Outdoor lighting enhances your backyard’s ambiance, improves the functionality of your space, and ensures that the perimeter of your pool and the rest of your backyard remain safe for family and guests to walk around.


Take a look at these 5 great ideas for improving outdoor lighting around your home.

The Grilling Area: Outdoor Grill Lights

Grill Lights and Outdoor Lighting for Grills
Task lighting is essential for gauging cooking times. The best option to go with is a flexible grill light designed to be weather-resistant. You can even find battery-powered models if you are short on outdoor electrical outlets. In terms of installation types, you will find a variety of options:

  • Clip-on grill lights are the most portable, but tend to be the least sturdy.
  • Clamp-on grill lights are typically more durable than clip-on light fixtures because the clamp screws right onto your grill shelf. screws on easily to your grill shelf, so the light fixture can be moved relatively without problems.
  • Fixed-mount grill lights are other option that are installed on your grill permanently. The fixed-mount installation is the most seamless, with the light fixture directly affixed to the top of your grill shelf.



Photos courtesy of Kichler Lighting


Outdoor Lighting for Dining Areas

The Dining Area: Outdoor Hanging Lights


When it comes to outdoor lighting for dining areas, soft, intimate lighting helps set the scene for relaxed dinners with family and friends that extend into the evening—and a little light goes a long way. You can scatter candles across the table, arrange a few battery-operated outdoor lanterns, or hang an outdoor candelabra. Remember to use drip catchers (also called bobeches) for any suspended candles.























Photo courtesy of Kichler Lighting


Outdoor Lighting for Stairs - Recessed LightingThe Stairs: Outdoor Step Lights

 

Recessed lighting on stairs adds both safety and style to stairways. These light fixtures are easy to install and come in a variety of designs and colors to match the style of your outdoor space. Color-changing LED step light kits are one option. You can control the mode of these lights using a remote control. For a party atmosphere, you might want to set the step lights to bright, fast-changing colors. On a quiet night, you can create a calming vibe with a slow display of more subdued colors.













Photo courtesy of Trex Company


Outdoor Lighting for Decks and Railings
The Deck/Railings: Outdoor Deck Post Lights

 

Creating an outline with string lights or rope lights is a classic option. You can also install lights on the deck’s post caps and railing. Another option to consider is light fixtures with “photocells,” which will enable automatic turn-on at dusk and turn-off at dawn. Photocells are sensors that detect light. When the sun goes down, they will sense that light levels are declining and signal for the light fixture to turn on. Photocells are often incorporated into solar lights, but they are also available in battery-powered and hardwired lights.



Photos courtesy of Kichler Lighting

Outdoor Recessed Lighting for Patio Surfaces and Decks The Patio Surface: Recessed Lighting

 


Did you know that many recessed lighting kits for stairs can also be installed right into the flooring of decks or patios? Believe it or not, it’s a relatively easy weekend project, and a unique alternative to conventional landscape lighting.

To install recessed lighting, you will first wire the lights together and connect them to an LED driver that will power the lighting system. Once they are wired, you will drill small one- inch holes in the deck or patio and simply push the lights in—they will be secured automatically with spring clips.













Photos courtesy of Kichler Lighting


About the Author: Emily Widle is a blogger for Pegasus Lighting, an online retailer that sells a wide selection of outdoor step lights for the home, among other unique lighting products.