Author Archives: Decorating Elves

15 Sep

Create Spooky Halloween Decor with Professional Lighting

It’s that time of year again! The temperature is dropping (well, sort of) and the smell of pumpkin spice lattes and bonfires fills the air. Before you start making Thanksgiving or Christmas plans, don’t forget about the most fun and scary holiday of them all, Halloween!

Just because Decorating Elves started with Christmas light displays doesn’t mean that we don’t know a thing or two about the spooky, devilish decorations that make trick-or-treating so fun! Keep the neighborhood kids on their toes with black, orange, and purple lighting that bumps to your favorite Halloween beats (“Monster Mash”, anyone?), terrifying zombies that pop out of nowhere, and evil witches ready to boil any passerby in their cauldrons. What could be more exciting than seeing the fear, followed by the joy, on trick-or-treater’s faces when they step into your yard? Read More →

24 Aug

Brighten Up Your Life with a Job at Decorating Elves

Brighten Up Your LifeFew jobs give you the opportunity to literally make your community more beautiful, but that’s exactly what we do here at Decorating Elves. With help from people just like you, we take dark and drab outdoor spaces and transform them into dazzling light displays. With the holiday season quickly approaching, we need talented light installers more than ever. 

While working for Decorating Elves, you’ll travel all over Tampa Bay to install outdoor lighting setups designed by our experts. Since each project we do is different, you won’t have to worry about becoming bored with repetitive work. Today might be a job installing sidewalk lights at a residence, while tomorrow might be installation of an elaborate holiday display for a commercial building. There’s never a dull moment when you’re illuminating the entire central Gulf coast. Read More →

15 Aug

How Decorating Elves Got Started and Achieved Success

decoative elvesDecorating Elves might be one of Tampa Bay’s premier landscape and holiday lighting designers today, but its beginnings were much more humble. 

It all started back in 2002 when Nick Schriver was still a student at Ohio State University. Even though he was deep into his landscape architecture and business studies, he couldn’t help but notice how stressed everyone was about putting up holiday lighting. As a way to make some extra cash and use some of his knowledge of landscape architecture, Nick started offering to put up holiday lighting displays in his spare time. In no time, his schedule was completely booked and he even had to hire extra help! Nick never imagined his side hustle would turn into an accomplished career as one of Central Florida’s elite outdoor lighting contractors. Read More →

10 Aug

Top Outdoor Lighting Trends in 2021

outdoor lighting trendLike so many things post-COVID, outdoor lighting trends have drastically changed over the past year. Numerous people started investing in their homes more than ever in 2020; suddenly unused patios were nightly hangouts, abandoned decks were given new life, family barbecues became common again, and everyone realized the importance of functional, attractive outdoor lighting. We expect this passion for landscape lighting to continue through 2021 with these top outdoor lighting trends: Read More →

15 Jul

The Importance Of Proper Commercial Outdoor Lighting

Commercial Outdoor LightingLighting is an essential but often overlooked part of running a business. Outdoor lighting is especially critical because your space’s exterior is the first thing a potential customer sees. You don’t want your outdoor lighting to give the impression that you don’t care about your business. Proper commercial outdoor lighting is crucial because it:

  • Keeps your customers and employees safe.

Outdoor spaces need to be well-lit, especially when it is dark outside. Well-lit commercial space is less prone to crimes such as mugging and assaults. Proper commercial lighting will not leave your customers or employees vulnerable to someone hiding in the shadows. Read More →

