Bistro, Pool & Patio Lighting in Corpus Christi, TX

Bistro and string lighting

Overhead bistro lighting gives a patio, deck or courtyard a ceiling. That is the whole trick: a canopy of warm light makes an open space feel like a room, and people stay in rooms.

The difference between a professional installation and a strand hung from the fence is the structure. We plan the pattern, the spacing and the anchor points so lines run straight, hang at an even height and stay put in the wind. Where there is nothing suitable to attach to, supports can be part of the plan.

Bistro lighting can be a year-round feature of an outdoor living space or a temporary installation for a wedding or event.

Layouts that work

• Parallel runs for long, narrow patios and side yards
• Zigzag or crisscross patterns for wider spaces
• A perimeter outline for decks and pergolas
• A fan or tent pattern from a central high point for larger yards and event spaces

Restaurants, bars and venues

Outdoor seating is prime real estate here. Bistro lighting over a restaurant patio or courtyard extends the hours those tables are in use, makes the space visible and inviting from the street and looks good in every photo a customer posts.

Pool, dock and waterfront lighting

Around the water we install underwater lighting, dock lights, step lights and fishing lights. Dock and step lights make it safer to move around at night. Underwater lighting turns a pool into the centerpiece of the yard.

Fishing lights are a Coastal Bend favorite. A light in the water off a dock draws bait, and bait draws fish, which is why you see them glowing along canals and bayfronts after dark.

Made for wind and salt air

Anything strung overhead near the coast has to be planned for wind, and anything installed near salt water has to be chosen for it. We plan supports, attachment points and product with those conditions in mind.

One plan for the whole yard

Patio lighting works best as part of a plan. Pair it with landscape lighting for the trees and paths, or with permanent roofline lighting you can control from your phone.

Where bistro lighting goes

• Patios and decks
• Pergolas and covered porches
• Courtyards and side yards
• Outdoor kitchens and dining areas
• Fire pit and seating areas
• Restaurant patios, beer gardens and venue lawns

If people gather there in the evening, it is a candidate. The spaces that benefit most are the ones that are pleasant by day and empty by night for no reason other than the dark.

Light color and brightness

Warm white is the standard for bistro lighting for good reason. It flatters people and food, it is easy on the eyes and it sits comfortably beside the light coming from inside the house. We use commercial-grade LED, which runs cool and uses very little power.

More light is not always better. A patio lit like a parking lot is not somewhere anyone wants to sit. We space the runs so the area is bright enough to see faces and plates and still feels like evening. Timers are supplied so the lights come on and go off without anyone thinking about it.

What we look at when we plan a patio

• What the lights can attach to: the house, a pergola, posts or mature trees
• The height of each attachment point and whether lines will run level
• Where power is available
• How the space is used: dining, cooking, lounging or all three
• How the lighting will look from inside the house and from the street
• Exposure to wind

Step and path lighting

Steps are where people get hurt after dark. Low, shielded step lights mark each change in level without glare, on a deck, a dock, a raised home's stairs or a terraced yard. They are small fixtures that make a large difference to how confidently guests move around your property.

Canal and bayfront homes

On waterfront properties the dock is part of the living space. Dock lights make it usable at night, step lights make it safe, and a fishing light in the water gives everyone something to watch. From the house, a lit dock also draws the eye out over the water instead of leaving a black window after sunset.

What affects the price

• The size of the area and the number of runs
• Whether supports are needed
• Where power is available
• The number of dock, step, underwater or fishing lights

Call (361) 687-2763 or request a free quote and tell us about the space. We respond to every request within 48 hours.