Twice as Nice with Twice the Light

When David B. bought his home 15 years ago, he loved the property, but his lighting system needed an upgrade. David contacted Karl Lundberg, owner of Luminocity, to see what could be done.

“Karl installed a system that was night-and-day different from the old one,” says David. “It was like going from a used car to a brand-new Cadillac!”

Lundberg had told David that the lights would be maintenance-free and last for a long time. David was skeptical, but sure enough, a decade has passed, and he has encountered zero problems.

“Every light fixture still looks like new, which is especially shocking considering Indiana weather!” says David. “It’s all LED, so unlike the old system where we were constantly replacing light bulbs, here these bulbs last for years. It’s about as maintenance-free as you can get.”

Over time, trees on the property have matured and the landscape has changed, so recently David decided it was time to freshen things up, add some more lights, and make the front and back a little brighter. He once again contacted Lundberg, who came out, studied the property, and presented the perfect proposal.

“He’s very meticulous and methodical. He said, ‘I think if we do this, this, this and this that it’ll really get you the desired result’ and it did!” says David. “He has a great vision. He makes a thoughtful plan, he explains that plan, and the end result is exactly as he describes it. I couldn’t be more pleased.”

Lundberg, a consummate professional, takes a lot of pride in his work, as well he should.

“He’s the best in the state of Indiana and I imagine one of the best in the country at what he does,” says David. “His lighting packages completely transformed our property, allowing us to enjoy it as much at night as we do during the day.”

David also appreciates the fact that Lundberg’s lights brighten up the long, cold winter months.

“It gets dark here very early so to have that kind of lighting during the bleak season really warms up the property and makes it easier to get through the winter,” says David. A well-lit home exterior is a welcome sight after a long drive home on late fall or winter evening.

Contact Lundberg to see how he can transform your outdoor space into a stunningly lit landscape with the perfect lighting plan and system.

Before we gather with our loved ones this Thanksgiving, let us recognize the things that make us thankful today and throughout the year at Luminocity.

Professional training opportunities

The Luminocity team of lighting experts is constantly working to improve their skills by attending training sessions hosted by industry-leading manufacturers. As active members of the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals, we also stay connected with a network of fellow lighting professionals across the United States, exchanging insights and fostering a collaborative spirit that drives innovation in the field.

Why is this important? At Luminocity, we believe there is always room for new knowledge and ideas. The Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals provides certification and education, which gives our lighting technicians and designers new insights and information about outdoor lighting. Luminocity is home to two of only five Certified Low Voltage Lighting Technicians (CLVLT) in Indiana, as well as the only Certified Outdoor Lighting Designer (COLT). Safety, knowledge and design all matter at Luminocity.

We’re thankful for top quality suppliers

We believe a professional outdoor lighting project should rely on the best lighting fixtures. Sure, we can go to any big box store and grab something off the shelf, but we could be compromising the overall quality of the finished product. Instead, we use only professional-level durable fixtures and bulbs. We believe this extra step will pay us back in increased durability, longevity and beauty.

Quality fixtures play an important role in upgrading an existing lighting system. During the Luminocity upgrade process, we will replace mediocre fixtures with premium-quality, integrated LED fixtures. We’ll check connections and make sure the new timing systems actually work. Professional quality fixtures really do make a difference in the finished lighting project.

Thankful for a staff that pays attention to the details

Our commitment to military precision starts with Luminocity owner and founder Karl Lundberg. Karl spent 30 years in the United States Marine Corps, retiring as a Colonel. He brings his military dedication and precision to the job at Luminocity, where he and his staff strive to do each project the right way, every time. Each employee adheres to a strong work ethic. We never take shortcuts, and we don’t believe in “good enough.” In today’s competitive job market, we consider ourselves lucky to have staff who hold these same values.

Thankful to you, the customer, who deserves the best for your home

We feel honored every time a customer approaches us for an outdoor lighting design. We know there are less expensive ways of lighting your home’s exteriors, but we promise that the Luminocity difference is worth the investment. We approach each home individually, seeking the focal points that deserve to be illuminated. We’ll combine different lighting techniques like uplighting and downlighting to paint your home in intentional light. But we won’t leave you feeling like you’re living in front of floodlights. Exterior home lighting is a science. Little details have major implications, which is why you deserve a professional lighting designer for your home. Thank you for trusting us with this important project.

