Fall is here, and the sun sets lower each night. While there are many ways to light your outdoor living space to maximize the time you can play outside; we like automated low-voltage LED lighting systems.
What Are Automated Low Voltage LED Lighting Systems?
These systems use low-voltage wires that are thin and less visible to power LED lights with 12 or 24 volts. This low voltage really saves on electricity costs. The lights are controlled by a smart controller that can talk to your smartphone. You can set the lights up to come on and off automatically when you want them to. Further, you can control the warmth and even the color of the lights, so you can turn them red for Chiefs games or other colors for other celebrations.
What Are the Advantages of Low Voltage versus Line Voltage Systems?
Line voltage is the voltage that comes out of the wall socket, typically 120 volts here in the United States and Canada. Low voltage is typically 12 or 24 volts. Here are some of the differences.
Line Voltage
Low Voltage
Use with most out-of-the-box lamps and lights
It needs a transformer and LED lights to use
Cheaper initially
Saves money on electricity costs
It uses thick copper wire
It uses thin speaker wires
Electricity costs are expensive
Light warmth and color can be easily altered with the controller
It can be automated with smart plugs for each light.
It can be controlled with a smart controller
Light is defused and less sharp
It can be automated and scheduled easily
Lights can be dimmed to 30 percent or on full based on occupancy or need, or turned off
Like looks sharper and more natural
Bulbs can last 6,000 hours before needing to be replaced
Components of Automated Low Voltage LED Lighting Systems
Here are the components you will need to install an automated low-voltage LED lighting system in your outdoor living area.
Transformer
The transformer steps the line voltage of 120 volts down to 12 volts. This is the voltage most low-voltage LED lights use. Transformers are rated for different loads. Choose a transformer that is larger than the sum of the wattage of the lights you will hook to it. For example, if you have ten 12-watt lights, choose a 150-watt transformer. Avoid the temptation to buy a transformer with a much bigger rating than the load you will put on it.
Wiring
The wiring for a low-voltage LED lighting system is much smaller and safer than using 120 volts. If your system will use more than 200 watts, you should use a 12 gauge wire. If your system uses less than 200 watts, you can use a 14-gauge wire. You can often use speaker wire for this application.
Light Fixtures and Bulbs
There is a wide range of low-voltage LED light fixtures to choose from. The key is placing each light fixture at least ten feet from the transformer and ten feet from each other. Don’t overload your transformer, or your lights will be very dim or not work at all.
You can choose lights and bulbs that allow you to change the warmth and color of the light. For example, you could turn your lights red for a Chiefs-watching party.
Timers and Photocells
Timers allow you to set the times you want your lights to come on. Photocells will trigger the lights when the sun goes down and turn them off when it gets light. Many timers can be used with a smartphone. Depending on the configuration of the system, you may be able to schedule individual lights to come on at different times. Our favorite timer is the astronomical type that will automatically reset with daylight savings time based on your zip code.
Our Favorite Brands
Making sure you use a reputable brand when buying your components is important. Here are our three favorite brands.
Pro Trade
Pro Trade lighting is a good choice if you are on a tight budget. The fixtures are durable and tough but don’t have the bells and whistles some other brands have. Pro Trade has a wide variety of fixtures available, so you should be able to find the lighting you want. However, it may not have the range of choices on lighting warmth and individual control some systems have.
Unique Lighting
Unique Lighting fixtures are a step up from Pro Trade. Unique Lighting has fixtures that you can turn into different colors. In addition to a range of fixtures and transformers, Unique Lighting has the SMRT LOGIC® Cloud-Based Landscape Control System. This lets you control your lighting system on your smartphone. You can even turn fountains and other landscape features on and off with this system.
Coastal Source
If you are looking for the best home system, Coastal Source is your brand. Coastal Source includes their own proprietary brand of smart controller that can control not only the color but the shape and intensity of your outdoor lights. These lights are durable and look nice anywhere. You can also get lights that are low profile, so they are invisible but light a specimen tree or other feature without the fixture taking away from the scene.
We Design and Install Automatic Low Voltage LED Lighting Systems
Designing and installing your automatic low-voltage LED lighting system can be a chore. Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping can design the perfect lighting system. Our Blue Crew can install the system and make sure it works just the way you want it to. We can even set up the automation program on your smartphone and show you how to work it. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and discuss your outdoor living lighting system needs.
Since we did our article on fire features last October, we have been getting a lot of questions about whether to use wood or natural gas when installing new fire features. Here are the pros and cons of each so you can make up your mind on what you want to install.
Wood-Burning Fire Features
Wood fires smell wonderful as they crackle in the fire feature. Unfortunately, that smell means particulates are going into your outdoor living space and out of the chimney. Wood fires are more polluting than natural gas. They also need constant attention to make sure the fire does not go out or start something on fire.
