Keeping up

Whether you specialize exclusively in outdoor lighting or provide it as part of a full-service offering, there are plenty of sources where the pros can turn for bright ideas. So, how are contractors staying up to date with the latest landscape lighting trends?

Trade shows and associations.

“There are several outdoor lighting-specific organizations that have helped me tremendously over the years,” says Joel Mayor, owner and lighting designer at Texas Outdoor Lighting. “My team and I try to attend as many lighting and landscape tradeshows as possible throughout the year to see the latest lighting products.”

Trade organizations and events such as the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals and the International Landscape Lighting Institute have helped Mayor build a strong network of lighting design peers who share insights into the latest trends and techniques.

Supplier resources.

Faulkner Bell, founder and president of Bell Outdoor LLC in Georgia, relies on reps from his lighting supplier and dealer to keep his team up-to-date.

“(Suppliers) provide a lot of great resources,” he says. “The (manufacturer’s) rep provides us with free fixtures for demo purposes, and keeps us stocked on literature and email marketing updates about products.”

“The manufacturers are definitely a big help with understanding how to use and work all the new technology,” says Ty Rosser, lighting designer at Landscape Lighting Pro of Utah. “I’m never afraid to pick up the phone (to ask them) questions.”