Here at Luminocity, we want to take a moment to wish all our friends and colleagues a happy, healthy Thanksgiving holiday. We consider ourselves lucky to have you in our lives, and we look forward to many more opportunities to shine a light on what’s important. Remember, if your current outdoor lighting isn’t up to par, give us a call and let us help you illuminate your holiday cheer. We’re here to make your home the most enchanting spot on the block. Schedule your consultation now at 317-537-8055. 

Studies have shown that outdoor lighting can cut down on crime. Read on to find out how a professional outdoor lighting design makes your home more secure, even in the darkest days of an Indiana winter.

Keep a light on your entryway

Put yourself in the shoes of a bad guy for a moment. (Don’t worry – we know you’re one of the good ones at heart.) If you’re staking out a neighborhood and you want to check a front door, are you going to choose the one that’s bathed in light, or the one that is hiding in the shadows. Well lit outdoor entrances can deter crime simply by making these areas less appealing to intruders. They’re also helpful to the homeowners. After all, who wants to worry about navigating a dark entryway or searching for your keys with only a little bit of moonlight for illumination?

Lighting the (drive)way

Many of our central Indiana homeowners are lucky enough to have mature trees on their property, which is great during the summer months when we’re all craving the shade. But Mother Nature’s canopy can create extra shadows, which is why your outdoor lighting design should include driveway and path lighting. A professional lighting design means you don’t have to worry about being blinded by the lights when you’re coming home. Instead, Luminocity’s trained lighting technicians can install lighting that is intentionally placed to add beauty as well as functionality to your home and property.

Lighting works with your security cameras

Your home is your castle, and you’ve invested in a good security camera system to keep an eye out for troublemakers. But if you’ve scrimped on a lighting system, you run the risk of creating new shadows for the cameras or even washing out images with too much lighting. Stick with a professional lighting designer like Luminocity to create a system that coordinates with your security camera.

Strike the right lighting balance

If a little bit of light can discourage intruders, surely a lot of light is a brilliant security guarantee, right? Not necessarily. Too much bright light may be counterproductive. You know those spots you see after the camera flashes? That natural reaction can temporarily prevent you from seeing what’s in the shadows. A truly efficient outdoor lighting design begins with a professional who understands how to work with light. For instance, light fixtures near windows and passages can look beautiful, but they can also interfere with the people who are inside trying to enjoy a little privacy. A professional lighting designer like Luminocity understands how to properly include filters that minimize glare and maintain the right illumination.

A good outdoor lighting design adds life to your home

Indiana loses about 130 seconds of daylight each day in the fall. Those 1.5 minutes can add up to extra dark hours over the winter months. A professional outdoor lighting design can ward off the darkness and keep it looking occupied, even if you’ve gone over the river and through the woods for a holiday gathering.

Let the trick-or-treaters handle the spooky tasks this holiday season. Banish the shadows of your home with a professionally designed outdoor lighting system by Luminocity inspired outdoor lighting. At Luminocity, we’ll use the most durable outdoor lighting fixtures to ensure that you stay in the light for years to come. Schedule your consultation at https://getluminocity.com/contact/ or call us at 317-537-8055 for installation or to service an existing system.

If your home is sitting in the dark – or if your current outdoor lighting setup needs a makeover, Luminocity is your go-to landscape lighting expert. Let’s look at why new outdoor lighting is such a good idea this fall.

1. The days are getting shorter, and you need more light

Indianapolis has just over 12 hours of daylight when fall officially begins on September 23. We’re on our way to the shortest day, December 21, when we will see only 9 hours and 21 minutes of daylight. That’s a lot of darkness around your home. Professionally installed outdoor lighting does more than point floodlights at your home. Done right, it enhances the look of your home and yard, makes it easier to get around at night, and adds additional security to your property.

2. Your trees and foliage aren’t so fragile in the fall

We love spring, with its bursts of blossoms and tender green leaves. But even the most careful contractor may break a few twigs or crush a new blossom during a landscape or lighting project. When you opt for a fall installation, however, many of the trees and plants around your home are entering their dormant phase. We’ll always be careful, but fall makes it easier to protect your landscape design.

