ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, April 2, 1996 TAG: 9604020033
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: At Home with Technology
SOURCE: DAVID BUTLER
Q: My husband and I are working on a long-term landscape design for our large wooded lot.
We would appreciate your advice on how to incorporate outdoor lighting into the plan. Is it necessary to bury the electrical wiring in conduit?
A: Beautiful landscapes don't happen by accident and they certainly don't happen overnight.
You are wise to start by preparing a master plan. It will allow you to work at your own pace without losing continuity.
Strategically placed lighting is a terrific way to showcase your home and property after dusk. The visual impact of light, shadow and color can be stunning.
Light can help give definition to areas used for relaxation and entertaining, creating an outdoor "room" of sorts.
You should first make a list of things you wish to accomplish:
What features do want to emphasize?
Are there areas you'd rather shift attention away from?
Will you have flowering plants or walking trails?
Have you thought about lighting in terms of its functional roles: security, safety and utility?
First and foremost is security. For example, if your mailbox is at the street, the area should be well lit. Ditto for parking areas, entrances or a porte-cochere. Exterior walls and dark corners should also be illuminated. Here, low-level lighting can play a dual role - aesthetics and security.
Outdoor lighting is also important for pedestrian safety. You can use pathlights to keep walkways and steps illuminated without distracting from the overall effect you're creating.
If you have a pool or a pond, diffuse underwater lighting can create a truly magical effect while helping guests stay dry.
Next, think about how you plan to use your property after dusk. If you have a deck or patio, you probably "make do" with whatever fixtures the builder happened to install. Now's the time to do something about it! Whether you want a relaxed or festive atmosphere, lighting can set the mood.
Now it's time to forget function and have some fun! Your wooded lot provides the perfect setting for dramatic lighting effects. Start by identifying the various vantage points you wish to play to. That way, as you work through your lighting plan, you'll be better able to select and position the fixtures.
For example, if your house is hidden from the road, the first vantage point would be along the driveway as an approaching car comes into view of the house. A deck or garden patio would also be a key vantage point. And don't forget the most important of all - your windows! For example, a ground-floor window with a "tight" view is a perfect opportunity to create a mini-scape.
Except for functional lights (e.g. pathlights), you should try to conceal the fixtures from view. This may not always be possible, especially when a particular lighting treatment is visible from more than one vantage point. However, in all cases, the bulb itself should be shielded from view. Otherwise, you should consider eliminating the offending fixture from your plan.
As for the wiring, stick with low-voltage fixtures whenever possible. They're less expensive and much easier to install. You can lay the cable on the surface or fold it into a shallow trench.
In order to illuminate larger trees, you may need more powerful line-voltage (120-volt) fixtures. You'll need to hire a licensed electrician. When protected by a GFCI breaker, type UF direct burial cable doesn't require conduit if buried at least 12 inches (local codes may vary).
To receive a list of companies that manufacture landscape lighting fixtures and controllers, please send $1.50 and a self-addressed envelope to David Butler F-606, Department TWN, 14713 Pleasant Hill Road, Charlotte, N.C. 28278-7927. The list includes toll-free numbers and a summary of each company's products.
If you have a computer: 3D Landscape is a Windows-compatible program that provides a variety of landscape design tools. It translates the user's ideas into 3-D renderings and generates materials lists. Call Books That Work at (800) 242-4546, ext. 111, or see the home page at www.btw.com).
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: Create an outdoor living room with landscape lightingby CNBand outdoor speakers.