A waterfront residence overlooking Rehoboth Bay in Rehoboth Beach, Del., uses an integrated outdoor lighting system from Coastal Source as part of a landscape-first design approach for a coastal property developed by Country Lawn Care and Maintenance LLC.
Located within the Rehoboth Beach Yacht and Country Club, the quarter-acre property sits between golf course fairways at the front of the home and open water at the rear. According to Country Lawn Care founder Jerry Dougherty, the homeowners’ goal was to create outdoor spaces that complemented the architecture and setting without disrupting neighboring sightlines or the character of the surrounding community.
Country Lawn Care was responsible for the landscape design and build, including planting, hardscape, circulation, and lighting. Outdoor lighting was specified early in the design process, with Dougherty selecting Coastal Source fixtures and coordinating the lighting layout alongside the broader landscape plan rather than adding it after construction.
Outdoor Zones Organized Around Views and Use
The exterior is organized into a series of zones, including a defined arrival experience at the front of the home, recreational and entertaining areas surrounding the pool, and tiered transitions leading toward the bay and a private dock. Dougherty worked alongside the project architect throughout construction, reviewing sightlines and spatial relationships as the home and landscape took shape.
Planting heights were stepped to preserve water views, while different areas of the property were given distinct identities, shifting from more structured spaces at the front of the home to a looser, coastal feel at the rear.
Lighting Integrated to Support the Landscape and Interior
Lighting was introduced to reinforce those zones and extend the usability of the landscape into the evening hours. In total, 158 fixtures were deployed across the property, most of which are concealed within planting beds, masonry elements, and architectural details.
Fixtures were selected and placed to emphasize paths, planting, and architectural features without drawing attention to the hardware itself. According to Dougherty, the intent was for the lighting to shape how spaces feel after dark while remaining visually unobtrusive during the day.
Color temperature and output were managed to maintain visual continuity between interior and exterior spaces, particularly along the rear elevation where large openings connect indoor living areas to the outdoor environment.
The lighting approach was intended to maintain consistent visual flow while minimizing glare and preserving long views across the bay, allowing interior and exterior spaces to read as a single environment after dark.
Community Response and Project Impact
The completed outdoor spaces are now used regularly by the homeowners into the evening, according to the installer. The project has also drawn attention within the surrounding community.
In correspondence with Dougherty, a member of the Rehoboth Beach Yacht and Country Club homeowners’ association board described the installation as setting a new standard within the neighborhood.
For Country Lawn Care, the project reflects a broader approach to coastal landscape design in which lighting is treated as an integrated component rather than a standalone system.
“Lighting isn’t a separate layer,” Dougherty said. “It’s what allows the landscape to function after dark. When it’s planned alongside the landscape, it reinforces the overall design rather than competing with it.”
The Rehoboth Bay residence serves as an example of how coordinated landscape planning and integrated lighting can enhance outdoor environments in challenging coastal settings without overwhelming the architecture or surrounding views.
