Whimsical Garden Grotto With String Lights
Have we conveyed the idea that we love string lights? Is it obvious that creativity and originality find ample expression in the garden? We hope so! Here, the homeowner uses several different kinds of lighting in tandem with string lights nestled among the vines and overhead beams. This is a case when more is more. Hanging candles in mason jars, bottle lights and tabletop candles are all perfectly wonderful in this garden grotto.
Easy And Cheap String Lights Around The Deck
This is the perfect solution for adding lights to a deck. Most poles are too flimsy, but this innovative DIY idea will have your porch surrounded with string lights and glowing bright. This is a rather inexpensive project that will produce an astonishing effect and make your deck perfect for late night events! Follow the directions via
Illuminate Your Backyard With Pendant Lights
Like pendants that hang from necklaces, pendant lights hang down above a particular surface theyre lighting. It means if you have something like a pergola or similar covering, pendant lights are a good outdoor lighting idea. Often used above outdoor kitchens, pendant lights can be used to illuminate your whole backyard or create cozy sitting areas.
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Backyard Lantern Post Candle Holders
Lantern posts are traditional, elegant and functional. Whats not traditional is that the lantern holds a candle, and the post is simply decorative. But this is a wonderful solution to getting light to the right part of the garden. Paint or stain the post to complement your home and garden, top it with a metal cap, and add a tall pillar candle to the decorative metal lantern.
Shine A Light On Concrete
If you aren’t lighting up your concrete, you’re doing it wrong. The beautiful texture of concrete is only enhanced when illuminated by the warm glow of a low-voltage light. For board-formed concrete walls like these, choose a warm light with a color temperature around 2700K to achieve achieve that quintessential glow while casting tiny shadows off all the little details. Love beautiful outdoor spaces like this? Check out HGTV’s Ultimate Outdoor Awards, below.
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Create Bohemian Charm With Candles And Lanterns
Lighting a garden with temporary lights such as lanterns and candles couldn’t be easier. Wrap twinkly string lights around arches and trellis ideas, or drape them through trees or even pots and baskets. A warning, however: although some party lights can be left outside all the time, others need to be brought in when it starts raining. Try and buy outdoor safe lights where possible.
Improvised lights can also look far better than you might think, and whats more, they cost mere pennies and are very environmentally friendly. Tealights in old cans or jars look great when used en masse.
You can even paint the outside of jars with special glass paints for a stained-glass effect if you wish, and DIY stores usually stock bags of 100 tealights for less than $10/£10, making them an easy and affordable way to enjoy your outdoor space throughout the winter months. For a smart look that doesn’t look too formal, mix and match lanterns in a variety of shapes and materials. This contemporary garden gets a bohemian update courtesy of The White Company . You can use large storage jars to create a similar candlelit look.
Tropical Trees Trimmed With Twinkling Lights
Light up the night sky even when youre not at the beach. Simply wrap your favorite trees, tropical or native, from the bottom of the trunk to the beginning of the branches with delicate white lights. The overall look will knock you off your feet with its overwhelming beauty making it a true work of art in your own backyard.
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Create Atmosphere While You’re Dining Alfresco
Simple string lights, such as these from Ella James , add ambience to alfresco dining
One of the key purposes of garden lighting ideas is to help zone your plot, highlighting key areas like living or dining spaces.
If you love eating and hosting outdoors, thinking carefully about your dining lighting scheme is important. You want to create atmosphere while also providing enough light for people to see the delicious spread you’ve cooked up.
We like this idea of having string lights wrapped around a simple metal bar to create a centerpiece for your outdoor dining ideas. It’s simple, yet so effective.
Moroccan Inspired Lantern Step Lighting
If you dream of faraway places and exotic lifestyles, you can bring them home to your own back yard in an instant by filling the stairs of your deck with grillework lanterns in various sizes and colors. Inspired by the mysteries of Morocco, these lights will inspire you to spend your leisure time outdoors with family and friends.
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Diy Your Way To The Perfect Patio
Want to spend more time on your patio? Invest in its aesthetic and you’ll never want to leave. Don’t underestimate the power of some pretty furniture, a gorgeous potted plant and, of course, the ambient glow of a gorgeous lamp. This two-in-one outdoor floor lamp/planter combo is the DIY solution to all your patio problems. Get crafting with our pro tips, below.
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Zone Your Space With Lights
‘Carefully placed backyard lighting can effectively zone your space. It creates small intimate areas nestled in foliage, almost like beads on a necklace,’ says garden designer John Wyer. ‘The best way to do this is to think about purpose dining, lounging, a water feature. Or you could even give a new lease of life to a winding pathway by adding subtle spotlights.’
