I used to buy outdoor light strings at Smith & Hawken and Martha Stewart, but Smith & Hawken's only licensed through Target now and Martha Stewart no longer makes the versions I liked, so I've begun to look elsewhere and round out my source list. With LED bulbs and solar-powered lights becoming more accessible and online retailers like Amazon and Lamps Plus stocking huge inventories, there's actually a ton of good options out there.
>> Huntington 50 Foot String Light with 10 Galvanized Steel Shades: These go for anywhere between $150 and $200 (available at Amazon and other online retailers). They use regular 25-40 watt bulbs, and they're nice and big.
>> Galvanized Shade String Lights 50 Foot Length: Another string of lights with galvanized steel shades at Backyard Gardener, $170.
>> Huntington Galvanized Metal String Party Lights: These are smaller and they use 5-watt bulbs for a dimmer glow. $20 at Amazon.com.
>> Copper Shade 50 Foot Length String Lights at Lamps Plus: The copper shades reflect light beautifully in the evening. Available at Lamps Plus for $190.
>> Solar String Lights by Solar Illuminations: These LED lights are solar powered, $90.
>> String Bulbs: G50 15 Light Set: Nice big, round bulbs in clear glass, $24 at at PartyLights.com.
>> Simple Green: LED Lights for the Patio: This photo comes from Danny Seo's blog and shows strings of LED lights on his patio. The advantage of LEDs is that they're energy efficient and they don't burn out as often as regular bulbs.
>> String Lights Zig Zagging Overhead: This post gives ideas for ways to install your string lights. (Photo from Modern Outdoor Lighting.)
>> Golden Globe Lights: Another version of globe lights, $39 - $99 at Napa Style.
>> Paper Globe Lanterns: Classic summer style. These are on sale right now, $20 for a set of 10 at Pottery Barn.
>> European Cafe Commercial Quality String Lighting: A 35-foot string with 7 sockets and galvanized shades, $90 at Amazon.com.
>> Commercial-Grade Heavy-Duty Outdoor String Lights: A 54-foot strand with 24 sockets from Sival, $95.
Which Wall Color Gives the Best Sleep?
Marisa and Peter's Playfully Eclectic Home
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Z2 iPod Dock and Wi...
10 Low-Budget Pantry Items Everyone Should Have
Summer Recipe: Gluten-Free & Vegan Strawberry Shortcake
This post is so timely! I was just researching string lights yesterday, and found most of the options listed here. I'm going with the G50 lights from PartyLights.com
Another good thing about LED lights is that they don't emit any UV radiation, and therefore they don't attract bugs! If you look for the color "Warm White", they simulate the yellowy incandescent color fairly well.
Don't forget the discount places like BigLots and hardware stores too... lot's of great solar options...solar Tiki Lights and fairly lights :)
gardenridge pottery... they start selling christmas lights durring summer time. thats where i plan to go when the time is right.
I bought 4 25-foot packages of white outdoor lights on clearance post-Christmas. Yay!
We JUST purchased a few strands of globe lights for our deck this weekend - and they're actually the Smith Hawken lights from Target. Love them!
The LED strands are intriguing - I'd love to check out the "warm white" and see how they perform. Thanks for sharing!
Yep, we bought the clear white globes from Target earlier this spring and strung them overhead across our back deck. They were $10 a box, each string is approximately 25 feet so they are quite long and can be looped/draped as necessary. Last year we ran a string of the same set along the top inside of our front porch attached to a lamp dimmer (no electrical work required if you get a lamp dinner, not wall dimmer) from Home Depot. The dimmer is attached to the underside of a patio table and it is easy to adjust the lights from bright to dim depending on the mood.
What... so what's wrong with Target?
Don't forget garage sales! My mother manages to find at least 4 boxes of practically-new string lights a year.
aw man, i am such a sucker for the globe lights outside. makes everything look like a tom petty video :) must move to place with patio...
These lights from Ikea are very cute, solar, and only 19.99: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00177447
I love those paper globe lanterns from Pottery Barn! They're exactly what I've been looking for. Thank you! I still love the patio lanterns from the 60's -70's. They might be tacky but I still love them anyway and wish they were still manufactured. I can't find them anywhere. If anyone knows where I can find some online please let me know. I've looked on ebay but haven't found anything really good.
