The art of light, is knowing what to reveal

Christopher A. Lighting Design collaborates with architects, landscape architects, and builders across the U.S. to shape how residential estates and architectural environments are experienced at night.

Recognition
Christopher A. Lighting Design is the studio practice of lighting designer Chris Apfelstadt. We work with architects, landscape architects, and builders across the country to create thoughtful lighting for homes, landscapes, and architectural spaces. Our approach begins with understanding what makes a place special, then using light intentionally to reveal it after dark. Every project is ultimately refined on site, where the smallest adjustments can make the greatest difference.

Design + Build.

The studio's own installation division realizes the design end to end, from first site walk through nighttime focusing, so the work leaves our hands finished. Our experienced installers work seamlessly with other construction professionals to integrate into their scope and timelines.

Design Package.

For owners, architects, and builders with trusted local crews, the design itself is the deliverable: complete drawings, blueprints, fixture schedules, wiring diagrams, voltage loads and specifications, documented so a qualified installation team can execute the design faithfully, anywhere in the world.

  • Featured Project

    Moonlit Oasis

    Full-property design and installation, front approach and rear entertaining grounds. Techniques: canopy moonlighting, pendant downlighting, layered accent and well lighting, zone dimming.

    Upper Arlington, Ohio

    • Photography: Tim Ryan

    • Landscape Architect: Foreground Studio

    • Patio: Anderson Concrete

    A dimly lit driveway lined with trees and bushes leads to a house at night; a house number sign is visible on the left.
    Stone steps with flower pots on either side lead up to a garden terrace, illuminated by outdoor lighting at night, surrounded by trees and plants.
A swimming pool at night is surrounded by lounge chairs, large trees, and landscape lights, with reflections visible in the water. - Christopher A. Lighting Design

"Chris was easy to work with and made our work look great at night. We have dabbled in lighting in the past, but working with a professional designer made a huge difference."

-Bob Slingluff President, Yardmaster

Full Body of Work

view All work
A stone house with arched windows is lit at night, showing wooden benches and potted plants on a red brick patio surrounded by trees and shrubs.
Nature Revealed
A well-lit garden at night with leafy plants, ferns, and small trees in front of a red brick wall, featuring a hanging basket of red flowers and a central urn planter.
Secret Garden
A dimly lit park at night shows trees and their reflections in a calm pond, with a paved path in the foreground and scattered lights illuminating the area.
Self Reflection

Lighting is experienced emotionally long before it is understood technically.

Lighting is experienced emotionally long before it is understood technically. During the day we see, but at night, we feel. Distraction disappears and lighting reveals only what deserves to be seen.

Great lighting begins with understanding the story of a place and how people experience it. Only then can the designer begin to formulate the proper strategy.

A true artist sees a space not as it is, but with the potential of what could be.

Our Process
A man with short brown hair wearing a blue and white checkered shirt stands in front of a dark, blurred background, looking at the camera with a neutral expression. - Christopher A. Lighting Design
Two men in suits stand indoors, each holding a wood-framed award plaque with photos and the year 2024, smiling at the camera in a banquet hall setting. - Christopher A. Lighting Design

Chris Apfelstadt has spent more than two decades designing with light. His work earned Best in Show at three consecutive years at the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals' AOLP Lighting Awards annual program, a first in the association's history, and is featured in Masters of Landscape Lighting, a survey of the discipline's leading designers from the U.S. and abroad. He serves as Board Vice President of the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals and lectures and mentors across the industry.

About Christopher A.
A stone house with arched windows is lit at night, showing wooden benches and potted plants on a red brick patio surrounded by trees and shrubs.

Full-property redesign of an existing system. Techniques: pendant downlighting, graduated forest lighting, sculpture moonlighting.

Inquire

Christopher A. Lighting Design collaborates on a select number of residential and architectural projects each year.

Inquiries from architects, landscape architects, builders, and private clients are welcomed.

Inquire