Looking For “Different” Outside Garage Lights

[kngelv]

I really dislike the standard boring coach type lights on the front of garages. Anyone have some better suggestions. I’m debating whether to install any at all.

James

 

[TurnipTruck]

I’m contemplating LED tape set in a routed groove in the overhead door jambs (Top and sides)y.
A series of can lights in the soffit all around, especially if they were dim at dusk but ramp up with motion.
Barber pole lights flanking the doors?
Wall-washing indirect lighting is very stately.

 

[cybrdyke]

I really dislike the standard boring coach type lights on the front of garages. Anyone have some better suggestions. I’m debating whether to install any at all.

James

Hey James,
I've been in lighting for 3 decades, close to 4. I often get asked a similar question. "We just want something nice". "We want something cool". It's impossible for me to know what they think is "nice" or "cool". So what ends up happening is that I make tons of suggestions that all get summarily dismissed because the customer has different taste and it becomes a giant waste of time.
So, I suggest to my customers to provide a few examples of fixtures that they think are "nice" or "cool" so that I have a minimum of information to work with. Maybe this would help the GJ folks respond to you. Or a picture of your building.

If you dont like coach lights, there are other ways to light your building. Landscape lighting is probably the most common. This category of lighting has exploded in the last few years and there are tons of really cool products out there. It's not like your grampa's old Malibu lights. You can do soffit lights. There's plenty of choices there, too.
Good luck,
CD

 

[Stuart in MN]

Hey James,
I've been in lighting for 3 decades, close to 4. I often get asked a similar question. "We just want something nice". "We want something cool". It's impossible for me to know what they think is "nice" or "cool". So what ends up happening is that I make tons of suggestions that all get summarily dismissed because the customer has different taste and it becomes a giant waste of time.
So, I suggest to my customers to provide a few examples of fixtures that they think are "nice" or "cool" so that I have a minimum of information to work with. Maybe this would help the GJ folks respond to you. Or a picture of your building.

If a person were to pile up the catalogs from every light fixture company, they'd have a pretty tall stack. To the OP, there must be several lighting showrooms in and around Detroit - go visit a couple of them and see what they have on hand. You don't have to purchase through them but it's a good way to get an idea of what's available.

Before I retired I was using a lot of wall packs and downlighting from Rab Lighting on commercial projects. If your tastes run to modern, they have a pretty good variety. https://www.rablighting.com/

edited to add: Also, consider what you're looking for in exterior lighting. Do you want big floodlights , or just enough to light up a pathway to the door, or accent lighting, or ? In my opinion too many people try to turn their yard into a football stadium, when it's not really necessary. With modern LED fixtures it only takes a few watts to provide enough light to see the doors and be able to find the key lock, deter prowlers, and also not annoy the neighbors.

 

[kngelv]

Code requires one over the side door but I guess I don't have to have any on the front. This view is from a scissor lift and I'm at one of two spotlights on the back of the house that light up the whole backyard. There used to be a pool and basketball court back there. I'm switching those to lights with cameras. I'll be able to control the lights with a dimmer. Some low key soffit lights sound like they might work. I'm not one for a bunch of light but the siding over the front door looks sort of plain. I wish I had changed up the siding to that shingle like look on the front.

James

 

[75gmck25]

My garage is smaller, but a similar design. I put one soffit light (you might need more) over the man-door and used a gooseneck barn light over the main door. The barn lights come in different sizes, but get pretty expensive for the large ones.

I have the garage lights controlled by a switch inside the man-door and also a Lutron remote inside the house. I can turn on the lights from the house before I walk out to the garage.

 

[kngelv]

I ended up with four 3” soffit lights down the left side. Have no need for lights in the front and the right side would just light up my neighbors yard.

James

 

[rharman]

I know the OP has already made his pick. I just wanted to post this as I'm seeing a lot more of the vertical strip lighting on new builds & remodels around here. Done right, they look really nice at night. Definitely not your typical coach light.



Garage doors and gates in this style too with the narrow glass panels.

 

[kabinenroller]

I have soffit LED’s on the front of my shop. The pole fixtures between the gas pumps don’t illuminate much but look decent. Everything is on a clock timer to run from sunset to sunrise.

 

[Shiftless]

I have one of this style wall washer on each side of my garage door. But mine shine down only. They are on a timer.