Lighting can add a completely different mood to your backyard too and should be used to accentuate the form and texture that youve created in your garden design. In larger backyards it can be used to add a sense of mystery. Where does the winding path lit by recessed lights lead to? What is that stunning spot-lit tree in the distance that demands a closer look?
Lighting is your best friend when it comes to staging your backyard for a garden party too. Nothing sets the scene better than an outdoor space lit by glowing lights.
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Use Led Outdoor Lights For Longer
LED lights, Cox & Cox
LEDs are popular as they are particularly useful for long cable runs, and can be used almost anywhere: in step lights, as recessed spots in paving and decking, and even under water spouts and fountains.
Some LEDs come in different colors and there are others where you can program the color to suit the mood. You will pay more for LED lights than standard fittings, but the bulbs last a lot longer and the fittings are more discreet.
Permanently colored lights are best used in moderation, and specifically in areas where a distinct focus or style is required.
Go For Low Glowing Lights For Added Atmosphere
This Carrie portable LED indoor outdoor table lamp is from Nest
Outdoor spaces used for relaxation and entertaining can be lit in a similar way to indoors with sleek low-level lamps.
Choose a style that throws out a calming ambient light to add a little hygge to your patio space when it comes to downtime.
You can always use lanterns as a test run work out how you want to light different areas and see what effects you can achieve. After experimenting, you may decide that LED lanterns grouped together is all you need.
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Opt For Decorative Outdoor Lighting Ideas For Colorful Walls
Some outdoor lighting ideas can really elevate a theme. Take this playful set-up for example. The octagonal, metallic designs draw the eye to a statement olive-green wall, as well as providing an angular contrast to the soft fern fronds below. In this case, a row of three fills the space well, and is visually appealing.
Paired with glossy-tiled surroundings in retro shades, the set-up is definitely one that’s unique. But if you’re a fan of more eclectic styles, then why not give it a go? You could always pair with more neutral colors and textures if you prefer a softer look. Our garden color schemes guide has lots of inspiration.
Rustic Hanging Mason Jar Candle Holders
Mason jars couldnt be more versatile, around the home or in the garden. Here, tied with simple string, they become rustic hanging candle holders along a wooden fence line. Theyre so easy to make that youll want to keep a bunch on hand for those back yard gatherings throughout the season.
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Decorate Your Pergola With Twinkling String Lights
These outdoor lights are from KooPower
There are some backyard party lighting ideas that are totally appropriate for elevating your plot on the daily. Take these twinkling string lights for instance, which immediately give a pergola a warm and inviting tone.
We love how they elegantly fall from the beams to the floor behind the sofa, creating a subtle divide for the zone. With patio lighting ideas like these, the ambience will feel cozy and uplifting: the perfect setting for entertaining friends .
Position Lighting Near Water For A Magical View
These dandelion clock solar lights from Sparkle Lighting create an enchanting scene
Soft light reflecting off of water will always look magical. So, if you’ve got garden pond ideas, think about how you can combine them with your lighting for an awe-inspiring scene.
These dandelion clock designs looks utterly enchanting on a gently sloping bank nearby, creating an other-worldly view from the far side of the water. If you’re looking for an alternative option, think about installing pond lights beneath the water they’ll offer a bewitching glow and, when positioned carefully, will help to highlight pretty aquatic plants too.
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Outdoor Lighting Ideas: 52 Ways To Create A Cozy Glow In Your Garden After Dark
These outdoor lighting ideas will inspire you to illuminate your space in style from ambience-boosting designs to practical solutions
These outdoor lighting ideas are just what you need to add that all-important glow at dusk. It’s not one to overlook, as with the right lighting, you can really transform your backyard.
Experiment with various styles for different areas: think spotlights on steps, uplighting on trees, or cozy lanterns around outdoor seating, for example. Choose the right lighting and you can quickly add interest to a patio space, highlight key features such as your favorite plants, draw attention to a garden pergola that’s set up for alfresco dining, or even create warmth in a shadowy corner.
To help you transform your space so you can get a better view of your garden from indoors and out, we’ve rounded up the best outdoor lighting ideas, from on-trend festoon lights and pretty fairy lights to more practical designs to light pathways and doors. It’s amazing what the best outdoor lights can do to make a plot look magical.
Diy Solar Powered Chandelier Lights
Why not hang a chandelier outside? Especially when its powered by the sun! This substantial multi-arm solar chandelier deserves a place of honor outdoors, and instructions for making it are easy to follow. With a round table and chairs large enough for a family dinner, it becomes a dramatic focal point, as eco-friendly and efficient as it is dramatic.
