Redmond, WA

Redmond Wooded Retreat

Minimal fixtures, maximum impact — tall evergreens become the light source.

11 fixturesRedmond

Background

The project.

A mid-century home on a heavily wooded lot in Redmond's Education Hill neighborhood. The property is densely forested with mature Douglas firs and western red cedars, and the house itself is set back 100 feet from the road. The homeowners wanted lighting that would make the approach feel safe without losing the forested, private character.

Challenge

The problem to solve.

With only 11 fixtures in the budget, every light had to do double duty. The long driveway needed edge definition and a visual terminus at the house, and the dense tree canopy made solar or low-angle light sources impractical. Power had to be run 200 feet from the nearest exterior outlet without tearing up the asphalt driveway.

Approach

How we solved it.

We focused on three moments: the driveway entry (two path lights at the street transition), the house arrival (seven fixtures — two uplighting the largest fir, three washing the garage facade, two marking the entry path), and two moonlighting fixtures high in the canopy to create a soft ambient glow across the entire approach. The power run was buried alongside the existing driveway with mini-trenching equipment that left only a 2-inch-wide slit that self-repaired in two weeks.

Result

The outcome.

The approach reads as a journey through a naturally lit forest. The two moonlighting fixtures make the entire yard feel gently illuminated without a single visible light source. The homeowners report that guests consistently comment on how "magical" the driveway feels at night.

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