Top Outdoor Lighting Installation Looks for Summer (and Why Low Voltage Is Smarter)

When it comes to improving the look and feel of a landscape, few upgrades deliver as much impact for as little disruption as outdoor lighting installation. And in South Florida, summer is one of the best times to consider lighting enhancements—especially for commercial properties that operate into the evening or want to maintain a polished appearance year-round.

At The Green Shape, we specialize in professional, low-voltage outdoor lighting installation. Whether it’s for a hotel entryway, retail plaza, private estate, or municipal space, the right lighting design can completely shift how a property looks and functions after sunset.

Why Summer Is Prime Time for Outdoor Lighting Installation

South Florida’s summer months come with longer daylight hours, but also warmer evenings and more foot traffic. For businesses, that means greater demand for nighttime ambiance and safety. And with hurricane season active, outdoor lighting needs to be as reliable as it is attractive.

This is the time of year when your landscape’s lighting either elevates the property or exposes its weak spots. Installing or upgrading your outdoor lighting during summer allows you to:

  • Make use of outdoor areas later into the evening

  • Improve nighttime safety for visitors or tenants

  • Highlight palms, trees, or signage with dramatic effect

  • Add visual interest without major construction or downtime

The result? A cleaner, more sophisticated landscape that continues working even after the sun goes down.

Popular Outdoor Lighting Installation Looks in South Florida

No matter the size or function of the property, thoughtful lighting can transform how it’s seen and used. Here are some of the top lighting styles we’re installing across South Florida this season:

1. Uplighting for Trees and Palms

This classic technique involves placing fixtures at ground level and casting light upward into tree canopies. It’s especially effective on royal palms, foxtails, and oaks, creating striking vertical interest and a high-end feel at night.

2. Moonlighting from Elevated Fixtures

By mounting lights high in trees and aiming them downward, you get a soft, dappled “moonlight” effect. It’s subtle, elegant, and perfect for patios, walkways, and garden paths.

3. Architectural Wash Lighting

This involves casting even light across walls or facades, helping buildings or signage stand out without glare. Great for entryways, signage zones, and commercial fronts.

4. Modern Path Lighting

Forget outdated path lights that look like lawn ornaments. Today’s sleek, low-profile fixtures guide foot traffic safely and stylishly while maintaining a minimal presence during the day.

5. Water Feature Lighting

Pools, fountains, and reflecting ponds come alive at night with properly placed lighting. Whether underwater or behind a waterfall, it creates movement and elegance after dark.

Outdoor Lighting Installation

Why Low-Voltage Lighting Is the Smart Choice

While high-voltage systems exist, low-voltage outdoor lighting installation is what we recommend for most commercial and residential clients in South Florida. Why? Because it’s safer, more flexible, and designed to handle the environmental realities we face.

Here’s how it works:

We install a transformer that converts high-voltage power from your main breaker panel down to safe, energy-efficient low voltage. This not only protects your landscape—it reduces power consumption, makes future changes easier, and lowers long-term maintenance costs.

Benefits of Low-Voltage Outdoor Lighting Installation:

  • Lower energy use = reduced power bills

  • Longer-lasting fixtures that cost less to replace

  • Safer around wet or flood-prone areas

  • Easier to expand as your landscape grows

  • Ideal for LED systems, which perform better at low voltage

At The Green Shape, we work directly with licensed electricians to handle the high-voltage-to-low-voltage conversions professionally. Every system we install is properly grounded, code-compliant, and designed to last even in the salt-heavy, storm-prone climate of South Florida.

Lighting as a Landscape Investment

One of the best things about outdoor lighting installation is that it delivers visual and functional value without major disruption. Compared to hardscapes, water features, or full planting overhauls, lighting offers a fast and affordable way to modernize your landscape.

Instead of ripping up lawns or redesigning beds, lighting simply elevates what you already have. A few well-placed fixtures can bring out the structure of your landscape, showcase its best features, and make the entire space feel safer and more maintained.

This is why we often recommend lighting as a first-phase upgrade for clients who want to make a big impact without a big investment.

Why Outdoor Lighting Should Be Professionally Installed

Low-voltage doesn’t mean low-effort. Outdoor lighting installation involves much more than sticking a few path lights in the ground. A quality system must consider:

  • Proper transformer sizing and wiring

  • Avoiding voltage drop across long runs

  • Fixture placement for maximum effect without glare

  • Code-compliant connections and waterproofing

  • Strategic layout that avoids over-lighting or shadow traps

At The Green Shape, we install lighting systems that are clean, efficient, and built to perform. We don’t cut corners with wiring or layout. And we never push generic systems that don’t align with your property’s design or needs.

Common Lighting Mistakes We Help Clients Fix

We often get called in to fix or replace poor installations. Some of the most common problems we see include:

  • Overloaded transformers causing dim or dead zones

  • Poor fixture placement creating harsh shadows or glare

  • Non-weatherproof wiring that corrodes or shorts out in summer storms

  • Mix-matched fixture styles that distract from the landscape design

Whether your lighting is old, underperforming, or just never looked right, we can redesign and retrofit your system into something that actually works—functionally and visually.

Energy Efficiency Without Sacrificing Aesthetics

Today’s outdoor lighting systems are more advanced than ever. With smart timers, LED fixtures, and energy-conscious designs, we’re able to deliver outdoor lighting installations that look great and work harder—with less waste.

The goal isn’t just to light up the night. It’s to do it with precision, style, and sustainability. That’s where we come in.

Get More from Your Landscape After Dark

Outdoor lighting installation isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a strategic move—especially in South Florida, where warm nights, lush landscapes, and year-round visibility matter.

At The Green Shape, we help property owners make smart upgrades that don’t just look great but work better. Whether you need a full installation, a conversion to low voltage, or help troubleshooting an outdated system, we’re ready to light the way forward.

Ready to Upgrade Your Outdoor Lighting?

Contact The Green Shape today for a consultation on custom outdoor lighting installation that’s energy-smart, Florida-tough, and professionally installed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best type of outdoor lighting for landscaping?

Low-voltage LED lighting is the top choice. It’s energy-efficient, safe for South Florida weather, and works well for paths, trees, and building accents.

How does low-voltage outdoor lighting work?

A transformer converts high-voltage power from your home into safe, low-voltage current that powers outdoor fixtures reliably and efficiently.

Why install outdoor lighting in the summer?

Summer brings more outdoor activity and longer evenings, making it an ideal time to improve safety, visibility, and the overall use of your landscape.

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The Green Shape is one of the leading commercial landscaping companies in South Florida. Our focus on remarkable service, reasonable prices and relevant guidance to our clients, makes us the preferred commercial landscape company in the area.