Layered Roofline Lighting on a Two-Story Colonial
A two-story Colonial with evenly spaced bulbs along the upper eave, the lower front roof and both slopes of the entrance gable, following every change in roof height.
The project
This two-story Colonial has a long upper eave, a lower roof section across the first-floor windows, and a small gabled portico over the front door. The white trim and dark shutters create clear horizontal and vertical lines, so the lighting layout needed to follow the roof edges without interrupting that structure.
We installed evenly spaced bulbs along the main upper eave, the lower front roofline, the smaller side section, and both slopes of the entrance gable. On this Chatham home, the runs continue through each change in roof height while staying aligned with the gutters and shingles. From the front walk, the upper line establishes the width of the house, while the lower runs frame the entrance and first-floor windows. At dusk, the warm-white bulbs pick out each roof level against the gray siding, so the layers of the house read clearly from the sidewalk.
The challenge
The house is modest in size, but its roof has four separate edges: the long upper eave, a lower roof across the first-floor windows, the small gabled portico over the door, and a side section with a dormer set back from the front. A brick chimney rises on the right side, and large trees overhang the upper roof.
How we lit it
The request was for the roofline only, so the effort went into placement. Bulbs run along the upper eave, cross the lower roof, climb both slopes of the portico and continue around the side section and its dormer. The line stops at the chimney and leaves the brick unlit.
Warm white keeps the gray siding and white trim reading as they do in daylight, and the shrubs and walkway stay in their natural state.
The result
At dusk each roof level shows as its own line, and the portico gable points straight to the front door. Seen from the walk, the house keeps its simple colonial proportions with a clear outline on top.
