Brighten Up Your Home with These Backyard Lighting Ideas

Solar lights are a backyard favorite for good reason. These post lights have solar cells that charge during the day, so they can provide light along walkways at night. If you just need to illuminate a small portion of your yard, or create a path to a back door, these easy-to-install lights are a great option.

16 Brilliant Backyard Lighting Ideas to Illuminate Your Outdoor Space

Whether you’re looking for some easy string lights or a more permanent installation, these outdoor lighting ideas will make your yard more functional.

Lisa Milbrand has more than 20 years of experience as a lifestyle writer and editor, writing thousands of articles on topics that help people live better and healthier lives for Real Simple, Parents, and dozens of other top publications.

Creating a functional (and beautiful!) backyard space is all about versatility. After all, you want to ensure that whatever outdoor space you have available—whether it’s a small patio or sprawling acreage—can be enjoyed at all times. A great outdoor space pairs moments of fun with moments of relaxation. It’s the perfect area to soak up the sun in the summer and cozy up in the winter. And, perhaps most of all, it’s an enjoyable place to spend time around the clock, day or night.

A variety of backyard lighting ideas can help you illuminate your hangout zone and add a magical element to your space. Achieving a bright and glowy look is also easier than you think. From a charming string of well-placed bistro lights to pro landscaping solutions, these backyard lighting ideas will make your outdoor space the ideal place to spend time and enjoy the company of loved ones.

Highlight Architectural Elements

Call attention to your home’s exterior in all the right ways with strategic lighting placement that highlights all the most stunning aspects of your abode’s architecture. Here, Toll Brothers builders used lighting to highlight specific architectural elements, like garden walls and the poolside pathway, to call attention to unique elements. (You can use lighting, for instance, to highlight a pergola, porch, or a railing.)

Add Light from Above

Hanging lights from a porch or pergola ceiling—or from branches of a tall tree—helps brighten up the space. (Just be sure that anything you hang is built for outdoors.)

String Twinkling Bistro Lights

One surefire way to create a fairytale-like atmosphere in your backyard? Outdoor string lights! The inexpensive addition never fails to up the charm of a space, allowing you to transform what was once a ho-hum backyard into a talked-about outdoor dining experience, like the one shown here by the creators behind Ciderpress Lane.

Hang an Arrangement of Paper Lanterns

For the feeling of a permanent fixture—and a stunning display over a dining table or lounge area—hang a collection of wispy paper lanterns together, as done here by Brooke Christen of Nesting With Grace. Not only will the look add a focal point to your outdoor zone, but it will deliver a soft glow overhead that will basically act as an IRL Instagram filter.

Add Some Candlelight

Candles have been a tried-and-true way to add a warm glow outdoors (and a little romance, too!). Just be sure to place candles in glass jars, hurricane lamps, or other structures that’ll prevent a warm breeze from snuffing them out. (And don’t be afraid to mix them in with electrical lighting, too.)

Take a Hint From Inside Your Home

When it comes to creating the same cozy atmosphere al fresco as you have indoors, look to mirror elements that work inside your home. Here, Steph Moore, the creator behind Renovation Bay-Bee turned to a duo of (outdoor-grade!) floor lamps to add a soft glow to her exterior lounge space. The result is a laid-back hangout zone similar to that of an indoor living room.

Create a “Room” With String Lights

If you’re looking to up the intimacy in a sprawling backyard space, look no further than this genius idea from Jenna Sue Design. During her backyard makeover, she gave a cozy fire pit lounge area some much-needed prominence by creating a barrier of string lights around the nook. The area is “walled off” with tall cedar posts, which are then strung with outdoor bulbs around the perimeter to mimic the feel of a room, allowing you to create a vacation-worthy destination in your own backyard.

Tote Around A Table Lamp

For maximum flexibility—and a backyard lighting idea that will charm any guest—try out a rechargeable or battery-powered LED lamp, like the vintage-inspired style seen in the backyard of Jen Rothbury of Crack the Shutters, above. Not only will it add a soft, romantic glow to any space, but it’s a great option if you find yourself regularly moving around multiple spots in your backyard at night.