Wood-burning fire features can burn a lot of wood. That means you have to buy or cut wood and stack it somewhere in your yard. The wood has to be stored properly, or critters will start to live in it. It also has to be brought into the outdoor living area when you want a fire and kept dry during rain or other inclement weather.
Wood-burning fire features can be customized more easily. They can be located without worrying about whether there is a gas line nearby.
Pros
Cons
Wonderful smell
Must source and store wood
The wonderful sound of crackling wood.
It takes skill to start a wood fire
Traditional
Must be constantly tended
More easily customizable
More polluting
Produces ash that must be disposed of regularly
The chimney must be inspected and cleaned yearly.
An ember can ignite and start a fire.
Natural Gas Fire Features
While natural gas fires don’t have the smell and crackle of wood, there are very realistic artificial logs that are mesmerizing to watch. Natural gas is less polluting than wood to burn, and you don’t have to store a stack of it in your yard. You will be able to adjust the heat and flames coming out of your gas fire feature by simply turning the gas higher or lower. Natural gas fire features can be used where it is not practical to use wood, such as along a bar, so guests can watch it while they eat. Natural gas is also easier to cook with than a wood fire because the temperature and height of the flames are more easily controlled.
In addition, natural gas fire features are very easy to start. You simply turn on the gas and light it with a match. Your gas bill will increase, but you won’t have to buy wood. Natural gas fire features are easier to install than wood fire features, but you will need a licensed plumber to connect the gas line to the fire feature.
Pros
Cons
Less polluting
Natural gas lines must be installed by a licensed plumber
No wood to source or store
It doesn’t smell or sound like a wood fire
Turn on and enjoy
Must be inspected and cleaned yearly
Easier to install
Not as easily customizable
More efficient in heating area
Easier to use for a first-time fire feature user
Safer with no embers to catch fire
We Can Help
At Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping, we install both wood-burning and natural gas-fired fire features. We will be happy to discuss the pros and cons of both types of fire features as they relate to your outdoor living space. When you decide on the fire feature you want, our skilled Blue Crew will be happy to install it for you. If you are thinking of having a fire feature installed, schedule a consult today to have one of us help you design and install the perfect fire feature for your needs.
I want you to meet Henry Thompson, our field supervisor. Henry’s job has several responsibilities. He manages the production of projects, including pre-construction planning and scheduling, as well as material procurement and logistics for the Blue Crew. He checks in regularly with customers and the on-site foreman to ensure the project meets our quality standards for both craftsmanship and customer experience. Communication is our #1 core value, and Henry helps keep everyone on the same page by communicating expectations for both our team and our clients. Henry is also responsible for the continual coaching and development of our field installation and maintenance teams.
A Very Experienced Landscaper
Henry started a landscaping job as a laborer. He quickly worked his way up from laborer to the foreman of his own crew.
In 1996, Henry decided to move into management. He worked his way up to field supervisor. Henry has been working in the landscaping industry for thirty years and has experience with every aspect of construction and landscaping.
Coming to Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping
In a funny coincidence, I worked with Henry as an intern 25 years ago. In 2018, I called Henry after he had been following us on Facebook for years and commented on a post of ours.
When I called him, Henry said, “You are doing a good enough job now for me to work for you.”
“Funny you should mention that. I called to ask you to join the team,” I told him. The rest is history.
Why Landscaping?
Henry started working in landscaping right out of high school. He loves working outside. His favorite thing is turning a yard into an outdoor oasis. Henry likes to bring the countryside to people living in the city so they can enjoy their outdoor living areas and landscape, as he has his whole life as an outdoorsman.
Hometown Boy
Henry was born in Harrisonville, Missouri, and now lives in the small town of Archie, Missouri, about ten miles south of where he was born. He enjoys small-town (about 4,000 people) life and likes knowing everyone in town.
Other Interests
Henry has a passion for spending time outdoors, hunting, and fishing when he isn’t working. Anyone who knows him knows his favorite activity is attending his daughters’ sporting events with his wife Mindy. Their oldest girl, Emma, has started college this year and is concentrating on her academics and classes in accounting. His youngest, Elizabeth, is a freshman in high school and plays basketball and volleyball. She competes in a competitive league outside of school as well. Most weekends during the season, Henry can be found chauffeuring her to meets around the state. He sure is proud of his girls!
See Henry’s Work For Yourself
We appreciate Henry’s talents and are very proud of the work he does at Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping. If you want his help turning your yard into an outdoor oasis, schedule a consult with us today. We will design something that suits your needs and brings a little bit of the country he loves onto your city property.
