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'lighting is that most people don't immediately see all the possibilities," says Joe Rey-Barreau, consulting director of education for the American Lighting Association and director of the Lighting & Design Center at the University of Kentucky. "Outdoor lighting can be both functional and aesthetic. It's an art to understand how much light to place on a house or determine where the focal points are."

To light correctly, key in on architectural features. Uplight an arbor, archway or facade for a dramatic effect. Wash the side of the house with a splash of light. Graze a textured fence or wall with a focused beam. Illuminate the water in a pool or pond with submersible lights. Silhouette a tree or bush by placing lights below and behind the object.

While some lights take a fashion approach, others focus on function. Low voltage lights installed under handrails, stairs and bench seating on decks help lighten things up for outdoor entertaining. Stronger beams designed to shine over an outdoor activity area like a basketball court add extra hours of post-dusk fun. For those who cook out at night, a spotlight can be positioned in the eaves of the house to send a beam directly over the barbecue.

A well-lit home is also safer and more secure. Motion detectors light up obscure spots when someone passes by. Illuminated steps, paths and driveways prevent after-dark accidents. Photocells automatically turn lights on at dusk and off at dawn, providing protection even when no one is home.

"If your home is not properly lighted, there is a greater chance of someone breaking in," agrees Daniel Lecian, Hermitage Lighting Gallery, Nashville, Tn.

The key to attractive outdoor lighting follows a less-is-more philosophy. Soft, natural light should mimic moonlight on the property.

"It's important not to over-light," says George Carter, Kichler Lighting Group, Cleveland, Oh. "What you should see is the landscape, not the lights so that the outdoor lighting tells a visual story at night."

When installing outdoor lights, conceal the light source behind shrubs, tree branches or other foliage-unless the fixture is a decorative element.

"You should see the light effect, not the source," says Rey-Barreau. "The bulb and fixture should disappear when the lights are turned on. A11 that should be visible is the glow of light on the flowers, the wall or the path."

The booming economy has helped foster the current fascination in landscape lighting. "The trends have been very home oriented," says Lentz. "With the strong economy, people are interested in dressing up their homes even more."

Retailers and manufacturers have expanded their stock as well, resulting in more outdoor options for consumers. "For a long time, landscape lighting revolved around do-it-yourself, low-voltage lights picked up at home centers and installed by the consumer in a line about two feet apart," says Rey-Barreau. "These were not really made to withstand the weather conditions and were not long-term solutions."

path lights depend on fixtures that can be placed farther apart to create a more attractive glow.

Some lights are patterned like three-leaf clusters or single leaf containers. Others boast more traditional lantern styles. Still others beam from within floral fixtures installed in flowerbeds.

"There have been new product developments," says Rey-Barreau. "Weather-resistant products and new plastic technology are both attractive and functional."

Bulbs have also improved. Newer 65- and 120-watt incandescent bulbs provide up to 257o more light. Compact fluorescent bulbs produce soft lighting, the highest energy savings, and last up to 10,000 hours. Mercury vapor bulbs supply a strong, cost-conscious light with a cool color that can last as long as 24,000 hoursor six years burning dusk to dawn.

While most homeowners opt for pure white light, others like the hint of a hue. Warm tones such as yellow or red introduced properly can make the landscape come alive at night. Green lights can make foliage look even greener.

"Be careful with colored lights," warns Rey-Balreau. "Unless they are done carefully, they can look garish." rffiumiunated

The key to attractive outdoor lighting follows a lessis-more philosophy. Soft, natural light should mimic moonlight on the property.

Styles range from large overhead cylindrical floodlights to minute spot or accent lights used for highlighting specific features. Spread and diffused units, set low to the ground, line paths, flowerbeds and driveways and cast a broader elow. The latest looks in such

I-LARK Colvin has sold his inter\-zest in Montavilla Lumber & Hardware, Portland, Or., to partner Blake Kingsley, but not before helping to resurrect the once-dying yard.

Just three years ago, sales had slipped to about $25,000 a month, not even enough for then-owner Wayne Fielder to break even. "Through management neglect, the business had turned into a ghost town," says Colvin. "The building needed a new roof. He did no advertising except for the Yellow Pages."

In May of 1995, Fielder sold the business for $39,000 plus assumption of some debt to Kingsley, owner of two Kingsley Lumber yards, and Colvin, an industry turnaround specialist (see The Merchant Magazine, Aug. 1997, p. 16). At first, Fielder retained ownership of the Glisan Street land, but sold that. too. a month later.

Bringing Montavilla back from the dead would be a formidable task. "It was like a start-up, only worse because it had debt and inventorv. much of it obsolete," Colvin recalis. "It was a company most people would have just bulldozed."

He adds: "The larger the company, the easier the restructure. The more there is to work with. Two-person corner hardware stores saddled with a lot of inventory and pounded by Home Depots, those are difficult."