A cozy patio is the perfect place for an intimate gathering with friends, but things can get dim and depressing after dark. Solve this dilemma with warm lighting solutions spread throughout the space. With the right features, your patio will become a go-to gathering place for all your memorable evenings together.
Add Twinkling Charm With String Lights
Image via Flickr by auhnix
String lights are an easy way to add a gentle touch of lighting to a large space. You can give your outdoor area an intimate glow with strings of white Christmas lights or globe patio lights. The options for this type of charming lighting are nearly endless. Specialty stores can give you options you probably never even considered, like suspended lights that hang down further from the strand, string lights with small circular shades, or multicolored globes. Browse the lighting lineup at Christmas Lights Etc. for a glimpse of what you can do with string lights.
Give Guests Personal Lighting
Dining after dark can present some problems if your patio isn’t well-lit. While you don’t want an overpowering number of lights blinding your guests, you do want to make sure they can see well enough to appreciate each course. Dress up your dinner table with personal lighting displays at each place. If you’re hosting a more formal party, you can let individual candles double as personalized party favors. For a more modern looking solution, consider LED-lit place cards for a stunning touch.
Highlight Your Serving Spaces
If you’re serving food buffet-style, you want to make sure your guests can find the goodies. Shine a spotlight on any area of particular significance for your event. This might be your outdoor bar cart, a dessert table, or even a selection of chips and dip. Whatever the highlight of your evening is, choose a special light to draw attention to the right area. If you’re under an overhang, a hanging light casts the perfect spotlight. Lacking this, you can illuminate the space with an LED-lit tree, strip lighting around the edge of a table, or even an eye-catching table lamp.
Cluster Candles in Dim Corners
Image via Flickr by gamillos
Candles add a gentle ambiance to any event, but they’re easily dwarfed by large expanses of space. If you want to make sure your candles have a noticeable impact on your party, find dim corners of your patio and light them with clusters of candles. Combine large pillars, small tea lights, and everything in between to create an eye-catching display that banishes any gloomy areas along the edge of the patio space.
Light Up Your Centerpieces
Table centerpieces are another smart spot to add some light to your event. If you’re not dining at a formal table, your centerpiece might sit on a coffee table or outdoor end table. Make these surfaces shine with a centerpiece that features lighting. You can fill empty wine bottles with string lights, tuck battery-powered tea lights in small lanterns, or simply wind lights around a central post, like the umbrella post on a covered table.
A few smart lighting solutions will serve you well for everything from casual cocktails to a special birthday party.
