One Plan for the Entire Property
CertifiedOutdoor lighting design is the plan that comes before the fixtures — a complete, drawn-and-rendered scheme for how an entire property lights after dark, from the facade to the farthest tree. Light TN is an outdoor lighting and landscape lighting designer serving Middle Tennessee, and design is the product here: a photometric plan, garden and residential exterior lighting design, a fixture schedule, and a photorealistic rendering you approve before anything is installed, or take as a standalone plan if you are building or working with your own crew.
A full design lives or dies on coordination. Architecture, landscape, pathways, outdoor living, and the driveway approach are drawn as one composition, on shared transformer and circuit infrastructure, held to one color temperature discipline across the whole site — so the front of the house and the back garden read as the same idea rather than five systems that never met. The plan is engineered, not sketched: transformer loads, voltage drop on every run, and the beam angle and mounting distance for each fixture.
You begin with Daryl Bentfield walking the whole property, and you end owning the plan. You see a photorealistic rendering before any decision is final, the design is yours to build design-only or to have installed to licensed contractor CE-D: 76580 standards, and when we install, we return after dark to aim every fixture. Light TN is a family-owned outdoor lighting design studio based in Burns, Tennessee.
Each design is a complete, engineered plan for the whole property, delivered as drawings, a fixture schedule, and a photorealistic rendering. It includes:
Daryl walks the entire property — front, sides, rear, outdoor living, and the driveway approach — mapping every zone worth lighting and how the site reads from each vantage. The plan starts from the property, not a fixture count.
Beam spread, output, mounting distance, and aiming angle calculated for each fixture, so textured stone gets a grazing beam and a smooth wall gets a wash — light planned to the surface, not guessed at on site.
Architecture, landscape, pathway, entertainment, and approach zones drawn as one system on shared transformer and circuit infrastructure, balanced so no single zone overpowers the composition.
Transformer sizing from real load calculations, circuit layout that holds voltage to the far corners of the lot, and wire gauge specified per run length — the engineering that keeps a system stable for the long term.
One color temperature strategy held across the whole property, warm where the materials and planting want it, so the site reads as one composition instead of a patchwork of warm and cool.
Timer, photocell, or smart control specified and programmed into the design, from simple dusk-to-dawn scheduling to full Lutron, Control4, Crestron, or Savant integration.
A photorealistic nighttime rendering of the whole property, so you approve the finished look before a fixture is bought or a trench is opened. Changes happen on screen, not in the yard.
A complete fixture schedule, zone map, and circuit plan you keep — to build with Light TN, or to hand to your own builder or landscape architect.
Fixtures put in by feel, with no drawing behind them, so the result is inconsistent and can’t be changed without starting over. We design the whole system first, so every fixture has a reason and the plan can grow with the property.
A lit facade and a dark garden, or an entertainment area nobody thought about, because each piece was added separately. We draw the property as one composition so the zones balance and connect.
Approving a number for work you can’t picture. Our photorealistic rendering shows the finished property at night before you commit, so the decision is made on what you see, not on faith.
Undersized transformers and voltage drop that cook fixtures and dim the far runs. We engineer load and circuit before anything is bought, sizing for the property plus room to grow.
New construction where lighting is an afterthought, run after the hardscape is poured and the conduit is gone. We plan lighting into the build, so the infrastructure is there when it is needed.
The design process is the same whether you build it with Light TN or hand the plan to your own crew.
Daryl walks the entire property — front, sides, rear, outdoor living, and approach — reading the architecture, the landscape, and the grade, and mapping every zone worth lighting.
A unified plan drawn to the property — fixture positions and beam angles for each element, zones balanced against one another, transformer loads and circuits engineered, and a control plan specified. Fixtures chosen by beam control and finish, not by what is on the truck.
We walk you through the plan and a photorealistic rendering of the whole property, zone by zone, and refine until it is right — on screen, before anything is bought or dug.
If you build with Light TN, installation meets licensed contractor CE-D: 76580 standards, run to the engineered plan, with the L2 Line Layer for trenchless wire across finished landscape — the only machine of its kind in the Nashville market. If you build it yourself, the plan is yours.
On installs, we return after dark to aim every fixture across every zone and walk the property with you from the street, the drive, and the living areas, until it stops looking installed and starts looking designed.
You receive the full system records — every zone, fixture, circuit, and control setting — and we are here season after season as the property changes.
Design here is the discipline of an architectural practice applied to a residential outdoor system — engineered, rendered, and coordinated before anything is bought.
Most outdoor lighting is sold as installation with a sketch attached. We design first — a drawn, engineered, rendered plan — and you can take that plan and build it yourself if you choose. The design stands on its own.
Architecture, landscape, paths, and outdoor living are drawn as one system on shared infrastructure and one color temperature discipline, so the property reads as a single idea instead of separate installs that never met.
Transformer loads, voltage drop on every run, and wire gauge are calculated before a fixture is bought. With commercial-grade fixtures under manufacturer lifetime warranties and a failure rate under two percent a year, the plan is built to hold for the long term.
