mattcarli, Author at Moonlighting Landscape Lighting Systems

Local Spotlight: Moonlighting President Matt Carli Featured on OHM 96.3’s Charleston Business Hour

Posted on July 11, 2025July 11, 2025 by mattcarli

Matt Carli, President, Moonlighting Landscape Lighting Systems — Matt Carli- President of Moonlighting Landscape Lighting Systems

At Moonlighting Landscape Lighting Systems, we’re proud to be deeply rooted in the Charleston community—and we’re excited to share that our very own president, Matt Carli, was recently featured on OHM Radio 96.3 FM during their weekly program, The Charleston Business Hour.

Listen to The Full Interview Here: Charleston Business Hour with Matt Carli

As a trusted name in Charleston landscape lighting since 1992, Moonlighting has become synonymous with high-end, customized outdoor lighting solutions for homes, gardens, and commercial properties throughout the Lowcountry. But behind every great brand is a story—and Matt Carli had the opportunity to tell ours.

Sharing the Moonlighting Journey on Charleston Airwaves

The Charleston Business Hour is a locally focused radio program that highlights small business owners and entrepreneurs who help shape the culture and economy of Charleston, SC. The show offers a platform for leaders to share their stories, their challenges, and what sets them apart in an ever-growing and competitive market.

In his interview, Matt Carli discussed his early passion for the green industry, which began as a teenager pushing a lawnmower door to door. That drive eventually led him to join Moonlighting in 2010 as a lighting designer, later becoming the owner and president.

Matt shared insights into his creative process, the evolution of the business, and how Moonlighting continues to push boundaries in landscape lighting design. Matt emphasized Moonlighting’s dedication to craftsmanship, customer service, and enhancing the natural beauty of Charleston’s architecture and landscape.

Join Us in Celebrating OHM Radio’s 10th Anniversary!

Moonlighting is proud to support OHM Radio 96.3, Charleston’s beloved independent community station. We’re even more excited to help sponsor their upcoming 10th Anniversary Celebration on Sunday, July 27th at The Refinery.

Come out and celebrate a decade of music, stories, and voices that make Charleston unique. There will be live performances, food, drinks, and of course, plenty of local love.

🎉 Event Details:
What: OHM Radio’s 10th Anniversary Celebration
When: Sunday, July 27th: 6:00PM-9:00PM
Where: The Refinery, Charleston, SC

Moonlighting is honored to be part of this vibrant city and grateful for the opportunity to share our story on OHM 96.3. We hope you’ll tune in, follow our journey, and celebrate with us at the Refinery.

Looking to elevate your outdoor space with professionally designed landscape lighting?
Let Moonlighting help bring your vision to life.
📞 Contact us today for a consultation!

#MoonlightingLandscapeLighting #CharlestonBusinessHour #OHMRadio #MattCarli #CharlestonLocalBusiness #OutdoorLightingCharleston #LowcountryLiving #LandscapeLightingDesign #TheRefineryCharleston #SupportLocalCharleston

The Science & Art of Color Temperature in Outdoor Lighting

Posted on May 21, 2025May 21, 2025 by mattcarli

When it comes to outdoor lighting, selecting the appropriate color temperature is more than just a technical choice—it’s a creative decision that sets the tone and determines the atmosphere of your space. At Moonlighting, we understand the importance of finding the perfect balance between science and art—functionality and beauty. You can learn more about our mission and team here.

What Is Color Temperature?

Color temperature refers to the tone of white light emitted by a fixture, measured in degrees Kelvin (K). It plays a crucial role in determining how a space feels at night—whether it feels warm and inviting, cool and contemporary, or something in between.

2000K offers a soft, amber glow often described as “candlelight warmth.”
2700K adds a slightly cooler, cleaner tone—still warm, but with more clarity.
3000K & above shifts into cooler territory, creating a bright, modern atmosphere often used for commercial or architectural emphasis.

Why It Matters in Outdoor Design

Landscape lighting temperature sets the emotional tone for your landscape just as much as your plant choices, hardscaping, or furniture. A well-chosen temperature can make a space feel intimate and lived-in—or striking and dramatic.

At Moonlighting, we tailor our choices based on your goals and the environment we’re working with. Are we enhancing a historic oak? Framing a pathway through garden beds? Illuminating a clean-lined modern patio? Each design calls for its own unique temperature strategy. See how temperature impacted this unique rooftop project next.

Balancing Beauty and Function

Our approach blends science with creativity. We consider not just aesthetics, but also how your lighting system will serve you every evening—from entertaining guests to safely navigating your walkways.

A warm 2700K might make your patio feel like a resort retreat. A crisp 3000K could highlight the contemporary details of your home’s façade. The right balance creates an outdoor environment that feels intentional, comfortable, and quietly elevated.

Lighting as a Design Element

It’s easy to underestimate lighting until you’ve experienced it done right. A thoughtful system can subtly frame your home, guide guests, emphasize natural features, and shift the mood from everyday to enchanting—all without calling attention to itself. You can see another prime example of this aesthetic here.

