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For people who have a backyard that includes a patio, there are several styles of patio lighting you can use to enhance the overall area. The type of outdoor lighting you choose to use depends on what effect you want to achieve. Some people choose to place basic string lights around their patio to create a festive atmosphere for a specific occasion or event. This can also be done around the frame of an outdoor gazebo if you are planning an outdoor party. You will find the string lighting available in different shapes to enhance the theme of your event.

You might select garden lights to place around your patio or deck area to enhance the flowers and plants you have there. This type of lighting can come as larger lantern lights with inserts that have various decorative panels. These may be used in combination with candles to create a flickering subdued effect. You could purchase some ground lighting to place around the area of your garden or along a pathway. These are smaller styled lantern lights, which have a stake you place into the ground. This style is available as standard bulb lighting that requires electricity, or as solar lighting.

You will also find solar lighting available as recessed lighting for decks. The soft illumination of these deck lights is a great way to enhance the look of your wicker furniture in the evening. Some variations on outdoor lights for patios include the stones used for stair lighting. These are molded plastic stones made to resemble the real items, but have a hollowed hole in them where you place a candle for your light. These stones create a Zen like atmosphere to the area they are placed in and come in several different sizes. Adding some type of illumination to your patio, will make your outdoor dining experience more enjoyable.

Japanese Garden Lantern from gardecor.com

There are many different decorative items you can use to accent your garden area. You will find interesting and unusual statues, fountains and lighting options to enhance the garden. Garden lanterns are a combination of decorative and functional and can be found in several styles including the popular Japanese garden lantern design. Lanterns with an Asian influence often have glass inserts with decorative images. These inserts are usually placed into a metal frame that makes up the base of the lantern. Many styles available for use in the garden come with a looped hanger on top so you can hang them from a post or, you may choose to sit them on the ground.

Some lanterns operate by electric bulb, but many are created to be used as candle lanterns. There are several designs made to hold a traditional votive candle or a larger pillar candle in the base. These candle lanterns are available in an assortment of styles that may or may not include a metal frame, which of course is ideal because it is fire resistant. A good example is the Moroccan candle lantern. Some designs are created from stained glass and are assembled similarly to a glass  lamp shade. The glass may be painted with bright nature images such as flowers or butterflies.

Decorative glass garden lanterns may also be hung from a wire holder to create a festive or romantic atmosphere. Other common lantern materials include natural stone such as granite.  Some are carved with a theme, including lighthouse designs or Eastern-influenced Zen pavilions. Add a candle, and your lantern will glow from within.

If you like the look of old world charm, you might select one of several styles of Victorian lanterns for your backyard area. These have the look of old time oil lamps and are available in a blue or black metal. The base and top are metal, while the lantern portion is made of clear glass. Whatever type of effect you want to create in your garden, there is a style of outdoor lantern that will help you achieve it.

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There are many types of outdoor sconces available, which cater to different needs and aesthetic preferences. Security is often a concern, especially for exterior staircases and other dark outdoor spaces, which is vastly improved with proper lighting. These areas can be converted into comfortable and inviting zones by carefully and tastefully choosing different types of outdoor sconces.

Outdoor sconces are available in several shapes and designs and are constructed of various materials such as wrought iron, glass, pewter, or brass. Some designs are contemporary, while others tend towards traditional. Other styles include Mission, Moroccan and Southwestern. Often, outdoor sconces combine several styles and fall somewhere between nostalgic and modern. Whichever style of sconce you choose, rest assured you’ll be adding elegance to your home while making your home and yard a safer place.

Aside from the many styles of sconces available, there are many garden lighting manufacturers from which to choose. You may decide to select a sconce that also matches other fixtures within the manufacturer’s line that you can also incorporate into your outdoor lighting scheme such as pendant fixtures, lanterns or other accent lights.

Some sconces project light up and down, which is referred to as uplighting and downlighting, while others only aim light in one direction. If you prefer clean, white light, the sconces featuring xenon or halogen bulbs provide that effect. There are also various features, such as dimmers, which allow you maximum versatility with your outdoor sconces.