3. Outdoor lighting helps extend the outdoor entertaining season

Indiana summers never seem to last long enough, do they? With the right lighting, you don’t have to pack up the outdoor party plans just yet. Extend the open-air entertaining season now with a professional outdoor lighting design. Sure, the pool may be covered, but there’s still plenty of time for a bonfire bash. Pathway lighting, deck lighting, lanterns, torches and bollards will bring the necessary illumination for continued outdoor soirees.

4. You’ll enjoy peace of mind

Security is a top homeowner concern. Between the shorter days and the gloomy skies, you may have many dark pockets around your home. Outdoor lighting fills in their dark spaces with light, making your home less tempting for potential criminals. Plus, you’ll enjoy the added benefit of beauty along with the safety aspect of outdoor lighting. What’s not to love?

5. Outdoor lighting highlights the winter landscape

While spring and summer may seem like landscape stars, fall and winter are waiting in the wings, ready to take the stage with their own unique beauty. Whether you’re highlighting your snow-shrouded home or you’re playing with the shadows cast by bare trees, outdoor lighting can add an additional layer of beauty to your home during the colder months.

If you’ve been thinking about adding outdoor landscape lighting to your home, let’s talk. Fall is the perfect time to spotlight your home’s unique details with a professional design by Luminocity inspired landscape lighting. Discover the Luminocity difference with our attention to detail and our expert training from industry leading manufacturers and the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals. Book your consultation now by calling us at 317-537-8055, or contact us online now. Fall in love with your home again when you add professional outdoor lighting by Luminocity!

How much return on investment can you expect from outdoor landscape lighting?

You may be wondering whether professional outdoor lighting will pay for itself in a higher selling price. It’s a complicated question, and the honest answer is complicated as well.

To understand the value of outdoor lighting, take a look first at the rest of your neighborhood. If your neighbors have already jumped on the lighting train, your home is going to be literally left in the dark at night. An investment in outdoor landscape lighting will ensure that your home is priced competitively for your neighborhood and the surrounding areas.

It’s hard to put a dollar sign on the value of landscape lighting, though. We often hear that specific home projects like an updated kitchen or master bath will add a certain percentage of their initial cost to the selling price of a home. Certainly outdoor landscape lighting may pay you back – according to Zillow, the words “landscape lighting” in a listing helped homes sell an average of 3.1 days faster and for 1.6 percent more than homes without the list. We’ll also argue that putting a light on those upgrades is going to be the equivalent of adding an exclamation point to a sentence.

However, outdoor landscape lighting is more than just a number on a spreadsheet. It’s an investment in your quality of life. It tells the world that you’re a homeowner who takes pride in this dwelling, and it lets your home shine in any season. Don’t hold off on landscape lighting until you’re ready to sell a home. Bring the lights home now so you can enjoy them.

What can outdoor lighting do for you?

At Luminocity, we believe strongly in maximizing your home’s unique beauty through the judicious placement of outdoor lighting. Let’s talk about what else you’re getting when you hire Luminocity to add a professional outdoor lighting design:

Landscape lighting will highlight your home’s best features

A good landscape lighting designer knows how to use light to emphasize the lines and intentional design of your home. Outdoor lighting is more than just a few canned lights shining up from the ground. It’s a combination of uplighting and downlighting, using the best fixtures in the business, to paint your home in light.

Lighting will add security

Indiana reported 12,680 burglaries in 2021, the latest year statistics are available. That follows a 10-year downward trend, but a decrease in overall burglaries is little consolation when someone breaks into your home. Outdoor lighting may cut down on your risk of break-ins by literally shining a light on the dark areas around your home.

Your home will stand out to potential buyers

Put yourself behind the wheel of a potential homebuyer who is driving down your street. Do you want to find out more about the home that’s sitting in the shadows, or are you interested in moving into the home that is already a showcase thanks to its outdoor landscape lighting? We think that’s an easy answer. Remember, first impressions are everything.

