City Lifestyle

Want to start a publication?

Learn More

Featured Article

Illuminating Spaces from Dusk Until Dawn

How TouchStone Accent Lighting's designs enhance your home's beauty

First impressions are important, especially when it comes to your home. Spending countless summer days mowing the lawn and planting gardens does little good for your home’s landscape when the sun goes down. That’s where TouchStone Accent Lighting comes into play. TouchStone specializes in designing, manufacturing, and installing lighting to illuminate outdoor spaces from dusk until dawn. If you’re considering adding lighting to your property, TouchStone’s expertise and the latest trends in the lighting industry can help make your home the envy of the neighborhood.

Before adding lighting to your property, there are several things to consider. You’ll need to know why you want to add lighting, how often you plan to use the space and how bright you want the lights. Some homeowners choose to add outdoor lighting for security purposes, others for entertainment or everyday living. Whatever the reason, adding outdoor lighting can create secure spaces, enhance your property’s natural beauty and extend your living space. And TouchStone has options for essentially any part of your property, from gardens and walkways to patios, decks, driveways, and much more.

Once you know exactly what your lighting will be used for, TouchStone can help develop a comprehensive plan for bringing light to your home’s landscape. TouchStone’s lighting plans include everything from the placement, design, and size of the lights to the electrical needs, the efficiency of the lights, and the impact on the neighborhood. Having a detailed plan for the lights ensures they last longer, require little service and accent the existing landscape and architecture.

“Our job is to make someone’s property look beautiful at night. Our products are designed to be inconspicuous during the day so that you don’t even notice them or they don’t stick out. And at night, they will uniquely highlight with indirect light all the unique features within the landscape or home’s architecture,” TouchStone’s owner Mark Hanson said.

During the planning stages, you may also want to consider what is trending in the outdoor lighting industry before committing to a light fixture. One of the current trends in the industry, and one TouchStone is leaning heavily into, is solar. 

The benefits of solar landscape lights are extensive. In addition to being beneficial for the environment, solar is a cost-effective option for those worried about a high electric bill or possible repair parts. Solar is also simple to install and accent your home’s landscape beautifully. Solar lights can be used anywhere but are especially popular for docks and marinas, gardens, decks, and walkways. 

TouchStone debuted their line of solar lights, known as SunTino, after spending years perfecting them and ensuring they were of similar premium quality to their other brands. According to Mark, TouchStone’s solar line addresses a part of the market that doesn’t currently exist. Mark said many of the solar lights on the market are easily damaged and provide little light whereas SunTino lights are reliable and provide ample light for any use. 

“What I set out to do with our product is design something that will give people a ‘wow’ factor. That they won’t believe [solar] can be that bright, that it’s reliable, that it’s durable,” Mark said. If you’re considering adding solar lighting to your property, TouchStone can provide guidance on the best placement and style of light.

In addition to solar lighting, TouchStone offers various 12-volt LED light fixtures for every area of your property. Whether you’re looking to spruce up your garden, add lights on your deck or even illuminate your dock, TouchStone can help. They offer full design and installation plans for garden and walkway lighting, floodlighting, hardscape and outdoor living lighting, water, and dock lighting, and commercial lighting. TouchStone also offers other packages for any DIYer that provide everything you’ll need, including install instructions with optional add-ons.

While TouchStone does work across the country, they still consider themselves a small company with a focus on cleanliness and camaraderie. Mark and his wife, Lisa, continue to meet directly with clients to design the best lighting plan for the property. They also pride themselves on ensuring their installs are spotless when the team leaves. 

While adding outdoor lighting to your home’s landscape may not be at the top of your to-do list, it just may end up being one of your favorite projects. “At the end of the day, we unanimously will hear that it was one of the favorite home improvement projects that [homeowners] did. Or, that they appreciate it or like it much more than they ever envisioned they would,” Mark said. If you're ready to illuminate your home visit touchstonelights.com.

What I set out to do with our product is design something that will give people a ‘wow’ factor.

  • Mark and Lisa Hanson

Businesses featured in this article