That’s the power of purposeful lighting—and it all starts with getting the temperature just right.

What’s Next?

Ready to Transform Your Space? Contact Moonlighting Landscape Lighting Systems today to learn how we can bring your vision to life!

A Beacon of Landscape Lighting Design: Our Most Ambitious Sullivan’s Island Project Yet

Posted on January 21, 2025January 21, 2025 by mattcarli

In the final stretch of 2024, we took on our most ambitious project of the year: a stunning property at the farthest end of Sullivan’s Island. With the holidays in site, our team faced the challenge of transforming this coastal property into a masterpiece of both functional and aesthetic lighting. We believe the results speak for themselves, demonstrating the power of thoughtful design, teamwork and technical expertise.

The Scope of the Landscape Lighting Project

This estate was a tall order and required comprehensive approach to the lighting design, which is segmented into five distinct zones:

An Entry Lighting Zone was first priority. We used carefully positioned down lighting fixtures to highlight the natural beauty of the oak trees they were hanging from while also ensuring a safe and seamless approach to the driveway.

An Everyday Lighting Zone was designed with functionality in mind, to ensure every liminal space is well-lit for safety and to complement the property’s overall aesthetic.

The Enhanced Landscape Lighting Zone showcases the property’s lush greenery and carefully designed landscaping. We installed a sequence of both up lights and down lights, creating depth and drama.

The Pool Lighting Zone gives a serene and sophisticated ambiance, and was achieved by brightly up lighting the nearly 50-foot palm trees surrounding the pool. This also provide a nice effect of depth from the entrance to the property, creating a welcoming first impression.

Finally, the Rear Circulation Zone subtly ensures easy movement in the backyard and at the boat landing without overwhelming the natural beauty of the space.

The Numbers Behind the Magic

This project was a feat of logistics and technical craftsmanship, involving:

More than 100 Fixtures: Carefully chosen along with the appropriate lamp to meet the unique needs of each zone.
Thousands of Feet of Wire: Expertly installed to ensure seamless operation across the property and little to no voltage drop.
Several Transformers: Strategically placed to manage power distribution and maintain the integrity of the design.

Overcoming Challenges

Completing this project installation in just one week required months of careful planning. Our team coordinated every detail, from initial design and material procurement to installation and final adjustments.

The result? A flawlessly executed install on a property that’s now as functional as it is beautiful. Zoning the property helps define boundaries and create a harmonious flow, so whether enjoying a quiet evening by the pool or hosting a waterfront garden party, the homeowners now have a lighting system that elevates all of their outdoor experiences.

A Year-End Triumph in Charleston, S.C.

This Sullivan’s Island project was the perfect way for Moonlighting to close out 2024. It shows the expertise, creativity and quality that define our team and services. We are proud to have delivered a design that not only enhances the property’s aesthetic appeal but also provides practical benefits for the homeowners.

As we begin 2025, we’re excited to take on all-new challenges and continue creating extraordinary lighting systems for our clients. Stay tuned for more stories that shine a light on what’s possible with Moonlighting!

Ready to Transform Your Space? Contact Moonlighting Landscape Lighting Systems today to learn how we can bring your vision to life!

A Modern Charleston Rooftop Garden Accentuated With Custom Outdoor Lighting

Posted on October 7, 2022October 7, 2022 by mattcarli

How Moonlighting Transformed A Charleston Rooftop Garden

During a recent lighting consultation, we found ourselves atop an amazing Charleston rooftop garden surrounded by some of the most spectacular views of the Holy City. The decking is composed of decorative ipe wooden tiles. Both sides of the garden are flanked by natural native grasses, currently in bloom. While an array of planters filled with seasonal color are spread throughout the garden. This rooftop also bodes a seating area that was in dire need of a focal point. It’s the perfect location to take in the Charleston sunset with a beverage in hand. All it needed was a touch of Moonlighting landscape lighting.

Site Photos Taken During Design Phase

Here lies the challenge. How do you tastefully introduce light into a bed full of grasses? How do you create a focal point in a seating area full of negative space? With limited space, how can we make an impact without overpowering the garden and still allow the Charleston skyline to be star of the show?

The illumination of grasses is not an easy task. We chose to introduce a small bollard, with modern flare to match the theme of the garden and desired style of the homeowners. We methodically placed them behind the taller grasses which helped create a glow and softly blanket the planting beds with a low layer of light. The placement of these bollards created natural definition of the space and a sense of depth. All the while, keeping the light levels low here still allows the eye to enjoy the unobstructed views.

Custom Illumination of Native Grasses

As for the seating area, it was quite literally a blank canvas. A blank wall served as the backdrop behind the outdoor furniture. The wall needed a focal point. We introduced a decorative screen with a custom pattern that was a perfect marriage for the space. We would essentially frame this screen and illuminate it from the inside and allow it to serve as a piece of art and a new focal point for the space for both daytime and evening enjoyment.

Fabrication and Illumination Of Custom Decorative Panel

If Moonlighting can help add a touch of creativity to your home contact our office and schedule a consultation today with our team of designers.

Author: mattcarli