4 Creative Outdoor Home Lighting Ideas for Your Home
With today’s lifestyles where we spend the entire day at the office, we tend to relax and entertain ourselves come nightfall. And because going for a nice dinner with charming lights and music can help you unwind, why not spend such precious moments in your own yard when you need it? Keep this sanctuary out of the dark with any one of these illuminating outdoor home lighting ideas.
Candles and Torches
Whether you favor dramatic torches or ethereal lanterns, candlelight emits a warm and gorgeous glow at the strike of a match.
You can find candles practically anywhere but always keep safety in mind. When hanging candles, keep them in deep containers so its wicks are a few inches lower than the rims. This should prevent flames and sparks from blowing out. Torches are not really a great idea to use in the presence of kids and pets. Reserve them for adults-only gatherings.
Battery-Powered Lights
With these kinds of lighting fixtures, you will get the ambience of candles without having to worry about gusts of wind and dripping wax.
Many lights come with nickel metal hydride (NiMH), nickel cadmium (NiCD), lithium and alkaline batteries which you can recharge hundreds of times. How the LED Lighting Ball by Infinita, for instance, would make for great lighting in your pool or pond. Make sure that you bring such lights inside afterwards, as batteries can leak and short if they get wet.
Electric Lights
Use an outdoor lamp like the Canyon 34.5 ” Outdoor Table Lamp with Nutmeg Sunbrella Shade by Patio Living Concepts to brighten up a buffet. You can also swap twinkling strands around a column. These options should be able to withstand rain and heat.
When stringing up lights, use plastic hooks as metal staples and nails can puncture the wires. To hide cords, duct tape them to the ground and cover with an outdoor rug. You can also tuck them under bushy garden plants. Electric string lights can stay outside for up to 3 months. For winter, store them indoors and check for frayed wires before you bring them out next season.
Solar Lights
These eco-friendly models have solar panels that gather energy during the day and automatically turn the fixtures on as darkness fails.
Solar lights have either nickel metal hydride (NiMH) or nickel cadmium (NiCD) batteries and can be left outside all year long. Keep in mind that solar lights last for about 4 hours at a time, so it is possible that they will start to fade before your guests do. They come in a variety of options, from path lights to hanging lanterns like the Solar Stake Light – Espresso Finish by Outdoor Greatroom Company.