Landscape Lighting Designer reviews in Encinitas, California

The crew was very competent. They fixed the transformer and the light install both front and backyard. If need be will definitely contact Kim and team. All work was done before time.

We are so happy with the outdoor landscape lights that Joel and his team installed. They were professional, had excellent recommendations and were willing to work with us to stay within our budget. I highly recommend Lighting Distinctions if you are looking to install landscape lighting.

Excellent design and superior service. After taking quotes from three vendors, Lighting Distinctions was the clear winner. In addition to the traditional front yard and pathway lighting, we wanted an understated elegance for the backyard pool and entertainment area. The design Joel presented was by far the best and included the use of various filters to create the ambiance we wanted.

Joel has an eye for the art of lighting design as well as the science. We were skeptical about a few of the recommendations and Joel was patient and helpful in explaining his concept. He set up demonstration lighting that allowed us to see for ourselves what he envisioned. He was correct on every point.

From start to finish Joel and his team exceeded expectations. They were knowledgeable, professional, and a pleasure to work with. Highly recommended!

We had all the lighting for our home—interior and exterior both—converted to LED by Lighting Distinctions. This involved vastly more than changing a lot of light bulbs. Wall sconces and table lamps were replaced by recessed ceiling lighting, whole areas that had previous been poorly lit were now bathed in light, photographs and art objects at last benefited from proper illumination, everything was put on dimmers that preserved the warmth of incandescent light, and many circuits were made remotely programmable. I had long wanted to undertake such a project but was daunted by its scope and confused by the changing technology and available options—until we found Joel of Lighting Distinctions. Joel’s knowledge of the state of the art was masterful, his good taste and judgment were invaluable, and his work crew was professional, careful and congenial. Our home was transformed, and we now enjoy the fruits of the project every single day and evening. We recommend Joel and Lighting Distinctions enthusiastically and without reservation.

Our house looks amazing thanks to Lighting Distinctions. They listened to what we had in mind, offered great suggestions, and delivered a phenomenal result. Our small-ish backyard now feels more open and we spend way more time there in the evenings than we used to. The lighting in the front of our home is warm and welcoming and a pleasure to come home to at night. We've even received compliments from passersby. We only wish we had hired them sooner. Highly recommended.

We completed an eight month remodel of our house in Rancho Santa Fe and wanted to highlight the property. We saw other homes which had both indoor and outdoor lighting done by Joel at Lighting Distinctions and were very impressed with their work. We met with a number of other outdoor lighting companies but they did not have the artistic vision that Joel and his staff provided. He highlighted our palms, pepper and olive trees with unusual creative lighting techniques---the results were amazing. The other firms charged the same amount of money but merely provided a standard generic approach to landscape lighting. The end result was to truly bring the indoor/outdoor concept of southern California living alive for us.
His staff was knowledgeable, prompt and courteous. We had some challenges with an older home and they resolved some difficult electrical issues. Their placement of the lights and the shadow effects were truly understated elegance. They experimented with different light colors and positions on many visits, giving us time to absorb the effect. Joel’s goal is to insure you are 100% pleased, and he accomplished this. They also went beyond the call of duty and suggested some inexpensive solutions for our indoor lighting. The end result added so much value to our home.
We look forward to working with Joel and Lighting Distinctions on future projects.

Could not have been happier with the work done for me by Lighting Distinctions.! It was not a large job but I was treated as if I were their biggest customer.! The guys were very helpful in helping me make technical decisions and in the placing of the low voltage lights. Stephanie was great to work with, always available and always with great advice. I highly recommend them for your low voltage lighting project.

Joel and Stephanie came out for a free estimate and laid out their vision for the outdoor project. They were kind, knowledgeable, and best of all willing to work within my budget and goals. Install was done very professionally and I mean they were very meticulous on the quality and placement of each light. Very well thought out out and functionality as their prime end goal in mind. My house now looks like a high end resort at dusk. I’m am understanding that our home is the envy of our block right now. Besides looking so awesome I now stay outside later and sleep a whole lot better with the added security benefit of the lighting.

Lighting Distinctions is an excellent choice when looking for landscape lighting. The design and recommendations were superior to other vendors we considered and the installation went very well.

A particular strength is Joel's ability to understand what types of fixtures and lighting will work well with a particular property and then to help the customer visualize the result through the use of temporary lighting.

I seldom write a review but this is an exceptional trustworthy Lighting Company. Not only did Joel personally contact us but he and his Team were here within a couple days to assess what we were wanting, made recommendations and the job was completed within a very reasonable time frame. We were kept updated during the entire process. We found it very refreshing to have the excellent customer service and Professionalism. Which we had found lacking in another competitor. I'd highly recommend.