Look on the bright side

If you’re interested in adding value to your home with a professional outdoor landscape lighting design, trust the professionals at Luminocity Inspired Outdoor Lighting. When you work with Luminocity, you’re getting the best in the business. Discover the Luminocity Difference when you work with us. Call us now at 317-537-8055 for a consultation, or contact us online at https://getluminocity.com/contact/. 

Start with the basics in landscape lighting

Outdoor lighting roughly falls into three categories:

Overall lighting brings necessary light into a room or space. This can usually be achieved through hanging lights, post lights or wall lights.

Task lighting has a distinct purpose. Think pathway lights or lights along your deck steps. You can also enjoy added security when you intentionally place lights in your home’s dark spots.

Accent lighting draws the eye to a specific area or focal point like a waterscape or unique landscaped area.

Ideally your outdoor landscape lighting design will incorporate a combination of these categories. Remember, less is more when it comes to outdoor lighting. You want to create highlights, not spotlights!

Take a walk outside at night

When you venture outside at night, bring a flashlight to locate those areas that need illumination. Are your stairs or pathways dangerous due to a lack of good lighting? Is your favorite tree standing in the darkness when it could be awash in light from tastefully selected outdoor fixtures?

Consider these key areas for landscape lighting

You know you want light outside, but you’re not sure where to put it. Here are a few common spots for outdoor landscape lighting:

Deck or stair lighting can be conveniently set flush against the structure for an elegant, understated effect.

Lights around your water feature can enhance the look of the falling water. When light enters water, it changes direction slightly, a phenomenon known as refraction. Water absorbs different light wavelengths at different rates, so light mixed with water can produce its own outdoor show. Outdoor lighting fixtures must be rated for submersion, though.

Lights for specific trees and plants on your property. That Japanese maple tree can reveal a new, unique personality at night with the right lighting placement. A combination of uplighting and downlighting can create shadows that mingle and project fascinating silhouettes.

Path lights are both pretty and functional, and they welcome your guests to your home from the moment they arrive.

Call in the experts

A simple lighting project can certainly be a DIY undertaking. But if you want to get the most lighting bang for your budget, work with an expert like Luminocity inspired outdoor lighting. As a member of the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals, the Luminocity staff is always working to improve their skills, which means your final project will get the expert attention and care it deserves.

Are you ready to light up your landscape? Call Luminocity now at 317-537-8055 or contact us online now!

Curb appeal isn’t just for people who are trying to sell their homes. People who take pride in their homes often invest in updates and upgrades to keep their home looking neat and pristine. Your home is a reflection of you. A home with overgrown landscaping or peeling paint gives a distinctly different impression than one that is well kept.

Why should you boost your home’s curb appeal?

If you’re putting your home on the market, curb appeal is your first strategy to entice potential buyers to walk through your home. It may require an initial investment, but upgrades often pay you back in the selling price. For instance, according to the National Association of REALTORS®️ 2022 Remodeling Impact Report, homeowners can expect to recoup 100 percent of their expenses for a new roof or garage door when they sell their homes. Cement fiber siding has a 86 percent recovery rate, while vinyl windows carry a 67 percent recovery rate.

But home ownership is more than a spreadsheet of expenses and payoffs. When you invest in your home’s curb appeal, you’re also enjoying benefits that might not necessarily come with a dollar sign:

You enjoy your home. You work hard for what you have. Think of how you feel when you drive down your street at night after a tedious business trip, and you see your home looking well-lit and elegant. Curb appeal creates an important first impression for homeowners and visitors alike.

You feel safer. Overgrown foliage, broken down entryways and multiple shadows can be invitations to criminal activity. When you invest in nice landscaping and fill in the shadows with outdoor lighting, you’re increasing your overall home security.

You’re being a good neighbor. If the home across the street looks sloppy, it’s going to affect how the neighborhood feels. Your neighbors appreciate living near a home that is maintained and elegant.

How to improve your home’s curb appeal

Sure, you can invest in a whole house makeover. But did you know that many curb appeal projects can be accomplished in just a day or so? You don’t have to break the bank – or your back – to improve your home’s curb appeal:

Clean it up. Give yourself a day to trim the shrubbery, pull the weeds and haul away the debris from your yard. What else needs some TLC? Be honest – when was the last time you cleaned your exterior windows? Make them sparkle when you remove the grime.