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More About Outdoor Lighting For Open Landscapes
Open landscapes are an opportunity to create a truly beautiful lighting design. By adding some, or all, of these essential features, you will bring the space to life at night. Before getting started, be sure to ask yourself what the goal of each area of the open landscape is and determine when, where and how to include these features in your landscape lighting plan.
Once you have your goals, research the best lighting products and features to meet your objective. If youd like to get more tips, get inspired by the articles below. Make sure to subscribe to the VOLT® YouTube Channel for more videos.
Easy Diy Mason Jar Lanterns
Easily create long-burning Mason jar lanterns in lieu of canning jar candleholders. Its another DIY project that requires minimal effort and materials, but yields big decorative effect. They do, however, produce an open flame, so use them with caution, and always turn them off when no adult is present.
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Magical Glowing Flower Garden Planters
What are they lights or planters? Or were they brought by alien visitors? These glowing pots are among the most unique choices weve found for back yard lighting. And its hard to imagine anything prettier! Mix them with pots of other materials for a stunning effect. Theyre beautiful even in daylight, but they add extra drama to the garden at night.
Sparkling And Pretty Fairy Light Filled Jar
Adding a jar filled with fairy lights is a quick and easy way to illuminate that dark corner of your backyard wonderland. Place one on a corner table or line a trio down the center of the dining table to light up your sunset supper. Youll enjoy the gentle glow of these dainty lights that can easily be moved around to add more light to areas as needed. They make fantastic gift ideas too.
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Up The Cozy Factor In An Outdoor Living Room
Cozy up with subtly illuminated seating areas
Atmosphere is as important outdoors as it is in your house. So, make sure you’re planning the lighting scheme for your outdoor living area with coziness in mind.
Use lights, lanterns or candles to create a warm glow that provides a soft light, similar to that of gently flickering candles. We love how this set-up uses festoon string lights for a simple style.
Painted Black Classic Candle Chandelier For Outdoors
Your backyard just got a whole lot cozier with the addition of this classic candle chandelier. Painted in a rich and neutral black finish, this outdoor chandelier proudly holds five cute and chunky candles to light up your late night rendezvous. You can set the mood of your cozy conversation space by hanging it overhead in your pergola, large tree, or back porch.
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Create A Magical Space
Stunning backyard lighting adds another dimension to this sunken garden, creating an enchanting space for entertaining and helping to bring the garden to life at night. The lighting scheme, designed by John Cullen Creative Director Sally Storey, brings together both inside and out, picking out the key features throughout the space to enhance the overall effect.
The path to the outdoor seating area and kitchen beyond is lit with floor lights to guide you through the space. The architectural nature of the trees and sculptures is emphasized with spiked spotlights to softly light the surrounding area. A subtle glow is created under the seating area which adds another interesting dimension.
The most flexible solution for backyard lighting is often to use spiked lights which are repositioned as the seasons change to ensure you highlight the best effects. This design shows how lighting can be used in this way to pull together a space cohesively and is packed with backyard lighting ideas you can steal.
Add Practical Lighting To Keep Your Patio Safe
As well as looking for patio lighting ideas that help to set the tone of the space, also think about practical patio lighting ideas. For example if your patio has steps or different levels, then illuminating them is a must.
There are several options for adding patio lighting to steps. The preferred option, where possible, is to set lights into the walls either side of the steps, however, this is not always possible. Alternatives include strip lights that are recessed into the overhang of each step, illuminating the step below, or spot lights that are installed into each step’s riser, providing a similar method of illumination.
When lighting steps, another consideration is the quantity of lights you need. After all, you want enough light to see where youre walking, but not so many that they detract from your patio. Putting artistic considerations to one side, the quantity of lights you need is mainly determined by the height of the lights above the steps, explains Philip Milner, technical manager at Lighting For Gardens . ‘If the lights are only a few centimetres above the treads you will need one for every step, or two if you want to light from both sides. If the lights are higher up, above the steps, one light for every two to three steps is usually sufficient. If you are lighting down from higher up above, you may be able to light a small flight of steps with a single downlighter.’
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Let Tasteful Christmas Lighting Stick Around All Year
While we all love the pre-lit Christmas reindeer in our front gardens, choosing outdoor Christmas lighting ideas that are a bit different a bit like these ducks means that you may not actually need to rush to shove them in the shed after the festive period is over. These battery-powered pre-lit acrylic Christmas ducks from Lights4fun are too cute and will look gorgeous in all garden settings, especially ones with ponds.