How to light a desert garden.
Good landscape lighting in Las Vegas lights the few things worth seeing, the trees, the walls, the path and the water, and leaves the rest dark. Warm, shielded fixtures on a schedule that follows sunset, with speakers set into the planting, make the yard usable on the evenings worth being outside.
What should landscape lighting light?
Less than you'd think. A palo verde or a mesquite lit from below. A stone wall grazed so its texture shows. The path to the door, the steps, the edge of the pool. The dark between them is part of the design: it's what makes the lit things read.
Which outdoor lighting fixtures and color work best?
Low voltage LED, warm white (around 2700K) so stone and planting look natural, and shielded so you see the light, not the lamp. Glare is the usual failure: a bright point in your eye from across the yard. Aiming and shielding fix it.
Fixtures need to be rated for sun and heat. In the valley, plastic housings fade and crack; metal fixtures and sealed connections last.
How is landscape lighting controlled?
On a schedule tied to sunset, which moves through the year, so nobody resets a timer. Scenes for a quiet evening on the terrace, a party, or late night. With a control system, one press on the way out lights the path, the pool and the music together.
What about outdoor audio?
Speakers that belong in the garden: bollard speakers set into the planting among the agaves, with a buried subwoofer for weight, spread so the sound is even at the seats and quiet at the property line. Built for sun and monsoon rain.
Outdoor TVs need the same care: a display rated for full sun if it faces the afternoon, a partial-sun model under a covered patio.
What should you check before you start?
Many communities in Summerlin and Henderson review exterior changes through their HOA, and neighbors notice light that spills over a wall. We plan with both in mind. More on outdoor lighting and audio.
Where does CORVX work?
CORVX is a Las Vegas, Nevada company that engineers, installs and supports smart home and commercial technology: control and automation, audio and video, home theater, lighting, motorized shading, networks, security and electrical.
Desert homes across Las Vegas, Summerlin, Henderson, Boulder City and The Ridges.
Questions
What color temperature is best for landscape lighting?
Warm white, around 2700K, for planting, stone and paths. It looks natural against desert materials and doesn't read as a security light.
Can landscape lighting follow sunset automatically?
Yes. An astronomical schedule switches the lights on at sunset all year, with scenes for when you're outside.
Will outdoor speakers bother the neighbors?
Not when they're spread across the space. Several small speakers at low volume keep the sound at the seats and quiet at the wall.