Landscape Lighting for Findlay's Brick Facade Homes

Why brick behaves differently than siding under light

Brick has texture and variation that plain siding does not, which means light hits it unevenly in a way that can look good or look messy depending on fixture placement. A flat wash of light on brick tends to bring out the individual bricks and mortar lines rather than reading as a smooth glow.

Darker brick, especially deep red or brown tones, absorbs more light than it reflects, so it typically needs a stronger fixture or a slightly closer placement than the same light would need on a lighter-colored or painted surface.

Lighter or tan brick reflects more, so it is more forgiving of fixture placement and generally shows results with less light output than dark brick requires.

Choosing a light angle for brick texture

A grazing angle, where light travels close along the wall surface rather than straight at it, tends to bring out the texture of brick and the shadow lines of mortar joints. This works especially well on homes with more architectural brick detail, like soldier courses or accent bands.

A more direct wash angle flattens some of that texture and reads as a more even glow, which some homeowners prefer for a cleaner look rather than emphasizing every brick line.

Neither approach is wrong, it depends on whether you want the texture of the brick itself to be part of the nighttime look or want a smoother wash effect.

Warm white versus cool white on brick

Warm white light generally complements brick better than cool white, since brick's natural reddish and brown tones tend to look better paired with a warmer color temperature. Cool white can wash out or clash with the warmth already present in most brick colors.

This is one of the more common notes we give during a landscape lighting consultation on brick homes, since homeowners sometimes default to a brighter, cooler light thinking it will look crisper, when warmer tones usually read better against brick.

If your home has a mix of brick and stone or siding accents, it is worth testing both temperatures on-site before committing, since mixed materials sometimes call for a middle-ground choice.

Where fixtures should sit relative to a brick foundation

Well lights and uplights placed too close to a brick foundation can create harsh, unflattering shadows if the angle is too steep. Pulling the fixture out a bit from the wall, when planting beds allow for it, usually produces a more even and attractive result.

Landscaping directly against brick, like foundation shrubs, also affects fixture placement, since the light needs a clear path to the wall without being blocked as plants grow in.

This is a detail worth flagging early in the landscape design process if you are planning new foundation plantings alongside lighting on a brick home.

• Pull fixtures slightly away from the wall for a more even wash on brick
• Leave room around foundation plantings so growth does not block the light path
• Consider grazing angles to highlight architectural brick detail
• Test warm white on-site before finalizing color temperature

Full-facade wash versus targeted accents

Some brick homes look best with a full-facade wash across the entire front, especially larger two-story homes with a consistent brick pattern. Others do better with targeted accents on specific features, like an entry surround, chimney, or gable, rather than lighting the whole wall evenly.

Findlay's mix of older, more detailed brick homes and newer, simpler brick-front construction means this decision really depends on the specific house rather than a single rule.

A site walk is the most reliable way to figure out which approach suits your home's architecture and where fixture placement will actually show results.

Combining brick lighting with permanent roofline lighting

Homeowners doing landscape lighting on a brick facade often ask about adding permanent roofline lighting as well, since the two work well together visually. Roofline lighting outlines the top of the home while landscape lighting handles the base and architectural detail below.

On brick specifically, warm white roofline lighting tends to match well with warm-toned landscape lighting below it, keeping the whole exterior look cohesive rather than mixing conflicting color temperatures.

If you are planning both, it is worth discussing them together so the color temperature and overall look are decided once rather than adjusted twice.

Frequently asked questions