How to Make your own Stunning Outdoor Lighting
There’s nothing more relaxing and self-fulfilling than making something useful all on your own. Even building my own IKEA dining room table was the most awesome feeling. Standing back and admiring my handiwork felt really good.
Lighting is something a bit more difficult to DIY. Just the idea of playing with wires and electricity makes me second think the whole thing. But then I let my mouse wander on Pinterest, and it’s a whole lot easier than you’d ever think! Beautiful ideas — whether you have a small balcony, a big patio, or a stunning garden. Outdoor lighting creates an ambiance that you never knew you could create. Let me tell you how:
STRING LIGHTS
Adding a bit of charm and romantic atmosphere to your patio is so easy! If you already have wooden beams or another type of pole to tie something to, then you’re halfway there.
If not, place wooden poles or branches in buckets of sand. You can also make a few permanent poles set in concrete to hang up some outdoor lights. Then, get yourself some string lights and hang them either from pole to pole, or twirl them around the poles from top to bottom.
Another option is to attach the string lights to a wall:
MASON JAR OIL CANDLES
These are so beautiful and so so easy to make. Take your mason jar, add some flower heads, leaves, or any other botanical pieces, fill the jar with water and a bit of vegetable oil , and there you have it! You can also add essential oils to repel mosquitoes and create a divine aroma. Easy enough, right? Stick a floating wick on the top, and you’re ready to go.
TEA-LIGHT DELIGHTS
Put some tea candles afloat the water in a birdbath, or regular candles in different sizes inside the birdbath to create a tropical and beautiful vibe. If you’re a birdbath short, place the tea lights inside some paper lanterns for an enchanting walkway through the garden .
UP-CYCLED TIN CAN LIGHTS
Fill a tin can with water, freeze it, and create a design in it using a hammer and nail. Ta-da! Be creative — make whatever design your heart desires. There’s an awesome tutorial on how to make the perfect tin can lights here.
WOODEN MARQUEE LETTERS
These are one of my favorites. I love words, so that means I have to love letters, too. I got this awesome idea from Jen Hadfield’s blog and she gives a great step-by-step guide, too.
Buy yourself a piece of plywood — if you want a rustic look, get a lower premium grade, but it’s totally up to you. Get a 10-light strand of outdoor globe lights, and three 4-packs of frosted, 25-watt, small candelabra-based globe bulbs, and you’re ready to go! These are slightly more time consuming to create, but SO worth it:
There are so many other beautiful DIY ideas to creating your own outdoor lighting. If you happen to make some yourself, or already have, tag us on Instagram — we’d love to see! @brightechshop
Stay bright :)
