Two things make Downers Grove different from every other town we light. The first is the trees: the older neighborhoods north and south of the Main Street downtown have oaks and maples that were planted when the streets were laid out, and many are now big enough that a single front-yard trunk is the most visible thing on the lot. The second is the housing stock — the village is known for one of the largest concentrations of Sears catalog homes anywhere, alongside 1920s bungalows and post-war Cape Cods on standard lots. Holiday lighting in Downers Grove, IL starts with those two facts.

The tree is often the display

On many Downers Grove lots — Denburn Woods, the streets off Maple Avenue, the blocks around Prince Pond — the house sits behind a large tree. From the street, the tree is in front of the roofline, and a roofline display alone is half-hidden by bare branches.

The answer is to light the tree and let the roofline support it. We wrap the trunk and the main limbs — not the twigs — with commercial-grade LED at the same warm white as the house. A well-wrapped oak trunk becomes a warm column of light that reads from a block away, and the roofline behind it frames it rather than competing.

Three practical notes on Downers Grove trees:

  • Wrap the trunk and first-order limbs only. Wind and ice loads on fine branches strip lights and stress the tree. Trunk-and-limb wraps hold all winter.
  • Match the color temperature to the house. A tree at one warm white and a roofline at another looks like two displays.
  • Big trees need a lift or a tall ladder. Reaching the first limbs on a mature oak is a professional job, which is most of what our tree and shrub lighting work here involves.

Sears homes and bungalows: follow the porch

Downers Grove's Sears catalog homes and Chicago-style bungalows share a scale — one to one-and-a-half stories, a broad front porch or entry, and a main front gable or hipped roof. They're close to the street and the detail is the charm.

C9 bulbs are usually too heavy here. We go a size down, outline the porch roof and the main gable, and add wrapped porch columns or lit garland on the railing. If the house has a dormer facing the street, a line along the dormer's small gable finishes it. One wrapped tree ties it to the sidewalk.

What to avoid: heavy roofline runs that flatten the porch detail, and anything that competes with the trim. These homes look best lit lightly.

Post-war Capes and the 60s–70s ranches and splits

South of 55th and toward the Woodridge line, the housing is post-war Cape Cods, then 1960s–70s ranches and split-levels. These are straightforward: a clean front eave run, the front gable or dormers outlined, the garage framed if it projects, and one accent. On split-levels, connect the two rooflines with a vertical line at the joint so the house reads as one stepped shape. Our Downers Grove maintenance crews see every one of these configurations all season.

Match the downtown

Downtown Downers Grove — Main Street from the Metra station north — does its holiday lighting in warm white, with wrapped trees along the street. Homes in the surrounding blocks that match that palette look like part of the village; homes in cool white or multi-color stand apart. For most Downers Grove homeowners, warm white on the house and the tree is the right call.

The village's brick runs to red and orange, which pushes warm white warmer — an advantage. Pale-sided Capes and stucco bungalows are more neutral; we spec the warmer end there. Details in how each exterior handles warm white.

Timing in Downers Grove

Tree work is the scheduling constraint here. Wrapping a mature trunk takes longer than a roofline run, and it's far easier before the ground freezes and the ladder footings ice — which in DuPage County usually means before the last week of October. Our Downers Grove tree-and-roofline slots for early November fill from the first week of October.

Request a free holiday lighting quote in September to lock a week. Westmont, Clarendon Hills, Lisle, and Woodridge run on the same calendar.

FAQ

Should I light the tree or the house?

If a mature tree stands in front of your roofline, light the tree first and let the roofline support it. A wrapped oak trunk is often the most visible element on a Downers Grove lot.

Do wrapped tree lights damage the tree?

Not when done properly. We wrap the trunk and main limbs — not fine branches — with lightweight LED strands and remove them in late January or February. Nothing is nailed or screwed into the tree.

What's the best holiday lighting for a Sears catalog home or bungalow?

Smaller bulbs, the porch roof and main gable outlined, wrapped porch columns or lit railing garland, and one wrapped front tree. Keep it light so the trim detail shows.

Which nearby towns do you cover?

Downers Grove is inside our 25-mile radius from Darien, along with Westmont, Clarendon Hills, Lisle, Woodridge, Hinsdale, and Lombard.

A display that fits your tree and your house

In Downers Grove the design starts with the tree. Twinkle Bros Lighting LLC designs it, supplies commercial-grade LED, wraps and installs, services all season, removes in late January or February, and stores it — fully insured, based in nearby Darien. Request a free holiday lighting quote or call (708) 316-GLOW before tree-wrapping season closes.