APRIL 2017 HOUSE & HOME xxHouseMagazine.com

Wes Carver Electric

What are the most common landscapelighting requests today?Our customers usually reach out to usfor one of three reasons: the houselacks curb appeal, there is a security relatedconcern or it is simply just too dark. Lightin general is a great deterrent from the badguys. Giving your house a well-lit lookfrom the curb will not only make it lookgreat, but also gives the added benefit ofpeace of mind knowing that your home isalso safer. Some other issues we help ourcustomers solve are problem areas likepaths, steps and the areas around pools.Those things—and being able to entertainand enjoy their outside space—are themain reasons people start thinking abouttheir outdoor lighting.

What’s the typical process when a home-owner calls?During the initial phone call we get somebasic information, and ask a few questionsso we are prepared for the in-home consul-tation. During that consultation, I will meetwith the customer, listen to their concernsand ideas, then provide recommendationsbased on our years of experience. It’s im-portant for me to understand their motivation

for the light-ing project so

I can custom tai-lor a design to meet

their individual needs.

What is your design process like?The first thing I look at is the house itself. Wewant to make sure we light the front entry soguests can locate the front door and often theentry makes a nice focal point. Other aspectsof the house would include lighting featuressuch as brick, stone or other interestingdetails. When we uplight onto texturedsurfaces such as stone or brick, it gives off anice contrast of light and shadows whichprovides a dramatic look. Next we look atwhat parts of the landscaping would workbest in the design. Lastly, we will add pathlights to cover any dark spots if needed.

Our goal is to light the property andmake it look natural. We want our lightfixtures to blend into the background, notcall attention. That is how we can achievea natural, cohesive lighting design. If I canplace a fixture to cast light up 25-feet onthe house versus a path light, I’m going touse the uplight every time and it will be acompletely different look than the neighbors’.

What is your favorite thing to light?Birch trees have thin canopies and a wonderfultexture to the bark. They filter light betterthan any other tree.

What are some trends in lighting designright now?Bluetooth and app-based control is whereit’s at these days for landscape lighting. Wenow have Bluetooth capability when installinga new system so that the customer cancontrol their new lights from their smart-phone. Normally, we set up the lights toturn on at dusk and off at a specified time.The app knows when dusk is every day inyour area so no need to constantly changethe timer programming; now it happensautomatically.

All lighting fixtures are LED these days.However it’s very important to match upthe color temperature of the LED lights, sothey are not a different color than thehouse’s existing exterior lights.

What should homeowners consider whenselecting a contractor to install landscapelighting?A great design is key to a successful project.If the contractor is not familiar with howto create a dynamic, yet natural lightingdesign it might not meet expectations.Quality light fixtures are also critical. Youwant your investment to function well and look good for many years. Inexpensivelight fixtures simply do not hold up overtime as well as their well-constructed counterparts. Another important aspect iswiring. Electricians know how to makeproper electrical connections.

Lansdale, Pa. | (215) 855-3340 | WesCarverElectric.com

E X P E R T I S E : L A N D S C A P E L I G H T I N G

Wes Carver, Owner

Wes Carver Electric hasbeen your friendlyneighborhood electrician

since 1999, specializing in residentialwork throughout Bucks andMontgomery counties. Wes Carverhas been in the electrical trade forover 25 years, honing both histechnical and design skills. House &Home spoke with him about theimpact carefully planned landscapelighting can have on your home.

Wes CarverElectric

?asktheexpert

by Michelle Boyles