Nature Revealed

Full-property redesign of an existing system. Techniques: pendant downlighting, graduated forest lighting, sculpture moonlighting.

Dublin, Ohio

  • Photographer: Tim Ryan

  • Landscape Design: Edgework Landscaping

Narrative

Some properties ask for spectacle, but this one asked for softness. Just inside the front window sits a grand piano the owner’s late wife used to play; he would listen from the bench outside rather than interrupt. That bench became the heart of the design. A single pendant from above gives the seating area a crisp, welcoming pool of light, one source instead of two so the shadows stay sharp and true.

At the rear, the glassed-in room where the homeowner spends his evenings had a problem common to wooded properties: at night the windows turned into mirrors, and bounced the interior back at itself. Lighting the forest returned the view. The design fades gradually into the trees, no hard border of light, so the woods read as endless and the seasons and wildlife stay visible at every hour.

A sculpture his wife found abroad, five years in search of its right place on the property, now rests in the soft effect of a full moon, placed to be seen from the windows of both studies. Even the dogs’ courtyard traded harsh security floods for layered lighting that keeps the beauty and the function.

This scene is viewed from the middle of the driveway looking towards the home. Read More Just inside the window is a grand piano where the client’s late wife would play. Sometimes the husband would join her inside, but other times, he would sit at the outdoor bench to listen in without disturbing her. They also shared moments together with guests or friends gathering on the way in or out of the residence. This seating area is the focal point of the scene and we used a single pendant light to illuminate the space from above. We created a warm, welcoming area in the front of the home that almost beckons the viewer to come and rest for a few minutes. The original design called for 2 pendant lights on this space but the shadows of the slats in the seats and table look much crisper and pronounced on the ground with a single source from above. The mature Japanese Maple on the corner offered great options for more pendant downlighting of the path and we used multiple, smaller uplighting sources to celebrate the texture and depth of the canopy, trunks, and branch structure. The stonework on the front of the home is nice but we chose not to light it directly, instead allowing some reflective light from the tree to kiss the stone. Read Less

This photo shows the back right corner of the residence and gives a glimpse of the privacy provided by the wooded backyard. Read More The glassed in room served as a dining area and gathering space for the couple especially during seasons when the cold weather made the deck less hospitable. The view from this room was a higher priority than the bedroom or study (both of which face rearward) because of the amount of time spent here after dark. The windows allow for a rare 200 degree view and the design was crafted with this space in mind. With the absence of outdoor lighting, the windows turned into large mirrors, reflecting the interior light back into the room making the space feel cramped. After our team installed the lighting, the room transformed, helping the viewer to feel like they were outdoors enjoying nature. At first, the client refused to allow us to use downlighting. He specified a beam spread and wattage and demanded that we use the same specs that were in the previous system. It took a lot of patience and education to finally expand his mind and help him understand that we were the trusted experts. Read Less

This view is from the opposite side of the backyard showing the back left corner of the home. Read More There is a small fenced in space with astro turf for the dogs to use after dark. This area was previously lit with harsh, indiscriminate security floods. We showed the client that it was possible to have the functionality of lighting without sacrificing the natural beauty of a space. Our team celebrated the central Japanese Maple with up and down-lighting, allowing the client to see their dogs no matter their position in the courtyard, and lit the surrounding treesl. This photograph does a great job capturing the different layers and levels of light in the scene. The sculpture is particularly signiffigant to the client. His late wife fell in love with the piece on vacation and it took them 5 years to decide where the art would live. They chose a spot visible from both of the studies but the art was in darkness until we had the opportunity to work together. We lit the sculpture from above, intentionally illuminating the piece for visibility from within the window and also in the courtyard. Our goal was to produce the effect of a full moon, softly illuminating the art. Read Less

Category

Residential, Wooded Estate

Design Aspects

  • Graduated fade into the forest: fixture concentration and output taper instead of a lit border
  • Single-source pendant downlighting for crisp, deliberate shadow work
  • Museum-style moonlighting on a personally significant sculpture, sighted from two rooms
  • Security floods replaced with layered up and downlighting, function without glare
  • Window reflection eliminated by balancing exterior light levels with the interior

This photograph shows a panoramic view of the backyard from the back deck of the property. Read More This is the most important view and can be seen from any room along the rear of the home. We downlit the path allowing the client to safely traaverse around the space, but the main focus was the forest. Using fixture concentration, placement, and adjustable lumen output, our design slowly reduces the light level as the eye travels further back into the forest. Instead of creating a harsh border on the back of the property, we slowly faded the light away, the further you look into the woods. The client is now able to see the changing seasons and the wildlife at all times of the night. Read Less

This view is from the opposite side of the backyard showing the back left corner of the home. Read More There is a small fenced in space with astro turf for the dogs to use after dark. This area was previously lit with harsh, indiscriminate security floods. We showed the client that it was possible to have the functionality of lighting without sacrificing the natural beauty of a space. Our team celebrated the central Japanese Maple with up and down-lighting, allowing the client to see their dogs no matter their position in the courtyard, and lit the surrounding treesl. This photograph does a great job capturing the different layers and levels of light in the scene. The sculpture is particularly signiffigant to the client. His late wife fell in love with the piece on vacation and it took them 5 years to decide where the art would live. They chose a spot visible from both of the studies but the art was in darkness until we had the opportunity to work together. We lit the sculpture from above, intentionally illuminating the piece for visibility from within the window and also in the courtyard. Our goal was to produce the effect of a full moon, softly illuminating the art. Read Less

This beautiful tree sits on the right side of the home creating balance in the landscaping. Read More The branch and trunk structure create a wide canopy that we lit from below, and then used pendant downlighting to reveal the flowers and planting in the bed surrounding the tree. We also used downlighting to reveal a hidden pathway to the side of the home. Read Less

Next Project

A well-lit garden at night with leafy plants, ferns, and small trees in front of a red brick wall, featuring a hanging basket of red flowers and a central urn planter.
Secret Garden