With Christmas just around the corner, many families are starting to think about how they are going to decorate their homes. Outdoor Christmas lights are a great way to show off your love of the festive season as well as your eye for design and style.
Here are some tips to get your outdoor lights looking their best whilst focusing on pathways and sustainability.
Choosing the right outdoor Christmas lights
The Christmas lights market is full of different choices and it can feel a bit overwhelming at times when you are looking to change your festive offerings. Make sure you opt for outdoor Christmas lights as they are designed to weather the rain and cold.
There are usually IP ratings on the boxes of different lights which indicate their suitability for use outdoors. They are made up of the letters IP followed by two numbers; the first indicates the level of protection from solid objects whilst the second is for water resistance. The higher both numbers, the more suitable they are.
Creative pathway lighting ideas
Illuminating your pathways can be such a magical experience, especially for younger kids and visitors. They will feel as though they are walking towards a magical grotto!
String lights, lanterns and stake lights are best for this project. Start with the lowest level illuminations which could be the stake lights. Make sure they are at the edge of the paths at even spaces to ensure walkers can see.
Next comes lanterns. You could use these to mark the beginning and end of your paths or to punctuate your stake lights and add height and depth. String lights are the final addition. If you have trees, use them to string the lights alongside the pathways to brighten the space.
Elevating your light display
Some homeowners love utilising technology to enhance their lighting displays. You can get apps which allow you to synchronise your lights to music. This is especially fun if you are hosting a party or special event.
You could turn your display into a charity fundraiser for a local organisation and have displays for the local community to enjoy. If you were feeling really technologically minded, add some colour-changing lights too for another layer of wow.
Incorporating sustainable lighting practices
Having a large outdoor Christmas lights display doesn’t have to have a huge impact on the environment.
Solar-powered lights are pretty common and usually in stake light or lantern form. If you wanted, you could keep these in place all year long and they can light your way.
Motion sensors and timer plugs are key for keeping your energy bill and emissions down. You can time your lights so that they come on at 6 pm, for example, and turn off automatically at 10 pm. This prevents the annoying feeling when you realise your lights have been on all night!
