We would like to use a combination of spots/floods and area/pathway lights for both front and backyard Also trying to decide between integrated and lamp ready fixtures. The lamp ready allow for different brightness and different angle/spread Thanks Steve
Truly spectacular home, Steve. Choosing lamp ready lights will give you more versatility in terms of beam spread, light temperature color, and light output options but depending on which models you choose, you can achieve more or less similar results with integrated fixtures. I diagrammed several of your photos to describe some possible lighting schemes. Ultimately, you’ll have to decide what works for you based on your budget, which architectural and landscape features you want to highlight, and the extent (if any) to which issues like light trespass, infrastructure, and foot traffic would create a challenge. In each photo, I’ve essentially indicated areas you might place path lights, uplights, downlights (soffit lights) or floodlights. For instance, if light trespass is not an issue, you could install soffit lights that would softly illuminate both the facade of your house as well as the driveway and foundation plantings. As something of a lighting minimalist, I might first simply add path lights and uplight all those palms. You’ll likely need fairly bright lights to reach the upper foliage of those trees. That could create just the right amount of reflected light to light the facade of the house. Alternatively, you could make the house the star of your lighting design and light the palms more subtly. In your back yard you could light up that palm and place some uplights or flood lights between the exterior of your solarium and that row of ornamental shrubs. Hope these suggestions help to fuel your imagination.
Thanks so much for the hints. I will look at more closely and make more decisions and possibly have more questions.
