Winter Reveals What Great Lighting Depends On
How about that snow and bitter cold since our last newsletter? There’s something adventurous and exciting about a big snow storm, even if it does come with the work of shoveling and the disruption of schedules. Once the roads cleared it was beautiful to have the snow stick around several weeks making the scenery beautiful and bright. But we’re now glad to see it starting to warm up and melt off.
Professional-grade outdoor lighting systems are built for weather like this. Cold temperatures and moisture aren’t what typically cause problems. Even when the snow drifts and buries your spot lights around your home and trees they are typically just fine with their IP65+ ratingsto keep moisture out. But winter has a way of creating subtle disruptions that often go unnoticed.
Heavy snow can bury fixtures completely, turning them into unseen trip hazards. Winter yard clean-ups sometimes bump fixtures out of position or even break them if hit hard enough. One client recently shared how a snow shovel made an unwitting casualty of a core-drilled marker light along his front walk. Oops!
As the snow melts, now is a great time to take a slow walk around your property.
Are all fixtures operating?
Are they still aimed where they were designed to be?
Has mulch, soil, or shifting ground altered beam angles?
Are any fixtures leaning or partially buried?
Lighting design depends on precision. A fixture that’s been nudged just a few degrees can dramatically change the visual balance of your system.
If something doesn’t look quite right—or if you simply want a professional system check—we’re happy to talk you through it on the phone or schedule a spring service to make sure everything is operating as intended.
February is when some of our clients begin imagining what life outdoors will look like once the days grow longer. Almost as if to prove the point, one of our McLean clients already had their first round of spring mulch installed just days before that January snowfall. Overachiever! In a few short weeks, March will be here, and outdoor projects will move to the top of the list.
Interestingly, winter is also one of the most valuable seasons for design. With landscapes stripped back, we can clearly see structure, elevation, and architectural details that are often hidden once spring growth returns. That clarity allows us to design systems that feel natural, timeless, and truly customized to your property.
As we move toward spring, our calendar begins to fill with homeowners planning outdoor upgrades and landscape projects. If enhancing the way you experience your outdoor spaces is on your mind this year, now is an ideal time to start the conversation.
Whether you need a spring system check or you’re thinking about a new lighting design, we’d be glad to help.
Thank you, as always, for trusting us to bring thoughtful, high-end lighting to your homes. We’re looking forward to another year of creating outdoor spaces that feel just right—long after the sun goes down.
Thanks,
The Loudoun Lighting Team
The best outdoor lighting is planned well in advance
Now is an ideal time to begin the design process
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Modernizing Elevator Lighting at Fair Oaks Mall: A Case Study in Placemaking, Technology, and Execution
This project at Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, Virginia started the way many good commercial projects do: with a straightforward question.
The General Manager of the mall reached out to Loudoun Lighting and asked whether we could help bring the lighting around two central elevators out of the 1980s and into the present era. The request wasn’t framed as a flashy upgrade or a dramatic renovation. It was simply an acknowledgment that something felt dated—and that it was time to address it.
