5 Outdoor Light Ideas to Make Your Space Stand Out

There’s no doubt that outdoor lighting is worth the investment – it makes your landscaping look more attractive, it lights up pathways at night, and it adds character to your garden. 

The trouble comes in when you don’t know which exterior lights you should use… 

Whether you want to up your curb appeal or put a stop to tripping over plants in the dark, use these 5 outdoor light ideas to brighten up your yard and make your home stand out. 

1. Path Lighting 

Lighting up the areas where people are going to walk is a must. You could host the most elaborate function or most fun birthday party, and guests will only remember tripping over stepping stones and landing in the dirt. 

Keep your family and guests upright with stylish and functional path lighting. Inground lighting provides uplighting to accentuate garden features like statues or fountains. Other path lights are inserted into the ground and follow the contours of your path or surrounding flower beds. 

2. String Lighting  

If you’ve ever dreamed of living in a fairytale, string lighting is going to bring those dreams to life. Hang string lights along the lower branches of trees to bring the stars down from the sky!

Outdoor seating areas surrounding a low firepit or next to a refreshing pool are transformed from functional to fantastical with the magic of delicate string lights. Wrap several string lights between the beams of a pergola to illuminate what the pergola shelters from the harsh sun during the day. This creates a sheet of warm, inviting, and magical light. 

If standard string lights don’t match the aesthetic you’re going for, look for string lights with paper lanterns or fake florals surrounding the small LEDs. These accents update the classic fairy light look without driving up the price point!

3. Lanterns 

Take your garden from suburban to royal with magical lanterns. Hanging lanterns will light the area from above and draw the eye upwards. Hang them from the lower branches of trees, the edge of your roof, or use lantern wall sconces.

Lanterns are extremely versatile because there are styles to match every aesthetic. Pay homage to the history of older buildings with classic lanterns reminiscent of candle lanterns. Jazz up a sleek and modern exterior with lanterns consisting of clean lines and a simple silhouette. 

4. Uplighting With Spotlights

Just like masterpieces in an art gallery, your favorite garden features deserve their own spotlights! Lighting outdoor features (such as statues, columns, fountains, or topiaries) from below creates dramatic shadows and highlights the texture of the feature.  

Use lights with narrow, high-intensity beams of light to maximize this effect. To light up taller objects, such as trees or tall statues, use bullet-shaped lights with adjustable heads. This ensures the whole object is lit up and visible. 

The experts at Long View Lighting have years of experience and will help you choose the correct bulbs to highlight each feature in your garden.   

5. Pool Lighting  

Take advantage of the reflective nature of water by lighting up the areas surrounding the pool, pond, or fountain. 

Solar-powered ground lights are ideal home lights for this function. Since pools and other water features are often in full sun during the day, solar lights have ample time to recharge enough to glow all night long. 

Transform Your Yard with Outdoor Light Ideas

Outdoor lighting needs to be pretty and practical. Transform and elevate your garden using these 5 outdoor light ideas and create a garden you can’t help but show off.

Which of these ideas was your favorite?

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out the rest of our blog for more on styling your home, decorating your garden, and living a healthy life.