10 Jul

Exterior Light Maintenance

Outdoor lighting is one way to greatly enhance the look and curb appeal of your home. Additionally, the added lighting can provide a sense of safety when you arrive back home during the darker hours of the day. With that being said, it is also important to take care of your investment and ensure that your lights are always functioning properly as there are several external factors that can cause abnormal wear and tear. Lights have the tendency to attract small animals and unruly weather cannot be avoided. Below, you will find some tips to follow that will help you maintain your lights so that they can continue to illuminate your beautiful home. Clean the lens on a regular basis Cleaning the lens on a regular basis helps the light to shine through with its full power. Obstructions can block the light source and cause your lighting to look more dim than usual. This is an easy fix as you can simply wipe the lens with a soft towel. Clean the light fixtures Dirt, grass, or leaves can potentially block the light coming from the light source. This compromises the illumination of the outdoor lights which takes away from its purpose. On a regular basis, take a clean towel and wipe off any dirt from the fixture. Frequently check for broken or burnt-out bulbs Over time, bulbs can begin to lose their glow. This can pose a hazard especially if the lights are being used for safety purposes. Before the light goes out completely, replace the bulb at the first sign of dimming. Consider using timers Many customers purchase exterior lights for the beautiful silhouette they help create during nightfall. Use a timer to make sure that your lights only come on when it is dark outside. Lights that are constantly on can cause the need for replacing bulbs more often than necessary. Check for exposed wires When small animals such as cats or small rodents come in contact with your lights, they may begin to chew, or play with, exposed wires. As they begin to gnaw on the wires, this may compromise the integrity of your light source. By checking for exposed wires and either wrapping them or hiding them, you are making sure that your lights will last and you will also avoid costly repairs for new wires or a new system. Caring for your exterior lights is simple and non-time-consuming. In doing so, you are guaranteeing that your investment lasts as long as you need it to. When you take care of your lights, they take care of you. Enjoy the beautiful illumination you’ll receive with proper care and maintenance!Outdoor lighting is one way to greatly enhance the look and curb appeal of your home. Additionally, the added lighting can provide a sense of safety when you arrive back home during the darker hours of the day. With that being said, it is also important to take care of your investment and ensure that your lights are always functioning properly as there are several external factors that can cause abnormal wear and tear. Lights have the tendency to attract small animals and unruly weather cannot be avoided. 

Below, you will find some tips to follow that will help you maintain your lights so that they can continue to illuminate your beautiful home.  Read More →

10 Jun

How Outdoor Audio Can Enhance Your Outdoor Entertainment

According to the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Music is the universal language of

humankind.” Everybody loves music. From the soundtrack to your favorite movie to the canned music played in your local grocery store, music animates lives and speaks to the heart.

When you’re entertaining in the backyard or around the pool, don’t neglect the importance of music. In this post, we’ll highlight three ways that outdoor audio can enhance your outdoor entertainment.

Read More →

15 May

How To Use Outdoor Lighting To Make Swimming Fun at Night

You can’t survive the Florida summer season without a backyard pool, but the fun shouldn’t have to end after the sunsets. Use these creative outdoor lighting tips to help make swimming at night exciting and illuminated.

Illuminate Water Features

If you’re lucky enough to have a waterfall, bubbling hot tub, or another focal point along with your pool, use strategic outdoor lighting to emphasize those features. Make them the drawing point of your swimming area. This adds a magical and inviting atmosphere that just doesn’t exist during the day. You can even experiment with colored lighting so that your waterfall shines blue, purple, or any other color you choose. Read More →

15 Apr

Light Features for a Stunning Outdoor Display

Summer is right around the corner, which means there’s never been a better time to make the most of the outdoors. Whether you have a huge three acre backyard or a small deck or patio, use these strategic outdoor lighting techniques to transform the look and feel of your exterior space. 

The Benefits of Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting adds a unique atmosphere and appearance to your exterior space. With the right professional design, your outdoor space can take on a life of its own in the dark and offer a totally different look and feel than it does in the daytime. Accenting architectural features, highlighting textures, and emphasizing focal points can transform the entire space.  Read More →

15 Mar

How Lighting Adds Curb Appeal to Your Home

Professionally designed and installed outdoor lighting is one of the easiest and most powerful ways to transform the curb appeal of your home. 

Just imagine the difference between a home that sits in the dark each night and a home with subtle and tasteful lighting arranged around the property. Your deck, patio, pool area, front porch, and yard can all be transformed into their own special environments with just a bit of strategic lighting. The lights create a warm, comfortable ambiance. Read More →