Patio Lighting Ideas

Patio lights are very important for anyone who wants to make the most of their patio at night.  They come in many shapes, sizes, and colors and many more applications than you may realize – especially solar powered lights. Have you ever considered holding an evening party on your very own patio? Hopefully this article will help you get some great patio lighting ideas and show you how to maximize the enjoyment of the event for you as well as your guests.

Many people are unaware that a party at home can be just as delightful, even more so, than a party held at an outside venue.  Because you are hosting from home, you feel more comfortable, and your guests will sense this and feel more at ease. Catering can be arranged if you don’t want the hassle of using your own kitchen, and the party will likely work out cheaper as a result – not to mention more personalized.

Also, because you are hosting your party on your own patio, you can choose to go later into the evening than if you were holding a party at a hired venue. With solar patio lights you can add lighting, fun, festivity and elegance to the evening and night-time party atmosphere, without adding to your household lighting bill. They can also be installed in a jiffy even if you have only very little DIY skill.

Here some great patio lighting ideas

Many people who have a patio or deck also have a pool. Some choose to cover their pool for a party, feeling it unnecessary to display an expanse of plain water. But why not make a centerpiece of it, rather than hiding it away?  Floating solar lights that are made for the water come in all shapes and sizes, some large, some small, but all adding intrigue to the setting.  An intimate atmosphere can be attained by utilizing many tiny “floating candles” powered by solar lighting technology, or perhaps you prefer the timeless look of white floating lotus or ‘lilypad’ solar lighting, or the fun look of the jellyfish-shaped solar lights that have optical fiber tentacles, bobbing around mysteriously in the water. Not to mention the solar powered lights which can be obtained that are shaped like glowing orbs of many colors, even changing colors – ideal for lighting the paths, especially if there is a pool edge which guests need to be aware of.

Solar garden lights come in the shape of tulips to glow gently in amongst your patio-edging flower beds, illuminating your floral arrangements or box hedging and lending them all new moonlight hues. Other unusual solar patio lights include the snail, with a golden and intricate shell illuminated with warm golden light.

The sun jar is an irresistible type of solar patio lighting, with its appealing portability and ease of use. Looking just like a normal pantry jar in broad daylight, it is left to gather the sun’s rays during the daylight hours, and as the night comes on it begins to shine in a gentle shade of yellow, just like magic. The sun jar patio lighting technology has become so popular that a moon jar can also be purchased now; these glow in a luminescent shade of blue and are sure to delight your guests, from the youngest child to the oldest centenarian!

Have you seen the solar patio lanterns that come on a string, or that can be hung on a string? Some of these appear as authentic Chinese lanterns, complete with paper coverings or a waterproof and weatherproof synthetic paper substitute. Glowing gently in magenta, aqua, canary gold and sea green, these solar lights bring the Oriental feel right into your own backyard patio.

We interviewed Nerida Robinson about the engagement party that she held in she and her fiancé’s home – a summer barbecue and drinks party, held out on the patio.  “I chose to use glass solar sting lights hung in the branches of my patio trees, which are quite tall but not overbearing. The glass solar string lights gave a fairy-like feeling of airiness to the whole patio, which was a feeling I was really going for – lightness, because that’s how Dave and I felt at the time – really light and carefree.” When asked if she chose other patio lighting as well, she replied, “Well, I didn’t want to buy lights which were going to use up more electricity. We were saving for the wedding, obviously, and weren’t too keen on being slugged by large lighting bills. But Dave and I are really into evening entertaining – and our house gets full sun all afternoon, which charges them really well – so we thought that solar lighting would be the way to go.  We’ve been married for five years now, and our solar patio lights are still going strong. We’ve definitely got out money’s worth.”

As you can see, patio lighting is so much more these days than those early (and rather clunky!) solar lights that you brought home from the hardware store and poked into the ground, which lasted for about 5 minutes after the sun went down! New bulb technology means that the charge from the sun holds for so much longer, giving you vibrant and lasting brightness well into the wee hours.

And just when you thought modern solar patio lighting meant you had to like modern fashions, think again.  We think one of the nicest applications of the solar patio light today is the traditional lamp-post form, complete with ornate brass or other metal, and lamp swinging gently from the upright post.

But don’t take out word for it – patio lights come in so many shapes and sizes. From inlaid “pavers” that shine from within the path itself, to glowing grapes and feather-like tree nets, solar powered patio lighting will light up your home and you evenings for many enjoyable years to come.