Above the lake.
Grapevine was settled in 1844 and named for the wild mustang grapes that grew across its prairie. Its lake runs along the north of the city. We design the technology behind homes there, from the historic streets to the water.
A city that writes down its light
Grapevine regulates outdoor lighting in its zoning code, and says why: to “protect the privacy of residents and reduce atmospheric light pollution.” Brighter fixtures must be fully shielded, and beside a home, the light that reaches the property line may not exceed two-tenths of a footcandle.
Accent lighting of trees and landscape is left outside those limits. So the craft is in the aim: light on the oaks and the stone, none of it in a neighbor’s window.
The lake
Grapevine Lake was begun by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1948 and began to fill in July 1952. On a lot near the water, the network has to reach the terrace and the far edge of the lawn, and the shades on the lake side have to manage the afternoon glare without giving up the view.
The historic streets
Grapevine adopted its historic preservation ordinance in 1991, and Main Street’s commercial district is on the National Register. In the city’s historic districts, new exterior light fixtures and landscaping need a Certificate of Appropriateness before they go in. In an older house we work inside those rules: fixtures chosen for the street, controls hidden from it.
What it takes
Light, aimed.
Shielded fixtures, uplighting on the trunks and the facade, and every beam checked against the property line.
A network to the water.
Coverage to the terrace, the pool and the end of the lawn, managed as one secure network.
Light and shade inside.
Lutron lighting and motorized shades on the lake side and the west glass, where the glare is hardest.
Security.
The Otium Group, Inc — Security Division, monitored around the clock by a UL-Listed central station.
One system.
Control4 ties it together. Goodnight closes the shades, arms the house and lets the landscape settle to accent light.
The Dream Home
We have been Fort Worth Magazine’s technology partner on its showcase homes since 2013 — including the 2013 Dream Home, the 2018 Home of Dreams, the 2019 Showcase Home, the 2020 Dream Street and the 2025 Dream Home.
For builders
If you have built with us before, you know how we work. If it has been a while, call. Bring us in at plan review.
What we do here
Every home we design in Grapevine draws on the same disciplines, planned together from the first drawings.
For homeowners
Most of our work begins with a homeowner who tells their builder they want us. Tell yours.
Planning a home in Grapevine?
Tell us about it — we reply within one business day.
Nearby
Common questions
Do you serve Grapevine?
Yes. We design and install home technology across Grapevine, from our base in Fort Worth.
Can landscape lighting meet Grapevine’s lighting rules?
Yes. We specify shielded fixtures and aim every one so the light stays on your property. Accent lighting of trees and landscape sits outside the code’s limits, and we still design it to stay out of the neighbors’ windows.
Can you work on a house in a historic district?
Yes. New exterior light fixtures and landscaping there need the city’s Certificate of Appropriateness, so we choose the fixtures with the house in mind and plan for the review.
When should we bring you into a new build?
At plan review. Wiring, conduit, shade pockets and landscape lighting circuits are decided before the walls close. Afterward, every one of them costs more.
Who answers when something needs service?
Service calls go straight to our dedicated service coordinator.