Sneak in Recessed Lighting

If you want barely-there overhead lighting on a covered porch or in a sunroom, opt for recessed can lights built right into the ceiling. In this space designed by Emily Henderson, white high hats blend right into the shiplap ceiling so you only notice the light they shine…without actually seeing them.

Romanek Design Studio

Take It Step by Step

This patio lighting idea is part form, part function, resulting in a thoughtful and considerate backyard escape. Small bar lights are built into the wood steps, seamlessly illuminating the descent from the open deck to the pebble pathway below.

Commune Design

Hang a Chic Pendant Light

This balcony, designed by Commune Design, feels like an organic extension of the interior, thanks to considered decor like a demilune table, ornate mirror, and faceted pendant light. Shop for a style that brings a necessary design element to your outdoor space, like a bit of glitz in an otherwise pastoral scene.

Robson Rak

Go Sleek and Subtle

Instead of opting for an oversized pendant or bold lantern, choose a more subtle choice instead, like the modern and streamlined sconces seen in this space designed by Robson Rak. A bonus? When turned on, they’ll throw graphic beams of light that instantly up the cool factor of your space.

Christopher Baker

Pepper in Some Candlelight

Alfresco dining is great, but cooking outside is even better. In a Key West house, the outdoor kitchen cabinets are made from old cypress shutters and the tropical florals bring a bright pop of playful colors, while hurricane candles scattered around the area provide plenty of soft lighting.

Don Freeman

Play Up a Decor Theme

Lighting really has the ability to set the scene, especially when you choose a design with personality. If you’d like to bottle a particular ethos for your outdoor space, search for lights that play into that theme. Here, red lanterns are reminiscent of an old ship, making them the perfect pairing for a lakeside dock.

Dacian Groza

Shine the Spotlight

When designing an outdoor space—and all the natural elements and lifestyle events it encounters—flexibility is a key factor in all the elements you choose, from the outdoor dining table to the lighting. If overhead lighting isn’t an option due to other design features, consider a dramatic alternative, like spotlights, instead. Here, designer Heather Hilliard opted for minimalist floodlights that secure to the frame of the overhead slat structure and fill the entire dining area with light. Bonus: These are also a great option safety-wise for front doors and driveways, especially if you set them up with sensors to automatically light up when motion is detected.

William Abranowicz

Repeat a Motif

If your outdoor space spans multiple locations (like a pool deck, patio, and fire pit), then coordinate a few elements to reinforce your design and tie the scene together. Shop for an outdoor lighting collection that repeats the same style or motif in different forms, such as the coordinating pendant light and sconce on the terrace of this Spanish Colonial by design team O’Brien and Muse.

Alexander Design

Hang Tree Pendants

Show your trees some love—and make your backyard look like it’s straight out of a rom-com—by hanging lanterns in the branches, as Alexander Design did here. It’s mostly aesthetic and shouldn’t be your only light source, but it definitely adds a heavy dose of charm and style.

House Beautiful

String Some Bistro Lights

Nothing screams quaint charm quite like a set of bistro lights. Beyond their obvious charming appeal, they’re a great way to define boundaries and delineate a “room” in your outdoor space. Here, designer Jill Sharp Weeks used string lights to make her garden feel like an extension of her home.

House Beautiful

Try an Oversized Floor Lamp

To make a backyard sitting area feel more like an outdoor living room, opt for traditional indoor lighting, like a floor lamp. Look for a design in a resilient and nature-inspired material, like rattan, and opt for a slightly larger size to compensate for the expansive nature of your backyard.

Fantastic Frank

Add a Bit of Drama

Have a standout moment in your backyard? Use lighting to call attention to its presence! Here, a minimal and modern pool deck is kicked up a notch with a variety of lighting elements, like uplights and in-pool lighting. Not only does the end result look hotel-worthy, but it’ll be a total game changer for night swims, too.

Commune Design

Go Big With Oversized Chandeliers

Now this is how you make an entrance. In this Spanish-style Beverly Hills home designed by Commune Design, the front patio is inviting, comfortable, elaborate, and ornate all at once. The warm terracotta tiles, exposed beams, and spunky pops of fuchsia all ground the intricate wrought iron chandeliers.

Nnightpalm Studio

Upgrade Furniture With Underglow

It doesn’t get any chicer than this backyard designed by Night Palm Studio. The mood is undeniably sultry, from the curved shape and soft swirls of the black and white side tables to warm LED underglow lighting built into the bench.

Fantastic Frank

Sprinkle Around Garden Lights

See that little spotlight nestled into the rock landscaping behind the bench? Shaped like spotlights or little torches, garden lights are perfect for anyone who wants to shine a light on their gardening skills even after the sun goes down.

Jenn Feldman

Hang a Few Sconces

Even if your backyard sitting area doesn’t have a ceiling or overhead structure, you can still make sure to shed some light on the space. Instead, turn to glowing sconces that can attach to the side of your home, like interior designer Jenn Feldman did here.

Thomas Loof

Combine Forces With Fans

This cheery front porch designed by Amanda Lindroth is a tropical dream come true. Not only does it pack a punch with its juicy tangerine color palette, but it also seamlessly combines form and function, with a quad of electric ceiling fans/light that keep air circulating on balmy summer nights.

House Beautiful

Line Up Some Lanterns

Hosting a crown for dinner and a night under the stars? Set the mood—and keep them safe—with a line of lanterns. They’re an inexpensive (and non-permanent!) way of carving out a pathway that feels totally dreamlike (and runs no risk of guest tripping).