The outside area of your home is as important as the inside. While decking up the interiors with beautiful lights, do not neglect the outdoors. Whether it’s a yard, a patio, a garden, or a swimming pool, outdoor illumination is the key to make your house stand out in the dark, and during parties. In fact, with clever lighting options, you can totally transform the appearance of any home.

The outdoor space around a house is usually where people love to gather on a nice day. The patio, the poolside, the deck, or the garden are all opportunities to enjoy time together when the weather is nice. And in order to enjoy the outdoors after sundown, proper lighting is a must. Whether you’re looking to light up your backyard deck, or keep away intruders, there are outdoor lighting options available for every style and taste.

Factors to consider when shopping for outdoor lights
Should you buy wall-mounted lights or in-ground lights? How many lumens do you need for the pool and how many for the patio? Are fairy lights better than glass lanterns? Questions like these will crowd your mind when you go shopping for outdoor lights. If being able to see in the dark is your only criterion, you can choose just about any light that is available. Now you can watch Transformers or the World Series in your backyard with comfort and delight. But if you want the outdoor illumination to make your house look pretty and boost its curb appeal while also helping you see in the dark, then you need to pick out your options more carefully. Whether you buy your outdoor lights online or from a store, here are the primary factors that you must consider.

Style
The architecture and design of your house is the number one factor to consider when choosing outdoor lights. If the house has a modern design, then traditional lights will look out of place. If the design of the house and the outdoors is rustic, then a contemporary light will clash with the style. No matter what kind of illumination you choose, it should match the overall style of the property. You probably don’t want Napoleon Dynamite making these decision for you (or any decision for you for that matter!)!

Purpose
What do you need the lights for? Do you want to light up a walkway? Highlight the pool? Or keep intruders away? The purpose will decide its brightness. If proper illumination is what you want, then you need something like a flood light with a motion-sensor that’s bright enough to keep you from tripping in the dark. On the other hand, if you want ambient lighting to add elegance and style to the outdoors, then string lights, lanterns, and solar lights are better options.

Cost
The pricing of different lights varies widely. String lights, path lights, and some landscape lights are priced per unit, while bigger lights like flood lights and security lights are brighter and more expensive. Ornate chandeliers are usually the priciest of all outdoor lights, because they are fancy. To know the pricing of different illumination options, you have to go out there and browse. Remember that the energy costs will also count and if you do not choose durable lights, you may have to replace them every few years.

Power
The brighter the light, the more power it will consume. Many outdoor lights are solar powered, and have zero energy costs. Even in the age of tax cuts, that is music to lots of peoples’ ears! The lights in covered areas that don’t get much sunshine need to be hooked to electricity. The lowest power available in outdoor lights is 12 volts. Other lights are 120 volts, the same amount that every other appliance in your house consumes.

Ease of installation
Every light comes with step-by-step instructions on how to install. Solar lights are the easiest to install, but lights that require electricity may require the help of an electrician or handyman. Read reviews before purchase to find out how complicated the installation is. You probably don’t need Ray Donovan to help you out in this regard!

Trending outdoor lighting options
While the basic purpose of outdoor lights – illumination – remain the same, the designs and styles they come in keep changing. To deck up your outdoors while making a style statement with your abode, choose any of these trending outdoor illumination options.

String lights – Fairy or string lights aren’t just for decorating a Christmas tree during that standout holiday. They are affordable, functional, and versatile. String lights can be wrapped around a tree trunk or hung above the porch. They can be used to illuminate the front gate or draw attention to a patch of flowers. No wonder, string lights are a trending outdoor illumination option. They also come in various colors for you to have fun with. When buying string lights, look for better quality and durability to be able to survive the outdoors.

Moroccan lights – If you want your outdoor lights to take center stage, choose Moroccan style lanterns for their detailed metalwork. These intricate designs on the body of the lantern can often be a conversation starter. Use Moroccan style lamps to decorate your outdoors for the next gathering and watch how guests keep talking about it. They may even talk about that amazing motorcycle scene which took place in Morocco in Mission Impossible 5 or that brilliant action scene in Jason Bourne III in this same country but this is another topic.

Pendant lights – Hanging or pendant lights are expensive, but look gorgeous. If you have trees that you’d love to decorate, globe-like pendant lights will create a soft illumination. These lights can also be hung from other structures both indoors and outdoors to immediately liven up any space.

 

Garden torches – Metal torches come in various types and can be used both indoors (as a tabletop torch) or outdoors (as a garden torch). Torches have live fire, so even though they look pretty, they must be placed somewhere safe. Metal torches are also more expensive lighting options, but because people always like the concept of a little fire in the backyard, they are a trending illumination choice.

 

In-ground lights – They are safe and they serve various purposes. In-ground lights can be used to illuminate a walkway or draw attention to a feature. They can also be used as accent lights to illuminate certain sections of the yard or garden.

Regardless of the type of outdoor lights you choose, never sacrifice practicality for style. After all, the lights you buy must last you for years to come without repeated repairs or replacements.