Great Austin outdoor lighting design takes a view from inside
The other night I was sitting on the sofa looking out through one of our large glass sliding doors and it dawned on me just how nice the view was. Most people can’t see anything through their windows at night because darkness will turn their windows into big black mirrors, reflecting what is going on inside the house.
What I saw was this large red oak tree that had turned red and orange. The way it is lit, along with some of the other landscape, made a wonderful framed picture through my glass door and the cathedral windows above it. My view becomes a floor-to-ceiling picture that changes from a colorful fall photo to an interestingly sparse winter scene when all of the leaves are gone; then a vision of spring as the tree gets brand new soft shoots and then quickly depicts summer when the tree is full and thick with rich green leaves.
Can you imagine? A piece of art seen at night that grows and changes with the seasons? We easily take this for granted during the day, but it is so much more dramatic at night! Sure, you see and appreciate the changes as days rush past in daylight, but against the dark background of the night, it looks almost completely different. Imagine also enjoying that impressive spectacle from the comfort of your own living room, kitchen or even your master bedroom.
When I create an Austin outdoor lighting design, I almost always ask to view the landscape from inside the home. I generally get a confused look from the homeowner until I tell them that I want to make sure that their windows become frames for the artwork that is about to be created outside. Then the ‘light bulb’ blinks on, and I get to see a smile as I describe how that Japanese Maple or magnificent Oak tree is going to look at night through that big picture window.
Taking advantage of the perspective from inside the home is a big part of high quality Austin outdoor lighting design. After investing in an amazing landscape, it should not be hidden from your view for half of the day. If the lighting person does not ask to see your view from inside the home, then they are not really designing a lighting system for you — they’re designing a lighting system for your neighbors and themselves. I prefer to design a lighting system for the person who’s paying for it (that’s a big deal for me).
Take a few minutes tonight and look outside your windows from your favorite easy chair or maybe from your dining room table, or even your cozy bed. What do you see? What would you see if there was some soft beautiful lighting out there highlighting your landscape? Yeah, now you’re getting it.
We would love to show you some great night time artwork at your home. Please contact us here so we can create some NightScenes art you will love to see change all year long.
