5 Holiday Lighting Ideas

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Holiday lighting is a popular service for landscape contractors who are looking for work in the off-season.These trends and ideas might spark your imagination for a client’s holiday landscape. Take some time to drive around your city to view some of the larger displays at corporate or government offices and make notes to incorporate ideas into next year’s holiday lighting.

1. LEDs – of course

The Department of Energy claims that by 2020, over 5 percent of light sales will be LED and by 2030 it will be over 80 percent with a big majority being holiday lighting. Eric Rydberg from Energy Management Collaborative shared these facts and more with CBS Minnesota. LEDs can save clients money because they use less energy than conventional lights and will last about 10 years. LEDs also have vibrant colors and are safer because they give off less heat.

2. Wireless controllers

Some controllers have settings to adjust colors and light patterns for more variation throughout the season or year to year, according to the Times of Northwest Indiana. The available technology can use timers for the light to come on and turn off at certain times during the day. This may even be something clients want to implement into their year-round landscape lighting. Some controllers are even accessible with a smartphone.

3. Bulb change-out

Putting the holiday touch on year-round lighting can make a landscape transformation quicker. Simply change out the fixtures within the landscape to colored bulbs to have green or red colors on the house. Swapping out the bulbs for motion lights to ones with lower wattage will help the focus remain on the holiday lighting.

4. Net lights

Wrap hedges in net lighting, a suggestion from HGTV to save time but still give them the same glow. Lit up hedges near walkways and stairs will help safely guide guests to the home as they arrive for holiday parties and visiting.

5. Incorporate music

Including weatherproof speakers, DIY Network says music synchronization kits come with different channel options. Pre-synced music can cost a bit more, or clients can invest more and control the music with software programs on a laptop.