Your Property Is Stunning. Does It Look That Way at Night?
Most properties go dark after sunset — hidden behind shadows and flat outdoor fixtures that do nothing for curb appeal. Jon Harkins installs professional landscape lighting across Iroquois, Kankakee, and Ford counties that transforms how your property looks after dark.
- Low-voltage LED systems — energy-efficient & long-lasting
- Full installation by Jon Harkins — same person, same number
- Serving central Illinois since 2009
You Invested in Your Landscape. It Disappears Every Night at Sunset.
You spent real money on landscape design, plantings, and hardscape. You can see it beautifully during the day. But once the sun goes down, it all disappears — replaced by flat darkness and whatever basic light fixture came with the house.
Meanwhile, your property's curb appeal, security, and usability all drop to zero the moment it gets dark. Professionally installed landscape lighting changes that — and most homeowners are surprised by how dramatic the transformation is.
Jon Harkins has been installing landscape lighting in central Illinois since 2009. He knows what works here, what holds up through Illinois winters, and how to design a lighting plan that complements your landscape instead of just adding fixtures.
Six Ways Landscape Lighting Transforms Your Property
It's not just about aesthetics — though the visual impact is striking. Professional lighting serves your property on multiple levels.
Curb Appeal at Night
Your landscape — designed, planted, and built — becomes a statement piece after dark. Uplighting, pathway lighting, and accent lighting reveal the character of your property in a way daylight can't match.
Safety & Security
Well-lit pathways, entrances, and perimeters reduce trip hazards and deter unwanted visitors. Strategic lighting makes your property look occupied and cared-for — a strong deterrent on its own.
Showcase Your Landscape Investment
You invested in the plants, the hardscape, the design. Lighting ensures that investment is visible and appreciated 24 hours a day — not just during daylight hours.
Extend Outdoor Living Hours
A patio, outdoor kitchen, or garden space becomes usable well after sunset when it's properly lit. Good lighting design turns "outdoor space" into a genuine room you can use year-round.
Property Value
Professionally installed landscape lighting is a proven curb appeal enhancer that contributes to perceived property value. It signals a maintained, cared-for home.
Low Energy Costs
Modern low-voltage LED landscape lighting systems run on a fraction of standard electrical draw — often less than a single incandescent bulb — while running every night. Beautiful doesn't have to mean expensive to operate.
Landscape Lighting Types — Full Installation Services
Every property is different. Jon designs a lighting plan specific to your landscape — not a standard fixture package dropped on every yard.
Uplighting — Trees & Architectural Features
The single highest-impact landscape lighting technique. Uplighting placed at the base of mature trees, ornamental plantings, or architectural features creates dramatic depth and presence after dark. This is what makes a property look like a professionally designed nighttime showpiece rather than just "a house with lights."
Pathway Lighting
Low-profile fixtures along walkways, driveways, and garden paths. Guides visitors safely and frames your landscape beds beautifully — the foundation of any residential lighting plan.
Hardscape Lighting
Integrated into patios, retaining walls, steps, and outdoor living areas. Makes your hardscape investment visible and usable after dark — especially effective on projects Jon installed.
Façade & Downlighting
Wash lighting across building faces, downlighting from soffits and eaves, and accent lighting for entry features. Creates a welcoming, impressive front elevation after dark.
Accent & Moonlighting
Subtle accent fixtures for garden ornaments, water features, and stone elements. Moonlighting — fixtures mounted high in trees pointing downward — creates a natural, dappled effect unlike any other lighting style.
Smart & Timer Controls
Transformers with photocell sensors, timer controls, and smart system integration. Your lighting turns on automatically at dusk, off at a set time — no manual operation required.
Big Box Store Kits Look Like Big Box Store Kits
Retail landscape lighting kits are designed to be cheap and easy to install. They're also designed to look exactly like what they are — generic plastic stakes with a small bulb in each one.
Professional landscape lighting is a different category entirely. The design matters as much as the fixtures: where the light falls, how it interacts with your specific plantings, the angle and intensity of each fixture — these decisions require experience with real landscapes, not just electrical knowledge.
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Custom Design for Your Landscape Jon walks your property, studies your existing plantings and hardscape, and creates a plan specific to what you have — not a preset fixture layout.
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Proper Wiring & Transformer Sizing Undersized transformers dim over time. Improper wiring creates failures and fire hazards. Professional installation means it's done right — with correct load calculations and wire management.
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Someone to Call When You Need a Change Plants grow. You add a patio. You want to expand. With Jon, you call the same number that installed the system. He knows it because he built it.
Imagine Your Property Tonight — After We're Done
You pull into your driveway after dark. The trees you had planted are lit from below, dramatic against the night sky. The path to your front door is gently lit, welcoming. The patio you built is glowing. Your property looks like it belongs in a design magazine — and so does it every night from here on out.
