style fixtures with 35-watt MR 16 lamps. The smaller Crabapple was up lit with two Nightscaping well lights using 17-watt Par 36 lamps; it was down lit with four Nightscaping hanging Starliters with 12-watt lamps. By hanging these fixtures in various parts of the tree, it provided functional down-lighting in place of standard pathlights.