Our clients' feedback reflects our focus on thoughtful design, professional installation, and outdoor systems that perform exactly as intended.
Light TN's talented team delivered exceptional outdoor lighting design, showcasing a remarkable blend of creativity, attention to detail, and professionalism that exceeded our expectations. Their vision and commitment to quality shone through in their implementation of stunning low voltage landscape lighting that truly enhanced the aesthetic of our outdoor space.
Cynthia Williams
I’ve had the chance to work closely with Daryl and the Light TN team through branding and creative projects through my company, Proof Branding, and I can confidently say they run a first class operation. Daryl is thoughtful, professional, and truly cares about the quality of his work and the experience his clients have. Light TN is clearly built on expertise, attention to detail, and pride in what they do. If you’re looking for a team you can trust and enjoy working with, I would highly recommend Daryl and Light TN.
Matt Cheuvront
Daryl with Light TN, was very professional and very helpful towards questions and concerns about the lights operations and programming ability, including installation. Once installed the light strips blended right in with our homes trim being unnoticeable during the daytime or when not in use. 5 Star experience, dealing with Daryl and Light TN.
john covington
We have been using Daryl and his services since 2020. We feel much safer with our beautiful lighting and it’s also makes it very easy taking dogs out at night. One of many benefits. Highly recommend Daryl and Light TN!
Irina “Ira” Hines
4 months agoI used Light TN service on two different properties. Excellent outcome both times. A very professional service at a fair price.
Bob Pelt
Darryl at LightTennessee is great! He’s always quick to respond very professional with his services and the work that he does do is top notch!
kwk mail
Light TN is an outdoor lighting design and installation company based in Burns, Tennessee, serving Nashville and communities throughout Middle Tennessee. Founded in 2020 by Daryl Bentfield, Light TN specializes in landscape lighting, architectural lighting, permanent roofline lighting, smart outdoor lighting systems, and outdoor audio. Light TN has completed over 500 custom installations and maintains a 4.9-star Google rating across 100+ verified reviews. The company is a licensed Tennessee contractor, BBB accredited with an A+ rating, and a certified BlueHopper permanent lighting installer.
Daryl Bentfield is the owner and principal designer of Light TN, with over 25 years of professional design experience including a background in production and visual storytelling before specializing in outdoor lighting. Daryl personally designs every project and works on site with his crew during installation.
How much does outdoor lighting design cost? The design itself can be purchased on its own or rolled into installation. A standalone design — the plan, the fixture schedule, and the photorealistic rendering, yours to build — runs $500 to $1,500 depending on the size and complexity of the property, and that fee is credited in full when you proceed to installation with Light TN. Installed systems are scoped to the property.
For the design, property size, the number of zones, and control complexity set the fee. For an installed system, fixture count is the main driver, along with the mix of architecture, landscape, paths, and water, the transformer and wire a large or sloped lot needs, and the control system. We design to the property, so two homes of the same size can scope differently.
Design-Only Plan (yours to keep and build): $500–$1,500, credited in full toward installation
Installed systems are scoped by project size:
Small Project (15–25 fixtures): $4,500–$8,500
Medium Project (25–45 fixtures): $8,500–$16,000
Large Project (45–75 fixtures): $16,000–$30,000
Estate Project (75+ fixtures): $30,000–$60,000+
Whole-property assessment, photometric engineering, integrated multi-zone design, electrical and control system design, a photorealistic rendering, and a complete fixture schedule, zone map, and circuit plan you own. With installation: premium commercial-grade fixtures under manufacturer lifetime warranties, licensed installation, trenchless wire burial where needed, nighttime aiming, and full documentation.
A 15% deposit is due on installed projects over $10,000, with the balance at completion and your sign-off. We accept cash, checks, major credit cards, Zelle, and Venmo.
Yes. Light TN offers outdoor lighting design as a standalone service — you receive the engineered plan, fixture schedule, and photorealistic rendering to build with your own crew. A design-only plan runs $500 to $1,500 by property size, and the fee is credited in full if you later install with Light TN.
Light TN outdoor lighting design includes a whole-property assessment, photometric engineering of every fixture, integrated multi-zone design, electrical and control system design, and a photorealistic nighttime rendering — delivered as drawings, a fixture schedule, and a circuit plan you own.
Light TN landscape and architectural lighting each light one part of a property — the grounds or the building — while outdoor lighting design is the complete plan that coordinates every zone into one composition. Most whole-property projects start here.
Yes. Light TN designs lighting plans for builders, landscape architects, and designers who need a complete, engineered scheme to build from, with fixtures and beam angles specified and the electrical system drawn.
Light TN designs first because a drawn, engineered, rendered plan is what makes a system perform for the long term and lets you see the finished property before you commit. Installing without a plan is what produces inconsistent results and early failures.
Yes. Light TN credits the full design fee toward your project when you proceed to installation, so the design effectively becomes complimentary with the installed system. On-site consultations are complimentary.
Light TN designs and installs custom outdoor lighting systems for homes and properties across Middle Tennessee. Every project starts with a consultation, a custom plan, and a commitment to doing the work cleanly — with results that hold up over time.
