Landscape Architect Articles

Missouri City, Texas Home Finally Sees the Light04-01-15 | News

Missouri City, Texas Home Finally Sees the Light

Landscape Lighting by Brandon Kuehler, Light It Right
Photography by Gary Zvonkovic, Zvonkovic Photography, Houston

Five 9-watt "Volterra' LED WL1 well lights illuminate the front of this Missouri City, Texas home to accent the stone, stucco textures and the corbels under the eaves. All of the peaks on the house were softly accented with "Ravenna' brass LED MR16 bullet lights.

Four LED AL1-III area lights (1.8-watt bi-pins) define the sidewalk and steps. The two large live oaks on either side of the home are lit by 12-watt LED WLC-11 well lights, two for each tree. The pecan tree and the large oak by the street are lit in the same manner. The glass lenses of the well lights installed on the grass areas have copper covers to prevent any damage or impedance to mowing.

The three-tiered fountain (right) has two LED Kichler underwater lights, and is uplit by one bullet light. A Ravenna LED directional spotlight accents the top of the fountain from above.

Accenting the falling water and up lighting the palm trees was the main goal here, explains Brandon Kuehler. Six Kichler underwater lights accent the waterfalls. Hiding the underwater lights inside the waterfall was an important feature. This was achieved by mortaring the fixtures into the water feature. To help give the yard more depth the magnolia tree was illuminated with Ravenna MR16 LED bullet lights, as well as some of the native trees behind the fenced in portion of the customer's yard.

Six LED WL1 well lights illuminate the back of the house, while five LED WFL25-III "Florence' mini wash lights accent the plants around the back of the pool. The overall lighting effects of the backyard are dramatically more somber with the pool lights off. With them off, however, the lighting of the oak trees in the front yard, seen over the rooftop, is more distinct, and the "Knock Out' roses near the windows (middle photo, right) project eerie Tim Burtonesque shadows across the stucco.

Three 9-watt PAR 36 LED WL1 "Volterra' well lights uplight the Queen palms, and two well lights highlight the large oak tree behind the driveway. The front of the garage (far right) is prominently lit with seven LED WL1 well lights; two are recessed in 6" holes, flushed-mounted and covered with brass covers, one for the side of the garage (9-watt), and one 6-watt for the side of the port coch????(R)??ure. One 7-watt 30° spread LED BL23-III bullet light accents the top peak of the garage.

This view from the inside the home shows the back patio/pool area. Underwater lights give a nice glow to the water and show off the stone. Three LED Volterra well lights illuminate the Queen palms. Wide flood LEDs provide soft accents to the purple fountain grass, split-leaf philodendron, canna lily, variegated ginger, and the Bougainvillea.

All the fixtures used for this project are from ClaroLux Landscape Lighting, which has teamed with Brilliance to offer its LED lamp line. Brilliance LEDs have multiple options for beam angle, wattages and incorporate "heat overload technology" that reduces lumens output to cool the enclosure at extreme air temperatures. The project LEDs are 2700° K, a "warm" white, and all the PAR 36 lamps were set for 60° beam spreads. CREE chipsets generate the LEDs high intensity output. The main lighting for the project is (A) "Volterra' LED WL1 well lights; (B) "Ravenna' MR16 LED directional (bullet) lights; (C) PAR36 LEDs; (D) LED WFL25-III "Florence' mini wash lights.
Product images: ClaroLux Landscape Lighting