Tarrytown Glow

The Brief · Tarrytown

The yard disappears at 7 PM.

420 Linear Feet · 6 Zones

The hardscape was already in place — a mature Tarrytown lot with live oaks, existing flagstone paths, a steel-edged patio, and native planting beds. The problem was that the entire investment vanished after dark. Two low-voltage spotlights on the front oaks was the entire lighting package, and they pointed straight up into the canopy like searchlights.

Red Agave replaced the existing lights with a purpose-built system: 420 linear feet of 24V FCOB (Flexible Chip on Board) continuous ribbon lighting embedded in every steel edge and paver joint, 14 COB (Chip on Board) architectural uplights on specimen trees and stone walls, 4 diffused steel light boxes at seating areas, and pathway bollards along the front walk. Everything runs on 24V low-voltage through weatherproof transformers.

The entire system is controlled by two ESP32 WLED microcontrollers — one for the front yard, one for the back — running open-source WLED firmware. The homeowners control color temperature, brightness, scheduling, and scene selection from their phones. No proprietary app. No subscription. No hub.

24V FCOB continuous ribbon lighting embedded in 1/4-inch steel edging along patio perimeter at 2700K warm white — Tarrytown Austin TX — 01 · FCOB Perimeter24V / 2700K / continuous glow

COB architectural uplight on live oak trunk showing CRI 90+ color rendering of bark texture — Tarrytown Austin TX — 02 · COB UplightCRI 90+ / tree canopy wash

Diffused steel light box casting warm architectural glow at outdoor seating area with native plantings — Tarrytown Austin TX — 03 · Light BoxDiffused steel / architectural glow

The System

Not spotlights. Atmosphere.

Full backyard lighting scene showing FCOB edge glow, COB uplighting on live oaks, and diffused light box — Tarrytown Austin TX

ESP32 WLED controller mounted in weatherproof enclosure with 24V transformer and distribution wiring — Tarrytown Austin TX

Lighting · 01 The Network FCOB · COB · WLED Three lighting technologies working as one system. FCOB provides continuous glow along every edge — no hot spots, no visible diodes. COB delivers high-output directional wash on trees and walls. ESP32 microcontrollers running open-source WLED firmware tie everything together with WiFi control, scheduling, and scene presets — no proprietary gateway required.

System Details

FCOB Continuous Ribbon

—420 linear feet of 24V FCOB tape
—Embedded in steel edging channels + paver joints
—IP67 waterproof rating — rated for ground contact
—2700K warm white + tunable CCT zones

COB Architectural Uplights

—14 COB uplights on live oaks and stone walls
—CRI 90+ color rendering — true bark and stone color
—Adjustable beam angle: 15° spot to 60° flood
—Bronze-finished housings — invisible during the day

Controls + Distribution

—2x ESP32 WLED controllers (front + back zones)
—Open-source WLED firmware — no subscription or cloud dependency
—Scene presets: Evening Ambient, Entertaining, Pathway Only, All Off
—3x 24V weatherproof transformers, all conduit below grade

Light Boxes + Pathways

—4 diffused steel light boxes — welded on-site, frosted acrylic panels
—Soft architectural glow — no direct light source visible
—6 pathway bollards along front walk (Corten steel)
—Step lights at grade transitions — recessed into flagstone

Takeoff / Tarrytown

The blueprint.

01 / FCOB + COB

Light Sources

420 lf FCOB continuous ribbon
14 COB architectural uplights
4 diffused steel light boxes
6 Corten pathway bollards
Step lights at grade changes
IP67 waterproofing throughout

02 / Controls

ESP32 WLED

2x ESP32 microcontrollers
Open-source WLED firmware
6 independent lighting zones
Phone app control (no hub)
Scheduling + sunset automation
Scene presets programmed

03 / Infrastructure

Power + Conduit

3x 24V weatherproof transformers
All wiring in conduit below grade
Junction boxes at zone boundaries
Waterproof connector system
Dedicated 20A circuit per transformer
Surge protection at panel

Component	Specification	Cost
FCOB tape (420 lf)	24V IP67, 2700K + tunable CCT, steel channel mounting	$5,880
COB uplights (14 units)	CRI 90+, adjustable beam, bronze housing	$3,360
Diffused light boxes (4 units)	Welded steel, frosted acrylic, on-site fabrication	$2,800
Pathway bollards + step lights	6 Corten bollards, recessed step lights at grade changes	$1,920
ESP32 WLED controllers (2 units)	Open-source firmware, WiFi, weatherproof enclosures	$480
Transformers + distribution	3x 24V transformers, conduit, junction boxes, connectors	$2,400
Trenching + conduit installation	Below-grade conduit runs, backfill, landscape restoration	$3,200
Electrical (circuit + panel)	3 dedicated 20A circuits, surge protection, permit	$1,800

Location

Tarrytown

Build Time

10 Days

Total Cost

$21,840

Execution

100% In-House