Creative patio lighting ideas add a nighttime glow to keep you outside
Outdoor patios are an extension of your home, ideal for entertaining guests, reading a good book, or even working out. But the good times should not end when the sun sets. By adding the perfect patio lights to your space, you can spend more time doing what matters most (dinner under the stars, anyone?).
If you’re ready to illuminate your outdoor space, we’ll look at five excellent options for outdoor patio lights. Then, for all you do-it-yourselfers, we’ll look at different approaches to installing patio lighting. Let’s get started!
Patio Lighting Ideas
The overall design of your patio, the purpose of your patio, and the amount of lighting you require will all influence how you illuminate it. Outdoor pendants, string lights, and floor lights are some of the most popular outdoor patio lighting ideas.
patio lighting ideas include outdoor pendants, string lights, and floor lights.
1. String Lights and Rope Lighting
String lights and rope lights are small electric lights that are strung along a cable and used both indoors and outdoors. They’re perfect for stringing along your patio and deck railings, in tree branches, or along the walls of your house. Outdoor string or rope lighting with heavy-duty wiring and sockets is available.
2. Outdoor Pendants
Outdoor pendant lights, also known as drop or suspender lights, are hanging pendants that are held in place by a cord or chain. They can instantly improve the look of your outdoor patio with little effort. Outdoor pendant lights come in a variety of sizes, including full-length, large, mini, and lantern options.
3. Floor and table lights for the outdoors
Outdoor table and floor lights are both decorative and functional ways to light up an outdoor living space. These lamps create the ideal atmosphere for a family gathering or an intimate dinner – without blinding you.
4. Lighting for Pathways
Pathway lighting is best for illuminating a walkway that leads to your patio (safety first!). You can also use pathway lights to brighten driveways and footpaths or as a simple and affordable way to accent your patio steps or highlight shrubbery and flowerbeds.
5. Uplighting
Uplighting is the effect when you place light fixtures on the ground and point them up to enhance specific landscape or architectural features. It’s a great way to emphasize your manicured landscape and garden in your backyard and shine a light on your patio area, too.
Consider This: DIY Patio Light Techniques
There are almost limitless creative techniques for setting up your patio lights, from DIY projects to energy-efficient lighting. Today’s top trends include high-level lighting with prestrung and pendant lights, tabletop lighting with candles, DIY lanterns, and tabletop fireplaces.
DIY Patio Lights
Lighting your patio doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. There are plenty of DIY patio lighting ideas to help you get the same aesthetically pleasing outcome you see on Pinterest.
Ideas include wire basket lighting, mason jar lanterns, recycled wine bottles, and even tin cans. Since the size and shape of lighting will vary, these creative touches can make the space your own.
Use Solar
Solar lighting is energy efficient and uses sunlight to recharge during the day, so there’s no fuss with unsightly cords or wiring, or need for outlets. You can incorporate solar with a solar path light, solar LED deck post caps, solar LED floodlights, or solar string lights.
Illuminate Your Garden and Shrubbery
There’s no reason you can’t enjoy your garden and shrubbery when the sun goes down. Consider decorating your garden and shrubbery with small touches of lighting. You can weave soft lighting within your bushes, shrubs, and tree branches to create a warm look in your outdoor living space.
Consider Candles
Candles are a simple yet decorative patio lighting option that can add romantic ambiance to any occasion. You can place them on your outdoor tables or alongside the steps and walkways. Candles come in so many different sizes, shapes, colors, and scents that the possibilities are almost endless.
Outdoor Patio Lights: Simple Upgrades to Improve Your Comfort and Safety
Although the purpose behind patio lights is mostly to create a more pleasing environment, you’ll want to stay safe while enhancing and using the space. That means you’ll need to:
- Consider all safety measures before you start screwing in your light bulbs.
- Check your power cords and inspect the lights before installing them.
- Choose only lights rated for outdoor use to weather the elements.
- Avoid placing your patio lighting next to flammable materials.
- Turn off your lights when you’re not using them.
Use your creativity to make your patio shine with outdoor patio lighting ideas like pathway lighting, string lights, and solar lighting. In no time, you’ll transform your simple outdoor patio space into something extraordinary that reflects your personal style.