With football season starting up, we know you will be having watch parties at home. Want to up your game this year? Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping can help you put on a great party in your outdoor living space!
BBQ
What is a party without food? In Kansas City, that means BBQ! The best BBQ is made outdoors on a grill or in a smoker. We build standalone grill stations with room for storage or full kitchens with grills and smokers included. The full kitchen has a roof on it, so if it rains, your food won’t get soggy. You can also use it to make the other dishes for your party without missing the action.
Beer
Good BBQ is best enjoyed with an ice-cold beer. We can put a beer trough in your kitchen where your beer will stay ice cold. Your guests can grab one without having to get in line at the refrigerator! Beer troughs keep other drinks cold, too.
Big Screen TV
What is a watch party without a big screen TV? Nobody wants to have to crowd around a small screen. We build walls that can hold a big screen TV complete with a waterproof covering over it. You can choose from a retractable mounting or a permanently visible one. We often build a fireplace and mount a big screen TV over the mantelpiece.
Audio
A big-screen TV is worthless without a great audio system. We can build a system that includes audio for the TV, radio, and other music. When the big game isn’t on, your guests can rock to whatever tunes you like. We use outdoor audio systems with heavy-duty, concealed cables, so your system will work for years to come.
Comfortable Seating
Nobody wants to sit on hard, uncomfortable seats. For a great party, you need great furnishings. Check out our article on furnishing and staging your outdoor space. Be sure to buy furnishings designed for the outdoors so they last longer.
Shade for Day Games
Sitting in the hot sun gets very uncomfortable very fast. Plan on some shade for your guests to sit under. Don’t rent a tent. We can build you everything from a full roof to a pagoda you can cover with vines for extra shade. We can even build walls or enclose your room with a screen to keep out the cold and insects.
Light for Night Games
You don’t want your guests to stumble around in the dark. That isn’t fun, and someone could hurt themselves. We can install great lighting options so your guests can see, but the light doesn’t overwhelm the TV screen or cause glare. We even have some options you can turn red for game day.
Outdoor Games
Outdoor games are a great way to pass the time while you wait for the game to begin. Games also give kids a way to burn off energy so they will be quiet during the game. Great outdoor games include flag football, corn hole, and bocce ball. Scavenger hunts are fun for all ages, depending on the difficulty of the hunt.
Guests
You can’t have a party without guests. Are you going to have a small, intimate gathering or a large event? Family and close friends or the neighborhood? Plan to have an entrance into your outdoor living area where guests don’t have to go through the house. We can build paths to lead your guests right where they need to be.
We Can Help
Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping is a full-service landscape design, landscape construction, and landscape management company. We can design and install your landscape as well as maintain it for you. Schedule a consult today.
Need your landscape spruced up before a big event? Contact Lauryn Pitts, our garden care specialist, to get on our schedule.
Are you interested in working with plants? There are a wide variety of outdoor fields you can get training in so you can work in both rural and urban settings. Here are a few of the choices:
Landscape architecture
Landscape design
Turf grass specialist
Arborist
Floral designer
Golf course manager
Greenhouse manager
Horticulturalist
Plant pathologist
Specialty crop production manager
Learn to be a part of creating designs like this…
And turning them into stunning garden spaces like this.
Here are some of the state and community colleges in the area you can go to for the education necessary to work with plants outdoors.
You can obtain a bachelor’s degree in horticulture and be ready for a job in management in a range of horticulture careers. You can obtain more specialized degrees such as agribusiness, agricultural economics, agronomy, and more.
Learn to design gardens and other landscapes so they are functional, pleasant to use, and will use the right plant in the right place by getting a bachelor’s degree in either landscape design or landscape architecture.
Get a strong foundation in the science of plants, soils, and water. Classes and practical experience mean you can pursue a number of careers in both rural and urban areas.
You can major in Agronomy: Horticulture and get a bachelor’s degree. This focuses on five core areas: greenhouse management and production; vegetable and fruit production methods; post-harvest technology along with food safety and local production issues; landscape, plants, design, and maintenance; and sustainability in today’s horticulture industry.
You can obtain your Associate of Applied Science in Horticultural Sciences degree in two years and either start work immediately in management or transfer to Kansas State University to get a bachelor’s degree in horticulture.
Metropolitan Community College
You can get a number of degrees and certificates in horticulture at the Metropolitan Community College. These include:
This associate’s degree prepares you to transfer to a four-year college to major in an area of agriculture. This degree takes two years to earn if you attend full-time.
We Can Help
Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping is a full-service landscape architecture and landscape management company. If you are interested in a career in horticulture or landscape design and construction, we are happy to talk to you and help you find the training you need. We hire people for a wide range of positions, so if you are looking for a job, feel free to apply.