Add a Standout Chandelier

There’s no better way to truly capture the essence of indoor/outdoor living than by hanging a traditionally indoor-exclusive lighting fixture outdoors. This standout chandelier from Hinkley Lighting adds some rustic charm to the covered outdoor living room in this backyard, and it would look equally as stunning over an al fresco dining table.

Stoke Some Flames

It’s no secret that outdoor fireplaces are a great way to up the cozy factor at home—but in our opinion, they can also be a great way to add a little (unconventional) backyard lighting to the equation, too! Take this stunning stone fireplace from Kim Demmon of Today’s Creative Life for example. When combined with a few sets of outdoor string lights and coaxed to its full, fiery potential, this scene is a great way to ensure your whole backyard is bathed in a welcoming glow any time company swings by.

Outline Your Deck

Pay homage to your outdoor living space—and keep visitors safe—by outlining the perimeter of your deck or patio with small lanterns or ground lights. At this Lake Arrowhead A-frame home, the glow of the interior lights (visible through floor-to-ceiling windows) combine with the deck lighting to create a one-of-a-kind outdoor atmosphere.

Shine a Spotlight on Nature

Using uplighting or subtle glow lights to highlight your favorite spots in your landscaping and add a glow throughout the yard. Here, Yardzen uses an uplight to feature a gorgeous old tree in the yard, along with a few key spots in the garden. You can also use string lights to trace the outline of a tree or weave into a favorite shrub to help brighten up dark spots.

Make Your Pool Glow

If you’re lucky enough to have a pool, use lighting to highlight it—both waterproof lights in the water to make the pool glow, and exterior lights to frame it. (And you can use floating candles or lanterns to add light to the surface, too.)

Light Up Your Walls

Walls can make an outdoor space feel even darker at night. You can use lighting to brighten it up, whether you create a full wall of string lights, or add permanent wall sconces (like this Yardzen design) that let the light reflect off of the wall.

Make Use of Unplugged Lighting Options

These days, you’ll find a lot of cool lighting that doesn’t need to plugged in—including solar lighting and battery operated options. You can put a string of battery-operated lights into a glass jar for a cool light feature, or use it to wrap around a post or other element that’s far from an outlet. Solar lights are useful for pathways, overhead lanterns, and other applications.

Layer Your Lighting

Throwing just a string of lights or just a chandelier up won’t do the job. You’ll want to combine several of these techniques to create an outdoor lighting setup that’ll make your backyard welcoming for you and your guests all night long.

Brighten Up Your Home with These Backyard Lighting Ideas

Enjoy your backyard, day or night, with these fun DIY backyard lighting options.

Andrea Beck served as garden editor at BHG and her work has appeared on Food and Wine, Martha Stewart, MyRecipes, and more.

Entertain even after the sun goes down simply by adding a few lights to your backyard. Outdoor lighting goes so much further than basic post lights illuminating a pathway—you can add light and decor at the same time with backyard string lights, lanterns, and even torches. Depending on the needs in your yard, you can also add multiple lighting solutions, such as illuminating a walkway and decorating an outdoor dining area with string lights. No matter how you choose to light up your yard, these backyard light ideas can provide a starting point for your next weekend project.

Solar Lighting

Solar lights are a backyard favorite for good reason. These post lights have solar cells that charge during the day, so they can provide light along walkways at night. If you just need to illuminate a small portion of your yard, or create a path to a back door, these easy-to-install lights are a great option.

Simple Backyard Lighting

If you just need a small amount of light, add cute string lights to an entertaining area. These blue lights can make the space more usable at night, but also add interest during the day. It’s a great DIY backyard lighting option for a small seating area.

Paper Lanterns

Hanging lanterns not only provide light at night, but they’re a beautiful addition to your yard during the day as well. Large trees make an easy, natural place to hang lanterns over this outdoor dining table. Their bright colors add style even when the lights aren’t illuminated.