Paint your front door. If a whole house paint makeover isn’t in the budget, why not focus on the front door? Have fun with a new color that will change the whole exterior.

Power wash your home and driveway. Indiana’s cool wet spring may have left a calling card in the form of dirt and mildew on your home and driveway. If you feel comfortable using your own power washer or renting one, go outside and watch the magic happen when you reveal your home’s original beauty. Remember to always test an inconspicuous patch first, and make sure the materials used in your driveway and home exterior can withstand the power wash.

Turn on the lights. A professional outdoor lighting design by Luminocity will illuminate your home’s best features and add another layer of elegance. When you partner with Luminocity, you’re working with trained outdoor lighting experts and members of the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals. This means you’ll get the best and most durable outdoor lighting fixtures, coupled with a designer who knows how to put your home in its best light. After all, curb appeal should always be illuminated!

Boost your home’s curb appeal with an outdoor lighting design by Luminocity inspired outdoor lighting. Call us now at 317-537-8055 or reach out online. Your home deserves to shine with Luminocity.

Outdoor lighting must be done intentionally, with special focus on light and the shadows it creates. Training matters. Luminocity’s certified low voltage lighting technicians have undergone extensive training to know how to create art from light. They also know where lighting should be placed for that maximum “wow” factor. Let’s look at some great ideas for outdoor lighting.

Light your home first

Many people think outdoor lighting is for security only. While outdoor lights help fill in the shadows, they are so much more than crime deterrents. Outdoor lighting highlights your home’s architectural features and paints a masterpiece through strategically placed uplighting and downlighting.

Consider the plants and foliage

Spring is the perfect time for thinning out the old foliage and bringing in new and interesting landscape selections. By placing lights at different angles throughout your yard, Luminocity can create multiple layers and focal points for a dramatic nighttime effect. Want a touch of whimsey? Consider hanging lights in your trees, which adds magic to any evening.

Welcome your guests

Your home’s sidewalk is the first thing your guests see when they visit. Imagine how they’ll feel as they walk through soft hues that draw their attention to specific focal points while ensuring a measure of safety. Your home’s pathways are the perfect spot for creative lighting, too. Enchant your guests with fun lighting and patterns.

Put a light on the entry

A well-lit entryway can add warmth without overpowering visitors. When you use the appropriate light fixtures and placement you’ll help your guests see where they’re going without making them feel like they’re being interrogated. Lighting also ensures that you see who’s at the front door through your security camera. (It may even cut down on ding dong ditching!)

Shine a light through water

If you’re lucky enough to have a pond, fountain or other water feature, you’ll want to enjoy its beauty in the evening as well as during the day. Outdoor lighting combined with moving water can produce a dynamic show of sight and sound to help you relax and unwind.

Light your patio, deck, pergola or outdoor kitchen

Outdoor lighting doesn’t have to be obvious. Unobtrusive fixtures can ensure that your deck or other outdoor living space enjoys ample lighting without becoming a trip hazard or contributing to outdoor clutter. Make sure the edge stays illuminated so you don’t have to worry about trips and falls.

At Luminocity, we see each home as a blank canvas that deserves its own unique outdoor lighting design. Take your home to the next level with Luminocity. Call us now at 317-537-8055 to talk about outdoor lighting options, or fill out the online form now.

Have you ever wondered what can happen to landscape lighting if it gets hit by lightning? The short answer is, “Nothing good.”

On occasion, one of our customers will call and tell us that their property was hit by lightning. One lightning bolt alone can discharge up to one billion volts of electrical energy. To put this in practical terms, this is enough to power a 100-watt lightbulb for three months. That is why a lightning strike can light up the sky, even during the middle of the day.

What happens when lightning strikes?

This electrical discharge is not only powerful, it also generates a lot of heat. In fact, a lightning bolt can heat up the surrounding air by up to 30,000 degrees Celsius (54,000 degrees Fahrenheit). This temperature is roughly five times hotter than the surface of the sun.

Besides striking a tree or house, lightning can also hit the ground. When it does, it may discharge into your landscape lighting system. Once that happens the damage begins. Current from lightning can travel through the wires and often will destroy the fixtures. Lightning can be a strange thing. Some fixtures can be burned badly and destroyed yet others in the system can be untouched.

