Simple
With more than 100 lights running across the property, the system was designed to be straightforward for the homeowner to operate. PIXIE’s Bluetooth-based controls meant no complex wiring overhauls were needed, keeping the install clean and the end experience intuitive. The existing electrical infrastructure did the heavy lifting.
Smart
Every light in the garden is managed through the PIXIE ecosystem, giving the homeowner full app-based control over the entire outdoor space. The system is scene and scheduling-ready, so when the client decides to activate automations in the future, the groundwork is already in place. Intelligence is built in from day one.
Scalable
Because PIXIE uses Bluetooth mesh networking with signal boosters rather than dedicated low-voltage wiring runs, adding more lights to this garden in the future requires no trenching and no major additional cabling. The network simply expands as devices are added. This approach protects the client’s investment as the property evolves.
Garden lighting projects of this scale typically come with a significant hidden cost: the underground cabling required to distribute power and control signals across a large outdoor area. Trenching through established gardens is disruptive, expensive, and time-consuming, and in a residential setting the disruption to landscaping can undo years of work. The client at this Somerville property wanted comprehensive, high-quality garden lighting without the associated excavation bill.
With over 100 light fittings specified for the project, Sam Wettenhall from Collab Electrical needed a control solution that could span the full property reliably while keeping costs firmly in check. A conventional wired control system would have required extensive conduit runs and a level of infrastructure investment that did not suit the client’s brief or budget.
The core technical challenge was maintaining reliable wireless communication across a large outdoor area with that many devices active simultaneously. Signal consistency at distance, across garden beds, structures, and open space, had to be guaranteed before a single fitting went in.
Sam worked directly with Steve from the PIXIE team to design a system that used the property’s existing electrical infrastructure as the backbone. By powering the PIXIE-compatible fittings from existing circuits rather than running new underground wiring, the project avoided the cost and complexity of significant civil works. This collaborative design process was central to making the project viable within the client’s budget.
To ensure rock-solid Bluetooth mesh coverage across the full garden, the design incorporated PIXIE signal boosters at strategic points throughout the property. These boosters extend and strengthen the mesh network, ensuring every one of the 100-plus lights communicates reliably with the system regardless of distance or physical obstacles. The result is a seamless, responsive network that behaves as a single unified installation.
All fittings across the garden are powered and controlled through the PIXIE platform, giving the homeowner a consistent experience from one end of the property to the other. Scenes and scheduling have been left inactive at the client’s request for now, but the system is fully configured and ready to expand into those features whenever the time is right.
The homeowner at this Somerville property now has full, app-based control over more than 100 garden lights, all accessible from a single interface. Adjusting brightness, switching zones on or off, and managing the overall ambience of the outdoor space can all be done from a phone without setting foot outside.
When the client is ready to take things further, the PIXIE system is already waiting. Scenes can be created to set moods for entertaining or quiet evenings, and scheduling can be configured so the garden lights come on and off automatically. None of that requires a return visit from an electrician or any additional hardware investment.
“Working with Steve from PIXIE to design the signal booster layout before we started saved us a lot of time on site. We covered the whole property without touching the ground once.”
Sam Wettenhall, Collab Electrical
This Somerville garden lighting project is a strong example of what becomes possible when a smart product platform is paired with experienced design support and a practical installer mindset. By leaning on PIXIE’s Bluetooth mesh technology and working collaboratively with the PIXIE team from the planning stage, Collab Electrical delivered a 100-plus light outdoor installation that saved the client meaningful time and money, and left the garden completely intact in the process.