Landscape Lighting Design
A lighting plan based on the layout of your property, its architecture and landscaping.
About
Outdoor lighting is not one service on a long list
Houston Lightscapes is a family-owned company that designs, installs, maintains and repairs outdoor lighting across Greater Houston — and does nothing else.
Since the 1990s
More than thirty years on one subject
The company started with a interest in outdoor lighting and grew into a full-service lighting business for Houston and the surrounding communities.
The technology changed underneath it: fixtures improved, LED replaced most of the halogen, controls became programmable. What has not changed is the part that decides how a property looks at night — where the light goes, how much of it, and what is deliberately left dark.
There is a difference between a company that installs outdoor lights and a company that specialises in outdoor lighting. We take on the whole system: design, fixture placement, wiring, transformers, controls, the night-time review, and the service years later.
30+
Years of outdoor lighting experience
200+
Five-star customer reviews
35
Greater Houston communities served
Accreditations & awards
Ownership
Family-owned, and the name is on every project
Houston Lightscapes is owned by Michael Akerman, who stays directly involved in the work: understanding what you like about the property, how you use the outdoor space and what you want to see after dark — before anyone starts recommending fixtures.
Being family-owned changes the incentives. We would rather you call us again for another area, a fixture moved or a system expanded than sell you the largest possible installation once. Reviews tend to mention the same things: the involvement in the design, the recommendations, and the follow-through until the finished lighting looks right.
How we work
We start with the property, not a fixture package
A River Oaks estate with mature trees, courtyards and a pool needs something different from a West University home on a compact lot. A Tanglewood property with a long driveway is different again from an office property in the Energy Corridor.
None of them should receive the same number of fixtures in the same positions. And you do not need the vocabulary: no beam spreads, no decision about whether a tree wants uplighting or moonlighting. Tell us what you want from the property — we work out how to produce it.
The discipline
Darkness is part of the design
Light every wall, tree, plant, walkway and corner to the same level and the property goes flat. Contrast is what gives it depth: one tree becomes a focal point, an architectural feature stands out because the wall beside it gets less, a path leads the eye toward a brighter entrance.
Which is why adding fixtures does not automatically improve a design, and why the honest answer is sometimes fewer lights in better places.
What we do
Complete residential lighting systems
Design, installation, and everything that keeps a system working afterwards — plus commercial work on facades, entrances, signage, landscaping and gathering spaces.
Landscape Lighting Design
Landscape Lighting Installation
Low-voltage systems with professional wiring, transformers, controls and solid brass fixtures.
Architectural & Accent Lighting
Columns, brickwork, stone, rooflines, entrances and the details that give a property character.
Tree Lighting & Moonlighting
Uplighting, downlighting and moonlighting that showcase mature trees with soft, natural light.
Patio & Outdoor Living Lighting
Patios, outdoor kitchens, seating areas and decks made comfortable and usable after sunset.
Pool & Water Feature Lighting
Depth and atmosphere around pools, fountains and ponds — and easier footing nearby.
Pathway, Driveway & Entry Lighting
Useful illumination along walkways, driveways, steps, gates and entrances — kept in balance.
Smart & Color-Changing Lighting
Timers, photocells, remote control, smart systems and customizable color-changing options.
Afterwards
We don’t disappear after installation
A lighting system lives in an environment that will not hold still. Trees grow, planting changes, lenses get dirty, fixtures shift, outdoor areas get remodelled, pools get added, and equipment eventually needs service.
- Outdoor lighting repair
- Landscape lighting maintenance
- LED upgrades and retrofitting
- System expansion into new areas
- Fixture repositioning as planting grows
- Adjustments after a remodel, a new patio or a new pool
We also evaluate systems installed by someone else — often the cheapest way to find out what can stay and what should be replaced.
Installation standards
What a dependable system is built on
- Long wire runs from the transformer to the connection points where appropriate
- Watertight connections
- Available electrical capacity tested before the system is sized
- Voltage checked across the system, transformer loads balanced
- Work routed carefully around established lawns and planting
- Timers, photocells and compatible controls where they earn their place
Conditions vary by property and not every technique suits every project — but the equipment itself is not negotiable. Houston brings heat, humidity, heavy rain, irrigation, soil, insects and year-round growth, so we use high-quality fixtures, brass among them, with low-voltage LED.
Customers
More than 200 five-star reviews
“We have been customers of Houston Lightscapes for over 12 years. Mike and his crew are very courteous and professional.”
Petra T.
Customer since 2013
“My courtyard and driveway were beautifully transformed by Houston Lightscapes. Michael listened to my needs and gave me some great advice.”
Khanh P.
Courtyard & driveway lighting
“I can’t say enough about Mike and his team at Houston Lightscapes. They are extremely professional and courteous… the work is top notch.”
Mike S.
Houston area
Where we work
Across Greater Houston
Houston is the main service area; the projects take us from the Inner Loop out to Katy, The Woodlands, Sugar Land, League City and beyond.
Free consultation
Start with a walk around the property
Tell us what you like about it, how you use it, and what you would like to see when the sun goes down. We take it from there.