McLean
Landscape Lighting Design for McLean Homes
Designing good nights.
Lighting designed around your trees, your architecture, and the way you use your evenings
McLean has always been one of the communities we work in most. Dayloom founder and principal designer Patrick Harders, LC, has been designing landscape lighting since 1998, and our team has been serving Northern Virginia since 2001, first as Enlightened Lighting and now as Dayloom. We design every McLean system by hand, install it with our own crews, and return after dark to aim every fixture.
Get My Free Design Plan or call 703-636-5225.
What makes McLean properties different
- Mature trees. Many McLean lots sit under tall, established oaks, tulip poplars, and beeches. Those canopies are often the most dramatic feature of a property at night. We uplight trunks and branching structure, and where a canopy allows, moonlight down through the leaves for a soft, natural glow on lawns and walkways.
- Larger, deeper lots. Long driveways, setbacks, and wooded edges mean longer wire runs and more ground to cover. We plan transformers and wiring for the whole property, so the drive, the front walk, and the back terrace feel like one design, not a set of separate projects.
- Varied architecture. McLean streets mix colonials and Georgians, mid-century homes, stone and brick traditionals, and newer custom and modern builds, often side by side. Brick and stone take grazing light beautifully; clean modern facades call for precise, restrained washes. We design for the house you have.
- Outdoor living. Patios, pools, decks, and garden rooms should be usable after dark. We light steps, edges, and seating areas for safety, and keep the mood warm and low.
Respecting neighbors, HOAs, and the night sky
Lots of McLean neighborhoods have HOAs or civic associations with their own design guidelines, and Fairfax County has outdoor lighting standards of its own. We design with both in mind. Every Dayloom system uses shielded, carefully aimed fixtures and only as much light as each space needs, so your home glows without glare, light spilling onto neighbors, or light thrown into the sky. As lighting experts who teach on protecting night skies, we can also run a light trespass study on your design to make sure your lighting system’s light doesn’t leave your property. If your HOA needs a lighting plan before you start, we can provide one.
From concept to a finished design
Every McLean project starts with a design you can see before we install anything. We prepare a lighting plan with drawings and renderings that show where each fixture goes and how the finished scene will look. Once you approve the design, we prepare working documentation: fixture schedules, circuit and transformer layouts, and installation details. Our crew builds from that plan, so what you approved is what gets installed. We aim for warm-white, high-color-rendering light that makes stone, brick, and foliage look natural, with careful aiming and shielding to respect your neighbors and the night sky.
Award-winning design
Dayloom’s work has earned 3 international LIT Lighting Design Awards and 8 North American AOLP awards, including the AOLP 2025 Award of Excellence for Commercial Lighting for The Barns at Wolf Trap in nearby Vienna.
The welcome home you deserve.
Our McLean Work
What McLean Clients Say
488 Google reviews, rated Excellent. Here are a few from McLean homeowners:
“Excellent job for a house with large amounts of landscaping. Lighting is professional, and neighbors have complimented us on it. Dayloom had a concept that they skillfully implemented and returned to ensure it was effective.”
— D. S., McLean · Google review, April 2026
“We have used this company for over 20 years—always have the best experience. Knowledgeable and nice employees—they are responsive and thorough.”
— B. G., McLean · Google review, March 2026
“Enlightened Lighting is fabulous to work and their design and installation staff can truly transform a home’s exterior appeal… We used them on a previous home in Fairfax and more recently our home in McLean and have always been pleased with their service and professionalism.”
— J. S., McLean · Google review, October 2022
“Not only does Dayloom have the most beautiful lighting, its service department is outstanding. Technician Danny came to my house today to fix the 8 year-old transformer for my lighting system… Cannot recommend Dayloom any higher.”
— J. C., McLean · Google review, July 2026
“In addition to providing an excellent product, Enlightened Lighting was very professional. The lighting transforms your property! We have received many compliments from our neighbors.”
— G. K., McLean · Google review, February 2023
“Super professional, exactly what we wanted and more. Service was above and beyond. Andy is tremendous.”
— A. K., McLean · Google review, April 2025
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you work in my part of McLean?
Yes. We work throughout McLean, in both the 22101 and 22102 ZIP codes, and across Northern Virginia from our base in Aldie.
Do I need to be home for the design visit?
Only at the start, so we can walk the property together and hear what you want.
Will the lighting bother my neighbors or my HOA?
It shouldn’t. We use shielded, carefully aimed fixtures and only the light each space needs, which avoids glare and spill. If your HOA wants to see a plan first, we can help with that.
Can you light large trees?
Yes. Mature trees are often the heart of a McLean lighting design. We use uplighting for trunks and structure, and moonlighting from within the canopy where the tree allows.
Do you service systems you didn’t install?
We service and adjust Dayloom and Sterling Lighting systems, including systems installed for a previous owner of your home. For other systems, call us at 703-636-5225 and we’ll tell you how we can help.
How do I get started?
Start with your complete design, free. Get My Free Design Plan or call 703-636-5225.
Projects in this area
Projects in other locations
Our Process
- Request your design. Tell us about your property online or call 703-636-5225. Daytime phone photos help.
- We study your property. Before we arrive, we look at aerial views and your photos.
- Your design visit. We walk the property with you and talk through the features you want lit, your budget and what matters most. You only need to be there at the start.
- Your complete design and proposal. Back at the office, we finish the drawings and photo renderings, shaped by your feedback, with a detailed proposal.
- Working documents. A wire diagram, a control schedule and an exact fixture schedule.
- Installation. Our crews install fixtures from Sterling Lighting and aim every light.
- Check-up visit. Within six months, we come back for a free inspection.
