We completed an eight month remodel of our house in Rancho Santa Fe and wanted to highlight the property. We saw other homes which had both indoor and outdoor lighting done by Joel at Lighting Distinctions and were very impressed with their work. We met with a number of other outdoor lighting companies but they did not have the artistic vision that Joel and his staff provided. He highlighted our palms, pepper and olive trees with unusual creative lighting techniques---the results were amazing. The other firms charged the same amount of money but merely provided a standard generic approach to landscape lighting. The end result was to truly bring the indoor/outdoor concept of southern California living alive for us. His staff was knowledgeable, prompt and courteous. We had some challenges with an older home and they resolved some difficult electrical issues. Their placement of the lights and the shadow effects were truly understated elegance. They experimented with different light colors and positions on many visits, giving us time to absorb the effect. Joel's goal is to insure you are 100% pleased, and he accomplished this. They also went beyond the call of duty and suggested some inexpensive solutions for our indoor lighting. The end result added so much value to our home. We look forward to working with Joel and Lighting Distinctions on future projects. read more

We had an old outdated and non-working landscape lighting system and decided it was time to replace and upgrade our lighting design to include new LED lighting fixtures. Our existing under ground wiring and hub system was in good working order so we began our search for a lighting contractor who had an excellent reputation, could leverage the existing working components, who impressed us with their team's knowledge, and who we felt would deliver an excellent solution for our project. We choose Lighting Distinctions and right off we developed great chemistry with Joel and his team. He met with us on several occasions, gave great advice about placement and the best fixtures that would accentuate the landscaping in the front of our home. Joel and team kept us informed about the project timeline and the work proceeded quickly and in an orderly fashion. Joel was responsive and accommodated requests we offered during the instillation. We were thoroughly impressed and pleased with Lighting Distinctions and plan to use them to complete a lighting system for our back yard when timing is right. I would recommend that anyone interested in landscape lighting contact Joel and team, it was a great choice for us. read more

The OUTCOMES were EXCEPTIONAL. It all started with a call to Joel Barnett at Lighting Distinctions with my need to replace one light bulb in a vaulted ceiling in my family room. It evolved into a very special lighting program throughout the inside and exterior of our home. New LED lighting that will assure longevity, art lighting that brings our artwork to life, exterior lighting that captures the beauty of special trees, plantings and our home and a Lutron system to add simplicity and remote access. The EXECUTION of the project was SUPERB. Joel Barnett's vast experience in the lighting industry gives him a deep understanding of lighting supplies and their application. He listens intently. He is a pleasure to work with. And there was nothing more important to him than meeting, actually exceeding, our expectations and he didn't stop until that happened. The electricians he brings to the project, led by Octavio, were not only competent and great problem solvers, they also modeled Joel's approach to customer service excellence. I have given them a FIVE STAR rating but if Yelp had a SIXTH STAR, Joel and his team would have been worthy recipients. Walter G. read more

I confess I am always surprised by people who post negative reviews of companies they only TRIED to do business with and were unable to, but here I am. I received a mailer from this company, advertising that they had done recent work in my neighborhood. I called and spoke with the owner. He said he would call me back. He did not. I went to his website and filled out the inquiry form, thinking maybe he had lost my number and would call me when I filled out the form on his website. He did not. This company and this owner could be great. Unfortunately, he never gave me the chance to find out and I think when a business owner is that unable to get back to you, it's time to move on to the next guy. Clearly, this company has too much business right now (November 2020). read more

Joel, and the rest of his team at Lighting Distinctions exceeded our expectations with the installation of out door landscape lighting. Their suggestions and recommendations to provide some additional lighting to an out door grilling and BBQ area were also spot on. Their product line, installation, and follow through were great and I will not hesitate to call them again for other lighting projects. Their fees were appropriate, especially since this was not a homeowner DIY situation. You can go to home improvement stores and purchase inferior products, install them yourself, and end up with something unprofessional, but better to call Lighting Distinctions and receive a professional product and competent service. You get what you pay for. read more

I had an extremely positive experience with Lighting Distinctions. They were responsive, professional, and timely. They were happy to work within my modest budget and the result was exactly what I was hoping for, and even better. My front yard outdoor lighting needed to be replaced and Joel came over to the house personally to create a design proposal. After working together on some modifications, the work was scheduled, and the job was completed in one day by his crew. When a repair was needed some time after, it was literally taken care of on the same day I contacted Joel - what excellent customer care! I highly recommend Joel, Octavio, and the crew of Lighting Distinctions. read more

The exterior lighting installed at my home in Rancho Santa Fe by Lighting Distinctions,( Joel and his team) is truly dramatic and stunning! Joel and Zoe walked the project with me twice, his crew arrived early on the day of the installation and did not leave until everything was perfectly installed. The true test occurred once sunset arrived and our home was transformed. I never knew lighting could make such a dramatic difference! Lighting Distinctions was professional, seamless and easy to work with. The owner Joel is a delight to work with. He made many recommendations to get the effect we wanted. We could not be happier! Mitch Adler read more