For more general lighting rather an directional, the preferred material is glass. A glass outdoor sconce, fitted with standard bulbs, produces diffused light, which is suitable for areas like stairways or porches. Some areas need mood lighting instead of  bright lights; a good choice is LED outdoor sconces. LEDs are found in everything from LED plant grow lights to LED traffic lights, and they work wonders in terms of producing even lighting levels for an outdoor setting without blinding occupants.

Moroccan Lantern from natashascafe.com

Moroccan history is charming and carries mystique. We all know the stories about Aladdin and other fairy tales about ancient princes and castles. Morocco is known for its food as well as popular products like tea and light fixtures including lanterns. Moroccan candle lanterns are very famous because of their unique and astonishing designs. They are made out of glass and metal with cutouts in them and together they create an amazing effect on their surroundings.

Glass was invented in the Middle East during the Middle Ages, and following its invention, it was incorporated in many items. Back then, Morocco become famous because of its colored glass metal lanterns and craftsmen earned a lot of money by producing them for kings and noble men. The lanterns were used as lighting fixtures for bath houses and also to decorate patios and other rooms, both inside and outside. Only the rich were able to buy these lanterns because it took a lot of time and effort to fabricate one. Of course, they were all handmade and the glass had to be painted (stained) perfectly before it was sold to a king.

Nowadays you can still find handmade Moroccan lanterns that are much more affordable. The production process is cheaper since they are produced in factories. Small lanterns are already available for $5 or $10 and many people like to place these on their tabletops.

You can find cheaper items at bigger stores like Walmart, Nextag or Amazon, but if you want to buy an authentic (handmade) lantern, then you must look for specialized shops. In the US there are a few such shops, but if you search the Internet you will see there are quite a few online shops selling these lanterns. If you really want to be sure they are handmade and authentic, then the best way to buy them is during your holiday to Morocco itself.

Decorative garden lighting has come a long way throughout the years. Today, there are solar and LED lights that help to illuminate dark areas of a garden as well as save on the electric bill. These lights come in many styles and even in many colors. They can be purchased to create a certain décor style or for their whimsical appeal. Decorative garden lighting is easily found at many home improvement stores as well as in many department store chains.

LED Dragonfly Garden Lights
Dragonflies are a popular item that many people try to include in their outdoor decor. These little creatures can now be found in decorative garden lighting. They are often solar powered lights that do not require a plug to operate them. They are fast and easy to install in and around a garden and are beautiful as well. They are built to be corrosion resistant, which is perfect for outdoor use. The solar LED lights included in these dragonflies will stay lit for 10 consecutive hours at a time. Dragonfly lights can be found on strings, usually with 10 little dragonflies attached to it, or they can be found in small garden statues.

Garden Lanterns
Garden lanterns can give the area a timeless look when searching for decorative garden lighting. These lanterns are perfect for illuminating pathways that many gardens have today. They can be found with metal casings that can either be powder coated in black or, for a real rustic touch; they can be found in burnt bronze. These lanterns can be placed on hooks, that will allow the light to shine above the garden path or they can be placed beside the walkway on the ground. Many of these lights also come with the popular solar lighting in them. This makes owning and maintaining these decorative lighting pieces a breeze. They do not require the owner to turn them off and on and they do not need to be plugged into an electrical outlet.

Solar String Garden Lights
Solar string lights are another decorative garden lighting choice. These lights often come on wires that hold fourteen or more little bulbs. They are very flexible so that the lights can create any type of design that a garden may have. Many people like to place these solar strings in and around bushes, trees and even fencing to help illuminate a garden area. When these solar string lights have a full day of sun to recharge themselves they have the ability to stay lit for up to 8 continuous hours. The photo-cell sensors that are built in the lights automatically detect when it is getting dark outside and is time to turn the lights on.

So, as you can see, there are several whimsical, decorative garden lighting options on the market. Thanks to energy saving LEDs and solar garden lights, you can adorn your yard without wasting energy.

