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Upgrade Your Outdoor Living Space with Outdoor Lighting

Your outdoor spaces add real livable area to your home: places to gather, relax, and enjoy the landscape you’ve invested in. The right landscape lighting makes those spaces welcoming after sunset while adding beauty, safety, and curb appeal. If you’re ready to upgrade your landscape with outdoor lighting, explore how lighting plans come together, answers to common questions, and why homeowners on the Main Line choose Burkholder for lighting design and installation.

Why Upgrade Your Landscape with Outdoor Lighting?

Outdoor lighting is one of the most impactful upgrades you can make to your property, improving visibility, enhancing curb appeal, and creating a nighttime atmosphere that feels complete. Modern LED lighting systems provide energy-efficient, low-maintenance illumination while highlighting the architecture, gardens, and outdoor rooms you love. A tailored design ensures every area of your landscape looks intentional, safe, and inviting after dark.

What Thoughtful Lighting Does for Your Property

Thoughtful landscape lighting enhances how you experience your home after dark. Key benefits include:

Safer paths, steps, and entries

Low-glare path lighting and stair lighting guides family and guests, reduces trips, and minimizes harsh glare, which is especially valuable on early winter evenings.

A warm, usable ambiance after dark

Layered lighting extends the use of patios, pools, and pavilions into the evening—subtle for conversation, brighter for activities—so your outdoor spaces feel as inviting at night as they do by day.

Backyard kitchen with swimming pool, plan your 2020 backyard paradise, Burkholder

Highlights that showcase architecture and plantings

Uplighting and accents add drama to facades, specimen trees, and water features, revealing textures and creating depth across the landscape.

Learn More About Benefits of Landscape Lighting

Types of Outdoor Lighting Fixtures

To truly upgrade your landscape with outdoor lighting, it helps to understand the different fixture categories and what each brings to your property. Below are the most common fixture types used in professional landscape lighting:

  • Path Lights: Provide safe, glare-free illumination along walkways
  • Spotlights/Uplights: Highlight architectural features, trees, columns, and facades
  • Wall Washers: Create even, ambient illumination on exterior walls and garden structures
  • Well Lights: In-ground fixtures ideal for driveways, stonework, or low-profile accents
  • Step & Deck Lights: Increase safety on stairs, risers, and platforms
  • Bollard Lights: Modern vertical fixtures used for guidance and dramatic accents
  • Flood Lights: Broad-beam lights used sparingly for general security coverage
  • Under-Cap & Hardscape Lights: Hidden illumination for retaining walls, seating walls, and outdoor kitchens
  • Pendant & Sconce Lighting: Decorative fixtures added to pavilions, porches, and outdoor rooms.

Lighting Techniques That Transform Your Property

Designers use a variety of lighting techniques to create depth, highlight key features, and establish mood across your outdoor spaces.

  • Moonlighting: Fixtures placed high in trees cast soft, natural shadows
  • Grazing: Tight-angle light reveals stone texture on walls and columns
  • Silhouetting: Light behind plant massing creates dramatic outlines
  • Shadowing: Uplighting objects to throw artistic shadows onto walls
  • Cross-Lighting: Two fixtures aimed at a feature to reduce harsh shadows
  • Downlighting: Directional light from above to mimic natural daylight
  • Backlighting: Adds depth by illuminating features from behind
house outdoor lighting
Outdoor Lighting-Burkholder Landscape
outdoor lighting design - Burkholder

How We Design Your Landscape Lighting (The Burkholder Way)

Every plan starts with a conversation: What do you want your lighting to accomplish: safety, ambiance, highlighting, or all three? Our designers tailor a solution for your style and budget, specify the right fixtures and placement, and our in-house team handles installation end-to-end so you don’t have to coordinate multiple vendors.

Common elements we integrate:

  • Path & step lighting for guidance and safety
  • Architectural uplights to wash walls or columns
  • Tree accents to reveal form and canopy
  • Pavilion, deck & stair lights for comfort and visibility
  • Pool-area lighting to extend evening use
  • Discreet security lighting to reduce shadows around entries and foundations

Whether you’re enhancing existing outdoor rooms or planning a full property transformation, our design process makes it simple to upgrade your landscape with outdoor lighting that fits your goals.

Smart Controls & Energy Efficiency

Modern landscape lighting systems offer app-based dimming, programmable scenes, color-temperature control, and energy-efficient LED fixtures. These features allow your outdoor lighting to adapt to your lifestyle, whether you’re entertaining, relaxing, or improving nighttime visibility.

LED Efficiency, Longevity & Maintenance

Modern outdoor lighting systems rely on LED technology for longevity and low energy use. Benefits include:

  • 80–90% lower energy consumption
  • 40,000–50,000 hour lifespan
  • Lower heat output
  • No bulb changes
  • Options for warm or cool color temperatures
  • Consistent brightness over time

Frequently Asked Questions About Landscape Lighting

Homeowners often have questions when planning a new lighting system. Here are answers to the topics we discuss most often:

What’s the difference between path lights and uplights?

Path and step lights direct light downward to illuminate walking surfaces without glare. Uplights aim light upward to accent architecture, trees, or masonry for visual impact. A balanced plan uses both.

Can lighting be subtle and still improve security?

