Outdoor Lighting Blog | McKay Landscape Lighting - Part 5

Lake House Landscape Lighting Design Valley, Nebraska | McKay Lighting

Written by McKay Lighting | 05/22/2020

What better way to spend these long, leisurely summer nights than at your lake home? From the late nights spent gathering around the fire pit telling stories and roasting s'mores to simply enjoying the peaceful views, it's part of the charm of weekends at the lake.

This gorgeous lakefront property is located in Valley, Nebraska. The 100-year-old lake is a short drive from Omaha and features sandy beaches. Andrew "A.J." Coleman, outdoor lighting designer at McKay Lighting, developed the lighting design with the homeowner and builder and then coordinated installation during construction.

The Landscape Lighting Design: Highlighting Architectural Features and Increasing Overall Security

AJ worked with the homeowners previously on a residential project. They were looking for a simple and functional design that would make them feel safe and secure, yet show off the aesthetics of the home at the same time.

 

Architectural Lighting

To complement the architectural features, strategically placed lights accent the peaks of the home at night. Four bollards along the circular driveway provide function, helping increase nighttime visibility. In the yard, we selected to light certain trees as a way to help pull light away from the house and create balance. The well light under the address number makes it more apparent at night.
 
 

Backyard Lighting 

The backyard features many of the design concepts incorporated in the front yard, including accenting the architecture to enhance the aesthetic appeal and landscaping to create balance and uniformity throughout. Path lights mark elevation changes and steps to make it safer to navigate at night.
 
 
Steps leading from the outdoor dining area down toward a fire pit area surrounded by natural stone and two pondless waterfalls, creates a nice environment to relax and enjoy the sunset.
 
 

The path lights increase nighttime safety, acting as a guide, while the cascade fixtures along the wall provide nice soft light while also creating unique shadowing effects with the natural stone. Light shining on the water features make them glisten beautifully at night.

 

Then another set of steps lead down to the beach with a lounge area. The cascades provide subtle light when the homeowners sit here in the evenings as the kids fish. Watch the video or go to the gallery to see more photos

"We really enjoyed working with our clients again. Designing their new lake home allowed us to use our creative freedom to come up with a unique, yet simple and elegant design, giving them everything they were after." - Andrew "A.J." Coleman, outdoor lighting designer at McKay Lighting

Looking to Enhance Your Property?

Our dedicated team at McKay Landscape Lighting works with you to create a custom landscape lighting design that's unique to your property. From design to installation to service, you can count on our team of experts to make sure you are happy with your lighting system for years to come.