Outdoor decks are wonderful spaces to host grand parties or enjoy a quiet evening to yourself. In any case, the lighting used in these areas are essential for creating practical and beautiful spaces. Since decks have so much potential for their uses and styles, there are unlimited possibilities for different lighting schemes and styles. To gain inspiration for your specific deck, look at 25 of our best outdoor deck lighting ideas and advice for creating your ideal deck.
Brick is a classic architectural finish, and to highlight its natural warm tones, a matte black or dark lantern can be mounted on the walls. Lanterns themselves are classic in their style, so they can highlight a home that is traditional, cottage, transitional, or some other style that has an appreciation for timeless lighting fixtures.
The lights that you choose for your deck can inspire your other decor, or the decor can inspire your lights. Regardless, having repeated imagery through lanterns, candles, and dark finishes in the decor and sconces help can help define your space as a thematically consistent, fully realized deck.
This deck shows how the same light can be used over multiple areas. Even though most guests will not stand at an angle to see all the fixtures at once, having that defined consistency can help tie together numerous outdoor spaces stylistically and create a consistent style in all areas. Alternatively, different lights can be used to differentiate those spaces as long as they fit the tone of each area and do not conflict with other visible lights/aesthetics.
Although lights and fans are often used as focal points or key accents, they do not have to shine at the forefront of the design. Choosing a fan or light that blends into the nearby architecture can allow those architectural features to shine on their own merit. In this case, the fan is noticeable because of its light, but when designing your own deck, you can choose to hide fixtures more thoroughly or create one point of distinction like this deck intentionally does.
Step and stair lights are great options for highlighting walkways and creating safe passages. These lights often direct light down and out to cover a wider area on steps, but they can also be placed along flat surfaces to define the path. This oasis shows how effective a few well placed lights are in creating light, highlighting the nearby landscaping, and showing off the beautiful ground.
Discover Outdoor Path Lighting Ideas!
Outdoor dining areas need proper lighting, but they also need airflow to create comfortable spaces. Sometimes ceiling fans alone are enough to fulfill both those roles, but in other cases, you can use both pendant lights and ceiling fans to create a functional dining space. When you do use different lighting types and fixtures, be sure that they do not compete with one another by being placed too closely or at the same height; instead, find a balance like this modern deck.
The deck shown here clearly focuses on light colored woods and the nearby nature. In such a cozy space, choosing traditional or vintage light shapes can help reinforce a simple tone and help create the mood. Plus, the colors of the lights can include warm accents to pair with the wood and dark materials to coordinate with nearby fabrics.
Explore More Outdoor Gazebo Lighting Ideas!
Fans and lights used in outdoor or semi-outdoor areas must be approved to handle the weather conditions of that space. Fans like Minka Aire's Concept II Outdoor Ceiling Fan With Light are approved for damp and wet conditions, which means it is well suited to handle typical weather exposure. Minka Aire and other brands are known for producing quality outdoor fans, so beginning a search with wet and damp approved fans is great way to choose a practical and stylish outdoor fan.
Architecture, furniture, and accents can feature similar imagery and motifs to create a thematically consistent space. In this deck, geometric shapes and lines are prominent in every part of the space. That includes the lights, which feature geometric shapes different from those shown elsewhere in the room. Even if the shapes are different, you can use shapes to reinforce the overall theming and style of your deck and create a consistent style.
Unlike the last deck, this one features a fan stationed over each key area. This works in many ways, since it is a long deck that needs more airflow and lighting. If your deck is similar to this one, then be sure to intentionally set up lighting fixtures and fans to coordinate with nearby seating/dining areas to create the best style impact and balance.
Moody, dark decks often have numerous lighting fixtures to brighten the space so it is functional even at night time. However, incorporating lights with dark finishes and minimal detailing can help retain the moody aesthetic while still providing essential lighting when needed.
If your deck has a tall two-story ceiling, you can naturally accent it with a modern outdoor chandelier. The chandelier can hang lower to hover directly over the main seating area or it can rest about two-thirds above the ground to draw the eye upward to the nearby architecture.
Lantern lights are extremely versatile lights fitting for a variety of styles. Traditional, farmhouse, coastal, transitional, and cottage are a few of the most popular styles that can benefit from the presence of lantern lights. Since these lights are diverse in their shapes, finishes, and detailing, you can create a unique deck with these timeless lighting fixtures.
