by Tracey Jones & Stacey Kaminski –
It’s here … the most wonderful time of the year! But wait; what? No outside lights up? No giant blow-up Santa in your winter wonderland? If you’re sweating the holiday light chaos, you’re not alone. So many options; so little time!
Here’s a rundown of just a snippet of what is available for exterior lighting these days and also some ideas for thinking outside the box (and off the ladder perhaps!) for festive décor that will light up your holiday home.
“Old school” string lights. A great option always for eaves and roof peaks. Go for LED bulbs; your Hydro bill will thank you
Garden Laser Light. No ladders, no hassle. Just point this single laser light toward the house facade and voila: thousands of twinkles! Bonus that you can control it remotely from inside!
Net lights. Wrapping hedges with twinkle lights may seem like a daunting task, especially when figuring out where to stop and start each strand. Eliminate all of the second-guessing by investing in net lights. Time saved here is priceless!
Classic Icicle lights. This holiday standby gives you so much more dazzle than a single strand. Bonus tip: stuff these icicles into garden shrubs like a net light … less expensive and works well!
The following are tips and tricks for a glowing holiday display:
Lights on timers. Most timer options simply plug into an exterior outlet, giving you a low maintenance approach to holiday lighting that’s perfectly timed.
Lighting walkways. Since holidays often attract more guests to the home than other times of the year, be sure to keep walkways brightly lit. An easy way to do this is to take advantage of any smaller trees or shrubs along or around the walkway and outfit them with just a few strands of lights. Although they may be too small to properly read from the street, the subtle glow cast onto walkways will help guests make their way up to the house safely.
Mixed light sources. Year-round exterior lighting such as sensory-activated motion lights, security spotlights and sconces can often interfere with the soft ambiance created by twinkle lights. The key to properly mixing different sources is overpowering year-round fixtures with twinkle lights. Consider changing year-round bulbs to those with lower wattage, resulting in a beautiful, soft glow along all exterior surfaces of the home, and allowing twinkle lights to shine bright(er)!
Decorate a tree outside! In addition to the one inside, why not also light up and decorate a tree outside? Pick your star timber – front and centre – and decorate away!
Simplicity (and natural) is key when it comes to Holiday porch decorations. Cut boughs from various tree sources , cut winter berry branches, collect winter cones … put some string lights in a galvanized bucket with the fresh greenery. So pretty!
Skip the traditional candle and toss in a tangle of string lights or battery-operated LED wire lights to amp up holiday lanterns.
Tomato cages are the perfect shape for making outdoor Christmas trees for porch or front lawn. Pick up light strings and wired garland and simply wrap! Sparkling “saplings” look magical outdoors!
Whether you go all out with your holiday decorating, simply put up a tree, or even just pull up the covers (!) find some moments to stop and revel in the sparkling magic of the season. Happy Holidays!
Contact: www.remarkableinteriors.ca or www.interiorstylesbystacey.com.
