10 different types of outdoor lights for your home

It can be challenging to nail down a cohesive, gorgeous outdoor lighting scheme with so many lighting options available on the market in Australia. While good choices can make an outdoor space look stunning, bad ones can equally do the opposite. Understanding what the different types of outdoor lights are and what they are able to do is key to making the right choice and using it in the right way.

Spotlights offer a modern, edgy appeal with a unique feature — lighting angle adjustability. They allow you to modify your lighting scheme however you wish, including if there's a landscaping or exterior feature to highlight. Because of their versatility, many often choose to utilise these completely as their outdoor lighting solution.

Most people place spotlights on the ground outdoors, around walkways, or around driveways. But they may also place them in their gardens or around the exterior of their home. Spotlights can also be placed alongside big trees and water features to emphasise their unique qualities.

These intense lights are built for security. Not only do they shine a bright light on whatever's underneath, but they also function as visual security deterrents.

Flood lights usually come with motion sensors so that they aren’t constantly shining incredibly bright lights, which could irritate nearby neighbours. They are also usually placed around unlit areas around the home, along with some security cameras as another security measure.

Bollard lights are sleek, vertical lights typically used in public outdoor areas. They illuminate the paths of passersby without obstructing a landscape's design.

Bollard lights are popularly positioned along walkways and driveways. But because they're so obstructive, they can be placed anywhere. Designers may place them along the grass, among their gardens, and anywhere lacking diffused lighting.

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String lights are versatile and easy to install. These garden lights add a lovely, soft glow and have many versatile applications.

They're often used around seating areas since they are friendly, warm, and even light sources. String lights can also be wrapped around fencing, further structuring your landscaping design scheme by lighting up its perimeter. They can also be hung over the backyard, providing an open ceiling interrupted only by their beautiful brilliance.

Outdoor pendant lights are handy on patios and other outdoor seating areas. They provide stylish hanging central lighting without offering an overwhelming glow. Sure, they're popular for interiors, but why limit their usefulness to that?

Pendant lights designed for the outdoors often come in lantern designs. But you can instead opt for those with woven coverings, which are less delicate and friendlier than those covered in glass and steel. You also have options like frosted globe pendant lights which offer an ethereal, moon-like glow.

Spike lights typically border walkways and driveways but you can place them anywhere needing adequate ground lighting. They're easy to install and just need to be driven into the ground.

These lights are often also solar-powered, saving you the headache of paying extra on utility bills. They also come in several design varieties, such as spotlight, bollard and lantern spike lights.

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Lanterns have been referenced several times in this article and absolutely deserve their own spot on this list. There are plenty of lantern designs available, with some hosting delicate fairy lights, some being encased in paper and some looking intentionally Victorian.

Lights with lanterns can be hung on trees, providing a fairytale bent to your landscape. They can also be placed sporadically around the patio, by outdoor seating, or on outdoor kitchen counters. It’s a seamless way to incorporate lighting into intimate social spaces.

There are many different types of outdoor wall lights and these are becoming increasingly popular. Uplights and downlights diffuse the lighting it projects, muting its glow while offering every bit of required illumination.

Recessed uplights can be placed beneath trees or columns. Doing so produces an awe-inspiring glow that highlights the grandeur of the features you emphasise. Downlights can also be placed along the border of your home and can be used as patio ceiling lights!

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If you have stairs in your landscape then step lights are a must. This way, anyone venturing outside at night won't risk any injuries. It'll also help passersby appreciate the surrounding landscape, even if they're just heading back inside.

Find step lights with motion sensors if you want a more discrete option. You can build LED lights into the step risers or align rope lighting along the side. Install hanging light posts with lanterns, Edison bulbs, or even string lights if you don't want to disrupt your stairs' design.

Ceiling lighting sources are essential but in the outdoors, where there isn't a ceiling, wall lighting is even more critical. Wall sconces are particularly popular for diffusing a soft, even glow.

Wall sconces can be installed on walls, fences and even on wall water fountains. If you have any outdoor artwork to highlight, you can place a wall sconce behind it to maximise the attention it attracts.

Even at night, homeowners should enjoy their backyards. Outdoor lighting can help you do this by making the outdoor space usable at night while also making it look stylishly mesmerising too. By doing so, you’ll be able to host events and gatherings for family and friends while also enjoying the peace and serenity in the quiet times in between.

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