Sometimes a lightning strike will not only destroy the fixtures above the ground but also damage the wire in the ground. If your outdoor lighting system was hit by lightning, you should assume that the wire has been compromised and will need to be replaced. In most cases, if your landscape lights were impacted by lightning, you should expect to replace them.

Besides damaging the fixtures, lightning can also impact your transformer. Sometimes the damage is minor, and the transformer only needs to have the circuit breaker reset. At other times the transformer can be severely damaged. This picture shows the damage done to a low voltage transformer after the system was struck by lightning. You can see that there is no repair to this transformer.

Is there something that can be done to protect your outdoor lighting system?

Some inline fuses may help, but if the surge is quite powerful it probably won’t make much difference. Enjoy your outdoor lights but know that lightning can strike at any time. Damage to your outdoor lights can be significant. When that happens, you’ll need to report it to the insurance company.

Luminocity can help bring the light back on after a storm. If your outdoor lighting isn’t working after one of our Indiana electrical storms, give us a call at 317-537-8055 . We’ll make the necessary repairs and replacement to give your home the illumination it deserves!

As the calendar begins to point to spring (we can’t vouch for the thermometer), it’s time to begin planning outdoor landscape upgrades. That 20-year-old juniper bush may still be evergreen, but it’s also starting to get reedy and disheveled, despite your attempts to prune it. When you introduce plants that add visual texture into your landscape, you create a scene that’s interesting and eye-pleasing. Want to go a step further? Luminocity inspired lighting can help you integrate your outdoor landscape into a lighting design destined to create its own illuminated artwork.

Let’s talk about some good foliage to consider when it’s time to get your hands in the dirt this spring.

It’s about the texture

When you’re planning your trip to the garden center, consider the texture of the plants you’re going to see. Plants typically come in three main textures: fine, coarse, and medium. Fine textured plants are the ones with thin, lightweight foliage. They might be ornamental grass plants, or they may have thin stems and fluffy leaves that create an interesting balance. Coarse textured plants are the ones with the large leaves or blossoms. They tend to grab your attention when you scan your yard. Medium textured plants fall somewhere in between. They aren’t overly large, but they’re not little and delicate either.

As a rule of thumb, you want to plan for 1/3 fine textures and 2/3 coarse and medium textures. But if you’re drawn to the fine textures, by all means, populate your landscape with them. It’s your home, after all.

Fine textured plants

The fun part about fine textured plants is that they give your garden or landscape a casual, fun feel. Their delicate silhouettes complement the bigger foliage and blossoms that threaten to steal the show. By adding these airier textures, you’ll get a sense of natural balance in your garden:

• Tall verbena
• Pretty sedge
• Fennel
• Baby’s breath

Coarse textured plants

Let’s talk about shadows. Coarse textured plants tend to create broad shadows, rather than the wispy shadows created by their fine textured counterparts. Think about painting with a broad brush – that’s what you’re doing with coarse textured plants. Many people think of tropical settings when they see coarse textured plants, thanks to their lush, oversized foliage and brilliant green hues:

• Hostas – especially big-leaf hostas
• Rhubarb
• Dutchman’s pipe
• Rhododendrons

Medium textured plants

Somewhere between fine and coarse, medium textured plants work to link the different sizes and textures in your landscape. They can also add elements of color and whimsy to the outdoor setting:

• Impatiens
• Daisies
• Viburnum
• Camellias

Bringing in the light

Outdoor lighting adds additional elements of depth and value to your landscape. Sure, a few solar-powered lights from the hardware store can illuminate the garden and cast shadows. But an experienced outdoor lighting professional can design outdoor lighting that creates its own artwork among the plants you so carefully selected. Using a combination of uplighting and downlighting, the lighting professionals at Luminocity can intentionally draw the eye to various areas in your landscape design and create depth and highlights, helping your home stand out during the day and at night as well.

Are you ready to update your outdoors this spring? Finish your landscape revival with outdoor lighting from Luminocity. Call us at 317-537-8055 for a quote or reach out to us here to start a conversation.