Providing electrical power to all of your garden lights can prove challenging, though solar garden lights can provide an easy solution. Rather than wasting all that time concealing unsightly wires, you can simply stick a fixture in the ground and let it go to work collecting the sun’s energy.

Many solar light fixtures on the market today contain a solar panel, light sensor, LED fixture and a battery. During the day, the energy from the sun’s rays are converted by the fixture’s solar array and stored by the battery. The sensor detect the approach of dusk or dawn, turning themselves on or off accordingly. The sun’s captured energy powers the fixture all night long.

Some solar light sets are connected together and operate off a single panel. While solar path lights are some of the most common types, flood lights, spotlights and outdoor lamps are also available in solar formats. Whimsical solar lighting options include string lights, decorative stakes and globes. Depending on your budget, you can purchase cheap solar lights with plastic casing, or more durable and attractive stainless steel solar garden lights.

Sound like solar lights are perfect for your garden? First, weigh the pros and cons:

Pros of Solar Garden Lights:

* Easy to install
* No wiring necessary
* Can be moved as needed
* No cost to operate

Cons of Solar Garden Lights:

* Not as bright as many electric fixtures
* Can’t use in shady areas
* May be more costly upfront

Choosing garden lights doesn’t have to be such a serious affair. Add personality and color to your garden by choosing whimsical fixtures. Forget the garden gnomes; place a few of these eclectic fixtures in your yard for special holidays, or leave them out all year long.

Wild Grass Solar Garden Lights (3 LED Lights)

These LED fixtures take the concept of garden lighting literally: they look exactly like stalks of grass! Set them to steadily glow or flash for a special holiday.

Lilies and butterflies

Nothing says spring like lilies and butterflies. These garden lights are about as whimsical as them come! These solar lights even change color, turning from blue to green to pink…

Dragonfly garden stake lights

Actual dragonflies don’t hang around that long, but these solar powered, decorative replicas can illuminate your garden all through the night. They also feature shifting color LEDs.

Pink Flamingo garden lights

Everyone loves a pink flamingo in the front yard. Even better? Pink flamingo garden lights! You’ll be the envy of the neighborhood.

You’ve worked hard to make your garden flourish, and one of the best ways to show it off—even at night—is to install garden lighting. But where do you begin?

Determine your goal. While pure aesthetics inspire many to light their gardens, there are several other reasons to develop an outdoor lighting scheme. Safety is a big concern, and garden lighting may help to prevent you or your family members from tripping while crossing the yard at night. Another reason to light your yard is for security. Light, especially motion sensor activated outdoor lighting, discourages trespassers.

Do you want to light your garden only for a season? Create a festive pool-side barbeque area for the summer, or light your yard with festive outdoor holiday lighting. However, garden lighting is an amenity that can be enjoyed year-round from the comfort of your home. In this case, consider the position of your windows and your best garden views.

Identify the focal points. The first type of fixture that might come to mind is garden path lighting. While these fixtures can help you find your way, they probably aren’t the only type of fixture you need to showcase all of your hard work. Consider the focal points of your garden: interesting trees, fountains and seating areas. Draw a loose sketch of your garden and mark the locations of these elements. The best garden lighting schemes include a combination of path lighting, decorative garden lighting, accent lighting and garden spotlights. However, there is also a fine line between adequately lighting your garden and flooding it with light.

Set a budget. If your budget is limited, your plan should be conservative with emphasis on cheap garden lighting. You may also be concerned about electricity usage and are wondering about the benefits of solar garden lights. Electricity use can be avoided altogether by using candles in lanterns for a romantic atmosphere. Keep in mind that they require more vigilance and maintenance than an electrical garden lighting system with automatic timers. If this more complex system is in your budget, consider hiring a landscape designer or a skilled electrician.

Get educated about garden light fixtures. Take a walk around your neighborhood at night and find inspiration in your neighbors’ outdoor lighting schemes. Visit your local home improvement store to get an idea of the size, shape and weight of the fixtures available. There are many types of garden lighting from which to choose, and we’ll break down the pros and cons of each.