Mixed Backyard Lighting

To truly light up your backyard, consider multiple DIY options. This outdoor dining area is usable at night thanks to a combination of hanging pendant lights, string lights, and even candles. A pergola is a great way to install the lights so they’re suspended above the table.

Rustic Pendants

Create a rustic, farmhouse design outside with help from your lighting. These hanging lights use Mason jars as fixtures for a casual, vintage feel. Suspended from a distressed wood overhang surrounding a tree trunk, the effect is relaxed and rural.

String Light Idea

Hanging string lights is a fun, modern way to add light to your yard. These casual lights stretch over the seating and grilling area, making it easier to entertain at night. Suspend the lights from a nearby garage, shed, porch, or even a freestanding pole.

Outdoor Dining Area

If you have an outdoor dining area set up in your yard, you’ll want lights for any late-night parties or after-dusk dinners. Intricate silver pendant lights suspended above this dining table make it feel elegant and modern. The neutral colors also allow the yellow chairs and patterned benches to stand out.

Simple String Light

Another option for an outdoor dining area is to hang string lights. A strand or two of lights strung over the table can provide enough light for dining after dark, and is much easier to install than a large outdoor light fixture. In this design, a white arbor placed over the table is the perfect place to hang lights without adding any additional structures.

Backyard Fireplace

Lighting the large fireplace in this backyard will provide plenty of light to the surrounding seating area. However, when it’s too hot for a fire, lanterns placed on either side can also illuminate the entertaining set up. Candles placed inside each lantern create a more natural, rustic lighting option.

Torch Candles

If you just need a temporary lighting solution for a nighttime gathering, consider adding a few tropical torches. These brightly-colored torches add interest to a planter. However, they can also be spaced along a pathway at night for extra lighting.

Outdoor Wall Sconces

Light up an outdoor patio along a garage with wall sconces. This backyard lighting idea provides a lot of light from just a few simple fixtures. Placing a dining area next to the lights on the concrete slab makes it more functional, even at night.

Backyard Patio

Frame a patio dining area with simple string lights. Two poles provide anchor points to hang the lights in a square around the patio from the side of the home. This design will illuminate the entire patio with just a few strings of bulbs.

Porch Light

Your front door probably has its own porch light, but your backyard could use one, too. Adding a porch light to the back of this house helps illuminate the patio seating area. A simple lantern design is both stylish and subtle at the same time.

Candle Centerpiece

If you don’t need a ton of light in your yard, try placing a few candles on an outdoor coffee table. This easy DIY backyard lighting doesn’t require any electrical installation. Plus, you can move the large hurricane candles as needed to provide light just where you need it.

Outdoor String Lights

Typically, you picture string lights hanging above your outdoor seating area. However, this patio design adds a new twist by hanging them at waist-height from the surrounding fence. It’s a simple, effective solution for placing string lights.

Outdoor Hanging Candles

The metal chandelier over this outdoor dining table gives it a rustic, homey feel. But it also supports individual glass cups that can hold lit candles. Whether you use real or electric candles, this backyard lighting idea is both rustic and romantic.

Wicker Lantern Backyard Lights

Add lights throughout your backyard by hanging them from trees. This simple DIY backyard lighting can illuminate a large area without adding any permanent installations. These wicker lanterns are easy to hang and can add light to almost any part of your backyard.

String Lanterns

String lantern lights hung along the edge of this home add color and style during the day. The location of the garage next to the patio provides a great spot to string up the lights. At night, they can illuminate the seating area with ease.

Star String Lights

Though most string lights are small, these large lights make a statement. Huge stars suspended over this casual dining area create a fun place for picnicking. During the day, the stars add an interesting design element, and will twinkle and sparkle at night.

Backyard Bar Lighting

Light up just enough space for late night home bartenders. A wall sconce installed above this outdoor bar makes it easier to mix up drinks for evening entertaining. The simple fixture also fits the casual style of the bar thanks to its wicker shade.