Ready to See Your Property in a New Light?
Jon will walk your property with you, show you what's possible, and design a lighting plan built around what you already have. No pressure, no guesswork — just a clear plan.
From First Conversation to Lit Property — 3 Simple Steps
No complicated process, no back-and-forth. Here's exactly how your landscape lighting project unfolds.
Property Walk & Design
Jon walks your property with you — no cost, no obligation. He evaluates your existing landscape, identifies the best opportunities, and puts together a lighting plan tailored to your property and goals.
Clear Quote, Then Installation
You receive a straightforward quote before any work begins. Once approved, Jon handles the full installation — fixture placement, cable management, transformer setup, and system testing. No surprises.
Enjoy It — We're Still Here
Your system turns on automatically every night. And when you want to expand it, adjust a fixture, or have a question — you call Jon. Same number. Same person. No starting over with a stranger.
Professional Landscape Lighting Doesn't Have to Cost a Fortune to Run
Modern low-voltage LED landscape lighting uses a fraction of the energy of older halogen systems. A full residential lighting installation — 15 to 20 fixtures running every evening — often costs less per month to operate than a single traditional bulb running continuously.
Jon installs low-voltage LED systems exclusively — better color rendering, longer bulb life, and dramatically lower operating costs than halogen alternatives. The result is a system that looks better, lasts longer, and costs less to run night after night.
Homeowners Across Central Illinois — After Seeing Their Property at Night
Jon did a great job adding river rock under our deck. The job wasn't easy, fun or creative like most of their other water features or shorelines, but they were quick, on budget and awesome to work with on our project.
Fast, neat and very easy to work with. He listened to what we wanted and drew up a plan that we only minimally tweaked. Reasonable price. Plan on using him again in the near future. Highly recommend!
We've used Jonathan's company twice over the last year and they've done a wonderful job. His designs are exactly what we wanted. The plants are beautiful and healthy. Jon is very pleasant and easy to work with — we have several other projects on our list for him.
Landscape Lighting Installation — Central Illinois Service Area
Based in Gilman, IL — serving one of the widest coverage areas of any landscape lighting contractor in the region. Not sure if you're in range? Call Jon directly.
Landscape Lighting Questions — Answered Honestly
Have a question not covered here? Call Jon directly at (815) 549-5603.
How much does landscape lighting installation cost near Gilman, IL?
Every property is different, so Jon always starts with a free walk-through before quoting. The cost depends on the number of fixtures, the scope of the design, cable runs, transformer sizing, and the specific areas you want lit. What we can promise is that the quote you receive is the price you pay — no surprise additions after the work begins. Contact Jon for a free consultation and honest estimate.
How long does a landscape lighting installation take?
Most residential landscape lighting installations are completed in a single day. Larger properties or more complex designs may take two days. Jon will give you a clear timeline during the consultation so you know exactly what to expect and when your system will be running.
What's the difference between low-voltage landscape lighting and standard electrical?
Low-voltage landscape lighting runs on 12 volts (transformed down from standard 120V household current) — making it significantly safer, more energy-efficient, and easier to install without trenching or conduit. It's the industry standard for exterior landscape lighting and what Jon installs exclusively. LED low-voltage systems use far less energy than older halogen systems while producing better light quality.
Can landscape lighting be added to an existing landscape — or does it need to be installed at the same time?
Landscape lighting can absolutely be added to an existing landscape — and most of Jon's lighting projects are exactly that. You don't need to have a new landscape installation to add lighting. Jon will work with what's already there, designing around your existing plantings, hardscape, and features.
What happens to the lighting system if I change or expand my landscape later?
This is exactly where working with a landscaping company (not just a lighting installer) makes a difference. If Jon also maintains your landscape or does future work, he already knows the system he installed and can expand or adjust it as your landscape evolves. If you make changes, a single call to the same number handles everything.
How do the lights turn on and off? Do I have to manage it manually?
No manual operation needed. Jon installs transformers with photocell sensors (turns on automatically at dusk, off at dawn) and/or programmable timers so your system runs on a schedule. Most homeowners set it once during installation and never touch it again. Smart-compatible options are also available if you want smartphone control.
Do LED landscape lights hold up through Illinois winters?
Yes. Quality low-voltage LED fixtures are rated for outdoor use year-round, including freeze-thaw cycles. Jon selects fixtures specifically suited to central Illinois climate conditions — not the cheapest option, but the one that performs season after season. LED bulbs are also far less affected by cold temperatures than older halogen bulbs, which often failed or dimmed in winter.
Your Property Looks Great. Let's Make It Look Great at Night, Too.
Jon Harkins has been transforming central Illinois properties after dark since 2009. A free consultation starts with a walk of your property — no pressure, no obligation, just an honest conversation about what's possible.