The Yucca and the Flame
Designing for Reflection
Up-lighting Yucca tree in Brentwood
A beautiful reflection of a specimen Yucca tree in a private West Side pool
The Twilight Oasis
There’s a time, just after sunset, when the breeze calms and the water turns to glass. In that instance of stillness, the garden becomes a sanctuary—and the tree, a cathedral.
This photo was taken at just that moment.
A towering Yucca, sculpted by time, its limbs reaching like dancers in a final pose. We lit it carefully—purposefully—so that the story it tells is seen not just above, but below, reflected perfectly in the stillness of a private Westside pool. Nature provided the opportunity, we designed the illumination, and the water echoed our effect in three-part harmony.
Designing for Stillness and Reflection
Some lighting missions are about movement—guiding footsteps, drawing the eye down a path. But others, like this one, are about pause. A sort of open-eyed meditation that observes the surroundings from a new perspective, with a deeper perception.
We chose just a few carefully placed uplights with focused beam angles and shields to caress the bark and highlight the tree’s form, without over-saturating it or sending unnecessary light into the atmosphere. No glare. No hotspots. Just elegance.
By lighting the tree from below and letting the pool do the storytelling, we created a scene that feels almost surreal. It’s a reminder that lighting isn’t always about what you’re seeing—it’s also about where you’re seeing it from and how it makes you feel.
Why Pools Love Light (and Light Loves Them Back)
Water adds a whole second layer to any luxury lighting design. When done right, it reflects the architecture and landscaping above. - It amplifies the mood—calm water gives you perfect symmetry, rippling water adds texture and motion. - It deepens shadows, adds dimension, and stretches highlights—almost like a painter working on two canvases at once.
In this case, the reflection isn’t an accident—it’s part of the design.
Whether you’re enjoying a late swim, hosting under the stars, or just looking out your window before bedtime—this is what lighting can do.
Controls and Integration are Key
As a 30+ year electrical contracting company specializing in lighting, we offer the smart home automation skills necessary to control our lighting systems. We routinely integrate our clients’ existing pool lights into our control system to give us the ability to create a softly glowing body of water that still reflects the lighted elements around it.
The Reveal
When we first walk our client’s property, our eyes are trained to discover all the hidden treasures that will glow at night. We survey the garden from all angles and perspectives to frame how we want to see its beauty. I enjoy keeping some of our magic tricks, like the reflection of a tree or sculpture in a pool, up our sleeve until the final walkthrough, and letting our clients discover the wow factor of the lighting on their own. We love that moment. It occurs like a happy accident, but in reality, it’s a carefully crafted scene.