We had interviewed several other contractors and we weren’t super excited yet. But when we met with Joel Barnett, owner of Lighting Distinctions, the lights went on! Joel worked with us on cost. We were impressed with Joel’s consideration of quality and service. We love our property in a whole new light. Lighting Distinctions and Joel Barnett have transformed our home into an elegant showplace reflecting comfort and security. One of the best improvements we’ve ever made.

Joel and team were exceptional to work with. My exterior lighting looks fantastic and I have had many neighbors compliment me on how great the lighting looks. The work in the back yard not only makes the yard look great, but also makes it much more functional at night. I would highly recommend Lighting Distinctions for any interior or exterior lighting project you have.

Joel and team were amazing in helping design and install lighting which transformed our home from nondescript to a warm and beautifully lit masterpiece.  Joel invested the right amount of time to help us determine exactly what we wanted, work within out budget and achieve the look we desired.  And once installed, they came back and helped tweak several lights to ensure we achieved the very best look. Thank you Lighting Distinctions for the vision and teamwork to help us achieve all our goals!  Chris & Linda H

I have used Lighting Distinctions for years. They have provided excellent exterior lighting in my prior home as well as my current home. We have installed low voltage lighting throughout my new homes interior as well as spectacular exterior lighting in my backyard/pool area. Joel's team is very professional and responsive. They always show up on time and do a great job.

Joel and his company were extremely professional in the design and their understanding of how to use light to make your home look amazing. I am so grateful that we asked for his help to make our home lighting look so much better. I highly recommend this company for lighting.

We wanted to get lighting for our home but weren't sure exactly how to do it. Joel and Stephanie came to our home and explained the whole process of how to light different areas to get the prettiest effects...they were very patient and listened to what we wanted and then set it up for us. If we didn't like or want something, they were very flexible to change it to what was better for us. I would highly recommend working with them to make your home look brighter!!

Lighting Distinctions definitely deserve a five star rating. They replaced our old landscape lighting with a redesign that make our home look stunning. Joel and his team were professional. Joel was very knowledgeable in the art of lighting design. After the lighting was placed Joel was very patient and accommodating to make final changes until we were 100% satisfied.

Lighting Distinctions did an amazing job with both our indoor lighting and our outdoor landscape lighting. We recently hired Joel and his crew to completely redesign our interior lighting design and replace all of our existing 20 year old lights with a new state-of-the-art LED system with dimmers for our 6500 square foot home. In addition, he completely upgraded our outdoor landscape lighting design and we absolutely love it! Every night we enjoy the uplighting on the front and upper level of our house, as well as the area lighting around our pool and spa, as well as the tall trees in our backyard. I highly recommend Lighting Distinctions to anyone for indoor or outdoor lighting! They are real pro's!

Everyone we worked with at Lighting Distinctions was great. They all have a lot of experience about design and it shows with the ideas they propose. We started out only having our backyard lighting done and ended up having the front done as well.
It's an investment that really adds value to your home, well worth it.
Joel, Stephanie and Octavio are great people to work with, we highly recommend them

As a final touch to our recent backyard pool addition and patio expansion, we had Joel and his team at Lighting Distinctions come in and install an extensive low voltage lighting system. From the beginning of the process it was clear that Joel is a true expert in both the technical and create aspects of designing an outdoor lighting system. He listened to and incorporated our ideas but also had a clear vision of what would work and what wouldn't in our space. The combination of down lighting from our roof and trees coupled with uplighting of plants and bushes created a resort-like atmosphere for our pool+patio. We also really like his ideas of adding 2 very narrow focused spots that hit our pool decorative wall and really make it pop! I would definitely recommend Lighting Distinctions for your outdoor lighting project. Their work really completed our backyard remodel.

We recently had our interior lighting updated by Lighting Distinctions (LD). Our electrician, Octavio, recommended LD. We added ceiling and art lights and updated older LED lighting. Dimmers were added and switches were reorganized and streamlined so everything is efficient and easier to operate. We are pleased with the quality of lighting we now have. It has transformed our living space. One of our favorite touches has been the addition of lighting inside and under a corner kitchen cabinet to show off glassware. Another is the transformation our dining room hutch underwent with new, improved lighting. It is stunning!
We experienced professionalism, quality, punctuality and efficiency throughout the project. Everyone did a terrific job and it felt like a partnership.
When I initially called Joel he responded quickly and gathered initial information about our project. Soon after, I was contacted by Stephanie, who is efficient and detail oriented. Both came for an initial consultation at no charge. I appreciated how they listened, took notes, and worked within our budget. We made a few changes to the initial proposal and they returned to review all of the details before installation. Prior to the first cut, we understood what was going where and all of our questions were answered. Joel and Stephanie came again on the day of installation. There was one area that we tweaked during the project. When I asked, Joel was responsive to my request and recommended a different light. The light was hand delivered shortly thereafter and the result was exactly what I wanted.
I highly recommend Lighting Distinctions and will definitely use them again for future lighting projects.