Make Outdoor Magic With String Lighting

Some enchanted evening, string lights may help your patio or porch put a sparkle in someone's eyes

Rachel Grace July 10, 2012

Houzz Contributor

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Summer is in full swing, and outdoor gatherings are at their peak. Each night as I descend upon my outdoor patio, I thank my lucky stars for string lights that whimsically resemble ... well, lucky stars. The simple, cost-effective and nonpermanent outdoor lighting method has transformed my backyard and can transform yours as well! Whether strung in trees, on the exterior of your home, from poles or on an arbor, they make an ordinary garden look magical. Available in various shapes, sizes and configurations, they are a great way to sprinkle a little light onto your outdoor evening celebration.

Vivid Design Group

Hung in a grid pattern, outdoor string lighting can create the illusion of a courtyard.

Easton Michael Smith

A screened-in porch is an excellent setting for string lights with a paper shade, because you don't have to worry about them getting wet. The Paper Lantern Store offers beauties identical to the black shades shown here.

Third Nature Studio

Rows of clear globe string lights are fastened onto a modern garden arbor in Templeton, California, ready to light up a Wine Country night.

KBC Developments

Hung directly above an outdoor dining table, twinkle lights can illuminate an evening meal.

Chelsea Design + Construction

These are reminiscent of Ballard Designs' Cafe String Lights, with each bulb's light reflected off a petal-shape galvanized shade.

Studio H Landscape Architecture

If your backyard is anything like mine (lacking trees), you can still bedazzle your patio area with string lighting by installing poles to attach the strings to. You can even create temporary poles by installing them in weighted buckets.

Richard Hughes Architect

Take advantage of trees on your property to attach the light strings to. Designer Richard Hughes intelligently utilized both the home's exterior and a large tree in the yard.

Risinger Homes

The team at Risinger Homes combined outdoor string lights with a shade sail to create dramatic overhead patio details in Austin, Texas.

When paired with modern materials, string lighting takes on a newfangled edge. Trina Turk's Super Paradise Print in Driftwood combines beautifully with globe string lights.