My sister bought some lantern wall stickers last month from a place called WallCandy Arts. They look like outdoor lanterns but they're actually glow in the dark wall decals. They look awesome in my nephew's bedroom. You have to check these out. They are the coolest thing I've ever seen. http://www.wallcandyarts.com/shop/product.cfm/night-lights-decorative-decals
40 foot strands of globe lights for $10 at BIG LOTS. YOU CANT BEAT THAT.
Does anyone know of any squirrel-proof lights? We put strings of Christmas lights in our yard only to have the squirrels chew through the wires, destroying them all. Who knew that squirrels liked to chew plastic so much?
Hi! I love string lights! Thanks for the research, and input from readers on this. We put string lights in a screened porch area for soft festive lighting: http://austintexasrealestateblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/string-lights-old-idea-made-new.html
If you're buying from Lamps Plus, beware of styles that try to look antique or weathered -- the string I ordered was really fake-looking. It had that sort of "Pier 1 effect" where it's obviously new. I ended up getting the same style at Target, with twice as many lanterns for the same price.
Golden Globe Lights: Another version of globe lights, $39 - $99 at Napa Style.
These ones from Napa Style are actually glass. I got a plastic version of these from Target for a lot cheaper.
I like Target! Also, thrift stores, such as Goodwill, are a good source. I have found brand-new, still in package LED lights in the holiday ware sections. Right now am enjoying a string of butterfly solar lights on my tiny deck.
@Torgny - I went through 4 sets of the Christmas lights. I tried rubbing Scotch Bonnet chilies, but the squirrels chewed through anyway. I finally got the rope lights encased in plastic and have had them for 3 years and not a single chew mark.
I would love to get strings of Chinese lanterns that can stay outside - so, not paper. Is there such a beast?
The late Smith & Hawken had the best string lights. Do love the Simple Green LED Lights such a sweet look and they are 'green'! Another great green option are these solar powered soji lanterns:
http://www.urbansherp.com/solar-powered-lanterns
Any suggestions on what to hang string lights on if you don't have a patio that's in between two buildings?? I have a 20x20 front yard that I want to zig-zag some lights across... house on one side, 3' picket fence on the other side. Maybe some type of pole pushed into the ground?? All I can think of is PVC pipe or some old black IKEA curtain rods... but that sounds somewhat ghetto to me :)
Really nice post..I would love to get strings of Chinese lanterns that can stay outside..
http://designerlights.blogspot.com/2012/02/why-you-should-choose-designer-lighting.html
Target has some great bulb string lights for 12.99 that work great in my backyard. http://www.target.com/p/room-essentials-clear-globe-lights-25ct/-/A-12958843
I got these cafe lights last year from pottery barn and they are fantastic: http://www.potterybarn.com/products/cafe-string-lights/?pkey=clighting-lanterns-outdoor
I got these cafe lights last year from pottery barn and they are fantastic:
http://www.potterybarn.com/products/cafe-string-lights/?pkey=clighting-lanterns-outdoor
There are a few places online that sell "silk" rice paper style lanterns. I considered getting a few sets for our covered deck but then decided that the "silk" ones would eventually mildew (as does everything in Washington). I bought super cheap paper ones at World Market 3 years ago and they still look fine.
There are a few places online that sell "silk" rice paper style lanterns. I considered getting a few sets for our covered deck but then decided that the "silk" ones would eventually mildew (as does everything in Washington). I bought super cheap paper ones at World Market 3 years ago and they still look fine.
I have been looking for string lights with a white wire instead of green - proving to be quite tricky...
I have been looking for string lights with a white wire instead of green - proving to be quite tricky...
I have been looking for string lights with a white wire instead of green - proving to be quite tricky...
This probably isn't an option for most people, but several bulb shops in the "Lighting District" (basically a few blocks surrounding the Bowery in NYC's Chinatown) sell sockets on a length of wire by the foot or yard. Buy that, close off the ends, buy bulbs, and you are good to go.
This probably isn't an option for most people, but several bulb shops in the "Lighting District" (basically a few blocks surrounding the Bowery in NYC's Chinatown) sell sockets on a length of wire by the foot or yard. Buy that, close off the ends, buy bulbs, and you are good to go.
The top left picture is inside a mall in Vegas. I know it was made to look like it's outside, but it still bothered me. Thank you for letting me get this off my chest :)
The top left picture is inside a mall in Vegas. I know it was made to look like it's outside, but it still bothered me. Thank you for letting me get this off my chest :)
These copper LED string lights are my current favorite. Found them because of AT. The onlything that owuld make them better if they were solar.