Yes. Strategic illumination along foundations, entries, and plant masses reduces hiding spots without creating a “floodlit” look. Motion sensors and smart lighting can add targeted security where needed.

Will lighting make my space feel too bright?

Not when the outdoor lighting is designed in layers. We adjust beam spread, output, and placement to create an inviting nighttime scene that suits how you use each area—dining, conversation, or play.

How much does it cost to upgrade my landscape with outdoor lighting?

Lighting plans vary based on number of fixtures, wiring needs, and property layout. Many homeowners begin with essential path, entry, and architectural lighting, then expand over time. We provide detailed pricing during consultation.

Can outdoor lighting be added to my existing landscape or hardscape?

Yes. Most systems integrate seamlessly with existing plantings, patios, decks, and pool areas. Our designers evaluate wiring routes, fixture types, and mounting options to ensure a clean installation.

Where should we start if we’re lighting in phases?

We may begin with circulation (paths/steps), then architectural accents at the entry, followed by focal trees and outdoor rooms. This phased approach delivers immediate benefits and expands gracefully over time.

Do you coordinate lighting with other outdoor features?

Absolutely. Lighting is part of a cohesive landscape plan that considers plantings, pools, patios, structures, and how people move between zones.

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Why Work With Burkholder? See What Some of Our Clients Say About Us

Over the years, we have transformed countless outdoor spaces into stunning landscapes that reflect individual tastes and lifestyles. In this section, you will find heartfelt testimonials from our valued customers, sharing their experiences with our team and the incredible transformations we have achieved together.

“I cannot say enough good things about Burkholder Brothers, Inc. In Spring 2024, we hired BB to build a large pavilion with an attached pergola next to our existing pool. From the beginning they were thoughtful with the design and meticulous with the execution. The communication was excellent and all of the workers were nothing less than professional. They turned our dream of a backyard oasis into a reality. I highly recommend Burkholder Brothers for any outdoor project- I would use them again in a heartbeat!”

Melissa DiPierro

“We have been customers of the Burkholder organization for many years and selected them for our backyard project based on their reliability and skill from years of yard beautification and lawn care. We began by commissioning a plan for a multi-phase project, which our designer, Craig, completed quickly while incorporating our feedback. This included great visualizations to better understand what it would look like. Our first phase was the replacement of an aging poolhouse pavilion. Craig supervised its selection and installation, coordinating the pavilion supplier and quickly addressing the very minor punch list items. On the whole, we never had to worry and are thrilled to have a safe, beautiful structure anchoring our new backyard!”

Marc Balcer

“Burkholder Brothers installed our backyard patio with a fire pit and built-in grill. Craig worked with us with a design we liked and helped us stay within our budget. He was realistic about timing, and we didn’t have to wait very long for construction to start. The project was finished in a timely manner and looked great. We added lighting and landscaping around the patio that brings the whole look together. Everyone we worked with was friendly and responsive. We would highly recommend them.”

Kerry Ann Mai

    Want to See More Testimonials?

    Why Choose Burkholder for Landscape Lighting

    • Design-driven approach. Lighting is a core design element that enhances safety, architecture, and gardens with purpose.
    • Custom plans for your property. We tailor placement, fixture styles, and controls to your preferences and budget.
    • One team, start to finish. Consultation, design, material selection, and installation are handled in-house.
    • Built for full outdoor living. We integrate lighting with patios, pools, pavilions, fireplaces, and gardens.
    • Local expertise. We design for Main Line Pennsylvania properties, planting palettes, and year-round living.

    Next step: Schedule a consultation to see how a tailored lighting plan can elevate your home’s evening curb appeal and usability.

    Landscape Light Ideas & Inspiration: Lighting Zones That Deliver ROI

    Front-of-house welcome: Accent lighting for entry columns, pathway lights for walks, and uplight specimen trees for curb appeal and wayfinding.
    Entertaining core: Layered pavilion, kitchen, and dining lights for comfortable gatherings.
    Pool serenity: In-ground lights, wall caps, post lights, and surrounding canopy accents for resort-style nights.
    Garden features: Fountains, statuary, and masonry washed with gentle accent lighting for depth and dimension.

    Watch Our Video for Inspiration

    Your Lighting Project, Step by Step

    Design consultation: Walk-through with a lighting specialist to discuss goals, styles, and budget.
    Concept & fixture selection: Choose beam spreads, finishes, and mounting methods for each zone.
    Installation by our team: We handle electrical work, ordering, and integration with your existing landscape.
    Evening aim & adjust: Final on-site fine-tuning for perfect light levels and effects.
    See what’s possible: Browse our portfolio to view completed lighting projects and get ideas for finishes and effects. https://www.burkholderlandscape.com/portfolio/outdoor-lighting-portfolio/

    See Our Portfolio
    screenshot of lighting video - Burkholder Landscape

    Burkholder Designs Customized Outdoor Lighting Solutions to Meet Your Needs

    Ready to upgrade your landscape with outdoor lighting that brings out the best in your home after dark? Burkholder designs and installs custom lighting solutions tailored to your property, style, and outdoor lifestyle. Contact us today to see what’s possible with professional outdoor lighting!

    Contact Burkholder to Get Started on Your Dream Outdoor Space!

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