This idea is to provide ambient lighting around the exterior of a house by illuminating the undersides of the roof overhangs (eaves). With LEDs of course.

These could be aranged to operate continuously, during a certain time period, or motion-activated. They could also be dimmable to provide the desired level of illumination or to become brighter when motion is detected. Color selection is another option.

The large area of relatively dim light coming from the roof would provide a gentle glow, or halo, surrounding the house. This would create a pleasant ambience around the house at night, without harsh glare. Carrying on the theme of gentle night-time illumination, the lights would turn on and off gradually, by dimming, to avoid the shock of a sudden light or dark.

[edit] I would use sidelooking LEDs such as Firefly\'s or Micro SideLEDs, in a tiny fixture designed to blend in with the side of the house. Many small fixtures pointing upwards to make the eaves glow uniformly. I propose low-voltage power from batteries and solar panels, that would be routed near the top of the exterior walls.