More Farmouse Outdoor Lighting Ideas.
Even if your deck has multiple areas for seating, dining, and socializing, you can actively choose to use one light to cover the entire deck or define a specific area. In this traditional deck, a singular pendant light is placed above the table to define that area as unique. Since this placement coincides with the middle of the deck, it is a natural placement in many regards.
Contemporary and modern architecture may use straightforward, linear shapes to define their aesthetic. When these fixtures naturally highlight different materials, textures, and colors, it is wise to use subtle lighting fixtures to highlight the space. That way, there is still practical lighting, but it does not detract from the architecture of the building.
Lights should be chosen for their practicality and how they add to the lighting scheme of your deck, but you can go one step further by choosing lights that coordinate with other exterior lights. That way, no matter what perspective you are viewing the deck from, you can appreciate all the home's lights for their consistent style and intentional design.
Chandeliers and pendant lights are frequently used on decks, but they are not the only viable option. Flush mount and semi-flush ceiling lights are also great practical additions to decks. They are stylish in their own right and can be used as subtly or as boldly as you please.
Some deck roofs may not have traditional wood beams or support to handle lights anywhere on its surface. Fortunately, this stunning deck shows that a fan can be mounted on a beam itself to meet your needs. When looking at your deck, dare to think outside the box and consult experts for your unique lighting situations.
Light fixtures on their own are beautiful accents with their unique structures and materials. However, another area to consider is the shadows that they cast. The casing around the light impacts the dispersal of light over all areas, and then the furniture placement also creates natural shadows. Although this may seem like a small facet, the way the fixture spreads light and creates shadows impacts the tone and ambiance of the deck at night.
The finish presented on your fans or lighting fixtures heavily impact its overall tone and aesthetic. In this case, the fans highlight unpolished, textured finishes that come across as rusticated and homey. This finish is appropriate for this space, since the furniture, rugs, and plants all add varying textures to the space. Whatever style goal you have, be sure to consider the finish of your fixtures to ensure they fit your space's overarching aesthetic.
If the architecture of your deck features rigid, straight lines, then you can choose lighting fixtures that break that mold and use more rounded shapes. That way, the lights are more likely to stand out as unique accents. Make sure the lights do fit into the overall scheme though, whether that is through similar materials, finishes, or design aesthetics.
Using different lighting fixtures is one way to add diversity to your design, but another simple method is to use the same light in different ways. This exterior highlights two wall sconces on the deck, but the same lights are also used along the entire staircase and landscaping to create a path. The differing heights, positions, and locations of the same sconce can create a beautiful, dynamic landscape that still conveys a unified style.
Illuminate your home's exterior with Outdoor Wall Lighting Ideas!
When hanging pendant lights and chandeliers are placed by nearby walls and architectural features, the lights can connect to that style through similar materials, shapes, or structures. In this case, the deck has arched walls that are complemented by the arch formation of the lights. Even if this is not the exact design of your porch, you can still choose lights that complement the architecture in some way.
Additional Porch Lighting Ideas!
Symmetry is a common design method for making things feel neat and orderly. Incorporating symmetry into your deck's lighting is a great way to create that tone, especially if it complements the symmetry of the home itself. Even if the home or deck does not have perfect symmetry, adding in some visual balance can still make a large impact on the space.
One lighting fixture or lighting type typically isn't enough to brighten a large deck. In these cases, you can use more than one chandelier or pendant light to illuminate the deck. However, if you use other lights alongside those like wall sconces, floor lamps, or table lamps, consider using lights from the same collection or designer to create a cohesive design.
Explore More Outdoor Chandelier Ideas!
Two important facets to consider with deck lighting is how and where the lights are being directed. With these wall lights from dweLED by WAC Lighting, the light is cast downward and against the home to create functional lighting and ambiance. The temperature of that light can convey a warm tone, a cool tone, or mimic sunlight to create very different moods. Therefore, it is essential to consider the lighting temperature of your outdoor fixtures to ensure the space conveys the proper tone.
With these 25 outdoor lighting ideas for decks, you have now seen many different ways to furnish and illuminate deck areas. Whether you are adding fixtures to an outdoor kitchen, dining space, or seating area, you now have the inspiration and knowledge to create your ideal deck or patio with outdoor lights.
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