A nice, warm night on the patio with good friends, great food, a nice mix of background music and chirping birds; if only the party didn’t have to end when the sun goes down. No one wants a harsh overhead light on a lovely summer evening to attract bugs and spoil the mood but with the many varieties of patio lighting ideas available, you can find a better option.
From simply stringing Christmas lights along your house or around an umbrella to securing LED lights to the borders of your deck, there are so many ways to light up your patio. Icicle lights might be going too far but a strand of a single color of Christmas lights can look elegant and classy. Adding decorated paper bags, milk cartons, or glass jars to Christmas lights strung along the ground can add a festive air to a party.
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Paper lanterns can do double duty as decorations and patio lights. Paper lanterns can be found in a variety of styles and colors in most big box and party stores at reasonable prices while lanterns made of silk or linen might be a bit pricier. The higher cost, however, may be outweighed by the beauty and quality. High-quality lanterns can be used over and over again. Some paper and silk lanterns come pre-lit while others must be used with a separate string of lights.
If strings of light aren’t your style, you can also find patio lights that encircle your umbrella stand or stick to the side of your house or trellis. These lighting schemes allow a little more versatility in light placement and are easier to disguise in the daytime. A string of lights arching over a deck is a strange sight at noon on Tuesday.
Whatever your choice in patio lighting, it is important to keep safety in mind. Do not string lights where unsuspecting party guests are likely to walk into them or trip over the cord. Do not plug them in where a child might be attracted to the pretty lights and unwittingly unplug the cord. While good lighting is sometimes a necessity, safety first is always a good rule.
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