RK Preferred designs and installs low-voltage LED landscape lighting for homes in Weddington and Marvin, using Kichler, Brilliance and Sterling Lighting fixtures. On larger properties, lighting is what makes the yard usable and safe after dark, and it shows off the trees and architecture that set these homes apart.
Lighting a larger property
Big lots bring longer walks, more steps and bigger trees. A good plan lights the route from the driveway to the door, the steps down to the terrace, and the edges where the lawn meets the beds, then adds uplighting on a few trees and on the front of the house so the property reads as a whole at night.
Mature trees are often the best feature to light. Uplights at the base of a large oak or magnolia throw light into the canopy and give the yard depth from the street and from the back terrace.
Zones for a big yard
Fixtures are wired into zones, so the front walk, the back terrace and the tree lighting can run on different schedules. Timers bring each zone on at dusk. LED fixtures draw little power, so a property with many fixtures still costs little to run.
Where lighting usually goes on these properties
| Area | Fixtures |
|---|---|
| Front walk and entry | Path lights, uplights on the facade |
| Driveway edges | Low path lights |
| Steps and terraced walls | Step lights set into treads and walls |
| Back terrace and kitchen | Downlights in a pergola, step lights |
| Mature trees | Uplights at the base |
Lighting that suits the neighborhood
In neighborhoods with architectural review, lighting that looks considered goes over better than bright floodlights. Warm-white LED, fixtures aimed at the feature instead of the street, and lights shielded from the neighbor’s windows keep the effect soft. Path lights are spaced to light the walk without turning it into a runway.
The goal is a property that looks finished at night: the house front gently lit, the trees glowing from below, and the walks and steps easy to see.
Lighting with a backyard project
Many Weddington and Marvin projects include a terrace, an outdoor kitchen or a pergola. Planning the lighting with them means wire runs go in before the patio is finished and fixtures land exactly where they’re needed.
Questions homeowners ask
Can you light the front of the house and the backyard together?
Yes. Each area gets its own zone so they can run on separate schedules.
Do the lights need much upkeep?
Low-voltage LED fixtures need little maintenance.
Is this in your service area?
Yes. Weddington is about 6 miles from our Indian Trail yard and Marvin about 9.