Permanent lighting vs. landscape lighting
Two different jobs. Here is how to tell which one you want, or if you want both.
People often mix these up. Permanent lighting lights up your roofline. Landscape lighting lights up your yard, paths and trees. They solve different problems, and many homes end up with both.
Side by side
| Permanent lighting | Landscape lighting | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it goes | Along the roofline, under the eaves | In the ground and garden beds |
| Main job | Outline the home, everyday accent light, holiday colors | Light paths, steps, trees and walls |
| Colors | Usually warm white plus full color, changed in an app | Usually warm white, some systems offer color |
| Holidays | Built for it. Replaces yearly holiday lights | Not its main purpose |
| Biggest cost driver | Feet of roofline | Number of fixtures |
Which one do you need?
- Choose permanent lighting if you want holiday lights without ladders, a lit roofline every night, and color for game days and events.
- Choose landscape lighting if you want safer walkways and steps, or to show off trees and garden beds.
- Choose both if you want the whole home to look finished at night, from the roof to the yard.
What Shine does
Shine specializes in permanent roofline lighting for homes and businesses. The lights point down onto your walls, which also adds soft light around the home at night. Learn how permanent lighting works.
Quick answers
What is the difference between permanent lighting and landscape lighting?
Permanent lighting runs along the roofline and can change colors for holidays and events. Landscape lighting sits in the yard to light paths, steps, trees and walls.
Can permanent lights replace landscape lighting?
Not fully. Permanent lights point down onto the walls and add soft light around the home, but they do not light paths or trees out in the yard.
Should I get permanent lighting or landscape lighting first?
Start with the problem you want to solve. If it is holiday lights and a lit roofline, start with permanent lighting. If it is dark paths and steps, start with landscape lighting.
More guides
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What is permanent lighting?
What permanent lighting costs
How much permanent lights cost to run
How to choose permanent lighting
HOA approval for permanent lights
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