Finally after 3 years of living in our new home and complaining of poor lighting of the front of our house we decided to have new lighting installed. Yes we met with two or three other companies before meeting with Joel and Lighting Distinctions then our search was over. Joel not only suggested different but some of the best options and lower prices then we were recommended from other companies. We were so impressed with Joel and the pressure free sale of our job that we asked him to look at our back yard as well,... let's just say our house is now lit up with all LED low cost electricity Lighting and it now shines like a diamond, read more

It is obvious Joel and team have a passion for what they do. They were booked and very busy as we were dealing with them, yet they made us feel we were their only client. Their passion and experience were evident, making valuable suggestions to enhance the impact of our project. Importantly they were mindful of our cost considerations and worked well with us to adjust to our budget. Having been a small business owner myself Joel and his entire team ticked every box to make this a win/win experience for all involved. I could go on and on, how many glowing reviews can you read, just save your time and call them. read more

Joel, the owner of the company, came out and did a full-scale lighting demo which was so beautiful and showed us what the lights would look like. We fell in love with Joel's design of our project! He worked with our existing system and budget to give us exactly what we wanted. Joel, Zoe the human, and Zoey the dog were amazing to work with! Octavio and Marizio and crew were so easy to work with and were so attentive to the detail of our project. They were all a delight to work with. The whole crew was always available to come out and fine-tune if we needed anything. Overall a great company to work with. read more

Lighting Distinctions installed our gorgeous outdoor lighting in 2022 - and we've loved the drama and beauty of it ever since! Because of an irrigation issue, we had to have them come back and fix some very minor things that happened due to overwatering. The repair crew was wonderful; they came to our home on a very timely basis and diagnosed and fixed the problem. This company is truly outstanding and I wish every contractor or installer I worked with was as responsive and responsible as Lighting Distinctions! Kudos to Stephanie, Kim and the whole gang!! read more

The best lighting company ever!!! We had Lighting Distinctions put front lawn landscaping in and it turned out the best ever. I wanted to have colored lights so different schemes could be set up for different holidays as well as having different regular evening and overnights lights. They came in and designed and installed outdoor LED lighting in the front and it is absolutely perfect. They were easy to work with and have been great at addressing all needs. You can't go wrong using them for your lighting. read more

Joel truly has an artists eye when he designs and lays out the lighting fixtures. His crew installed all within a very short amount of time, and left no mess at all. The nighttime effect of the lighting on our home is truly amazing, it looks so great that our neighbors across the street told me that when they saw it the first time they thought we were selling our home when they saw how wonderful it looks! 5 stars are not enough to express how happy we are with the whole Lighting Distinctions experience! read more

Joel and team were amazing in helping design and install lighting which transformed our home from nondescript to a warm and beautifully lit masterpiece. Joel invested the right amount of time to help us determine exactly what we wanted, work within out budget and achieve the look we desired. And once installed, they came back and helped tweak several lights to ensure we achieved the very best look. Thank you Lighting Distinctions for the vision and teamwork to help us achieve all our goals! read more

i seldom write a review but this is an exceptional trustworthy Lighting Company. Not only did Joel personally contact us but he and his Team were here within a couple days to assess what we were wanting, made recommendations and the job was completed within a very reasonable time frame. We were kept updated during the entire process. We found it very refreshing to have the excellent customer service and Professionalism. Which we had found lacking in another competitor. I'd highly recommend. read more

We hired LD for a reworking and update of our community's front entry. They not only came back with a great quote but did an amazing job, above and beyond what we had anticipated. Joel and his team were friendly, timely and very detail oriented. The work was done on time and they were very thorough. They adressed all of the concerns we had, as well as had some great additional suggestions which we incorporated into our design. Would not hesitate to hire again! read more

Joe and his company (from receptionist to installers) did a wonderful job taking care of the unique and specific requests and requirements for our Carlsbad home. Joel was very kind and patient in explaining all of our options and in making sure we were 100% satisfied. It's been many months later, and we still are! Professional and knowledgeable with excellent value - meaning we received what we paid for and wanted from some really good folks to work with! read more

Lighting Distinction is a pleasure to work with. They are professional, organized and very good at creating lighting that is both artistic and practical. Their team works long hours to complete the job as fast as possible, allowing multiple opportunities for the homeowner to make changes large or small. They do demos before the work begins to help visualize the final product. Their years of experience are clear to see. I give them my highest rating. read more

We had interviewed several other contractors and we weren't super excited yet. But when we met with Joel Barnett, owner of Lighting Distinctions, the lights went on! We were impressed with Joel's consideration of quality, service, and cost. We love our property in a whole new light. Lighting Distinctions and Joel Barnett have transformed our home into an elegant showplace reflecting comfort and security. One of the best improvements we've ever made. read more