Whether for beauty or security, Red River Lighting can turn you on

“Why light?” That’s the question Red River Lights owner and designer Brandon Brice asks clients when planning and designing their outdoor lightscape. The type of lighting provided, as well as which areas receive illumination, depends on these factors: Are the client’s needs aesthetic, or is it safety and security?

“With landscape lighting, both usually end up being addressed, because, with the addition of light, you always add a layer of safety and security,” said Brice. “If safety and security are primary concerns, we’re going to give a little more attention to the areas that need more functional or task lighting.” These outdoor areas can include stairways, pathways or darker spots of front and back yards.

Brice says the front of a home is its most important aspect. The company strives to draw the attention of onlookers away from areas such as the garage and aesthetically lead the eye toward the front door.

“Those are the areas we’re really going to highlight to make the light a little bit brighter and catch the architectural structure of the house,” he said. Brice says lighting balances out the facade of the home with the softer tones of the landscape and also extends the property’s usable outdoor hours past sunset.

Architectural uplighting is preferred, as Brice says customers are moving away from using soffit lights on the eaves of their house. He says they are challenging to maintain and don’t produce the same amount of drama as uplighting from beneath.

“You really get to see the shadows and the height of the house from a light source that’s not really visible … it’s low in the ground and not up high, where it’s drawing attention,” he said. Another request some clients make for their space is café and bistro lights. These are string lights draped across a patio with vintage-style LED lights.

Red River Lights utilizes astronomical timers that can be programmed with a client’s desired on/off times. The timers adapt for Daylight Savings Time and do not require further adjustments. “They have a backup system just like a cell phone or computer would for power outages, so if you lose power, it picks up where it left off,” said Brice. Should a homeowner want more control over their lighting, Brice says an internet gateway can be installed so clients can make changes to settings or use a handheld remote.

Multiple outdoor zones can also be created with layered lighting allowing the homeowner to decide which areas to illuminate. This could include additional lighting that can be switched on as needed, particularly in a backyard swimming pool/ entertainment setting.