I get mine at Home Depot. We put them under the hand rail of our deck since we can't string them up higher.
On my parents patio, we dug down and set PVC pipes in concrete at ground level. Then for parties we insert galvanized rods into them. On the top are PVC pipe elbows with slots drilled in them - just run the lights through, stick them on top of the poles, and you're ready to party.
The original post is 3 years old and the last lights have gone up another $20. Other than that, I love these!
The original post is 3 years old and the last lights have gone up $20. Other than that, I love these!
Anybody ever buy the World Market string lights? A low price but will they last more than a season? I will be installing in a protected area. Looking at the frosted ones:
http://www.worldmarket.com/product/frosted-bulb-string-lights.do?&from=fn
We always use bulbtronics.com for our lighting needs... They have black or green wires and you can order different colored bulbs individually. They are VERY helpful!
http://www.bulbtronics.com/Search-The-Warehouse/ProductDetail.aspx?sid=0082024&pid=BTDXSLSM24330BK&Source=SearchResults
We always use bulbtronics.com for our lighting needs... They have black or green wires and you can order different colored bulbs individually. They are VERY helpful!
http://www.bulbtronics.com/Search-The-Warehouse/ProductDetail.aspx?sid=0082024&pid=BTDXSLSM24330BK&Source=SearchResults
We always use bulbtronics.com for our lighting needs... They have black or green wires and you can order different colored bulbs individually. They are VERY helpful!
http://www.bulbtronics.com/Search-The-Warehouse/ProductDetail.aspx?sid=0082024&pid=BTDXSLSM24330BK&Source=SearchResults
Yes, I must also ask : What is wrong with Target? Big fan of the Smith and Hawken sets from there, and plan to purchase more for our next abode. Anyone?
We've tried several sets of solar string lights, but surprisingly they've never withstood the weather (and we live in SoCal, where it's not exactly wet). They all needed to be replaced after a few weeks or months (the single solar stake lights work beautifully though).
But I can vouch for the commercial grade lights. Absolutely ballistic. If you want permanence, that's the only way to go. We've had a set hanging above our patio for nine years with no problems. No issues finding replacement bulbs because the light bulb store is only a mile away. ;)
I used the string lights from Target at my outdoor wedding last summer. They provided much more light that I would have imagined, were $10 on sale, and (at 20 ft of lighted length) were the best value I could find. Shipped them to Jamaica and they arrived intact! In the suitcase on the way back a few of the glass bulbs broke. A small price to pay.
http://www.save-on-crafts.com/ has all kinds of string lights, too.
Yo, I research insect navigation. Bugs are attracted to light (specifically high contrast of luminance...so light where it is particularly dark), regardless of its intensity in the UV spectrum.
Does anybody know of a good source for non-US-plug lights like these? We live abroad (moving about every two years) and would therefore love to find some good sources...
@Ludy There are a few options on Amazon (that link to external sites). If you are looking for the globe type lights just search "globe string lights white wire" and you'll see some G40 and G50 globe lights.
I used the globe type lights for a while, but I discovered an unseen hazard (for the lights): clumsy handling! I made the mistake of trying to shake out a bundle when I was next to a low brick wall. Shake went my hands, ppo-pop-pop went the lights! I have since replaced the bulbs, but for a while, some candelabra Christmas bulbs took their places.
For a nice silver-and-gold look, I also ran the ice-white LED strings with warm-white LED strings twirled together.
Oohh, Mike_in_Hawaii, I love that idea of braiding the ice- and warm-white lights!
Glad to see PartyLights.com represented. I used to do a lot of corporate parties and was able to get plenty of different thematic lights for various events. Good prices and an amazing selection in every color imaginable. I've also played favorite-auntie arriving with college-logo party lights as a gifts for the hard-to-buy for post-teens. Alumni fans like them for their game room bars, too. Tacky, but beloved. PartyLights has normal pretty lights, too.
We bought two strings of the globe paper pattern solar lights from IKEA mentioned above last summer. They are great and give nice light. So happy we're not plugging in lights any more.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00223963/
I bought two strings of the Pottery Barn lanterns for wedding decorations 12 years ago. After the wedding, my husband and I used them as the main lights in our bedroom for 10 years. They are now the main switched lights in my children's bedroom, still working perfectly without a single bulb replaced. I thought they were a little pricey when I ordered them, but they're a very good product.