Who This Is For: Anyone who wants a patio or deck that feels as beautiful after dark as it does at noon, whether you dine, lounge or simply step outside to watch the evening unfold.
Key Takeaways
- The Short Answer
- The Glow at Seat Height
- Overhead: Pendants for Covered Spaces
- On the Walls
- Portable Light That Travels
- Edges, Steps and Posts
- Why Rattan Works After Dark
- Power Without the Fuss
- A Simple Plan
- Is It Right for Your Space?
The Short Answer
Light an outdoor room the way you would light an indoor one: low, warm and in layers. Start at seat height with lanterns and floor lamps, add one overhead or wall source, and mark the edges and steps so nobody has to look at their feet.
Keep every source warm, around 2700K. Cool white outdoors reads as a car park, and warm light reads as a room.
The Glow at Seat Height
The most flattering outdoor light sits low. It pools on the deck, softens faces and makes seating feel like a destination.
A Sculptural Floor Lamp
Kauai, the Rattan Shaded Tripod Floor Lamp, stands 37 in tall and 25 in across (94 by 64 cm). A tapered woven rattan shade sits on a black iron tripod, over a glass diffuser.
It plugs in, so there is no hardwiring. Place one beside a sofa, or a pair at either end of a seating group.
Overhead: Pendants for Covered Spaces
If you have a pergola, a porch ceiling or a covered terrace, a single pendant gives the space a center. It also draws the eye up, which makes the space feel larger.
Gourd, the Woven Gourd Pendant, is made from hand woven rattan with stainless steel parts, in natural or brown. It comes in three sizes: 7.9 in by 15 in, 9.8 in by 18.9 in, or 11.8 in by 22.8 in (20 by 38, 25 by 48 or 30 by 58 cm). The cord adjusts up to 47.2 in (120 cm).
Over an outdoor table, hang the bottom 30 to 36 in (76 to 91 cm) above the tabletop. Over a lounge area, keep it high enough to walk under with ease.
On the Walls
A wall light gives the house a face. It should wash the wall and leave the terrace free of glare. Narrow beams work best, because they graze the surface and show its texture.
Beams That Frame the Wall
Volta, the Dual Beam Outdoor Sconce, sends narrow beams up and down from one aluminum fixture. One light washes both the wall and the ground.
The asymmetrical version measures 3.15 in wide, 7.09 in high and 2.17 in deep (8 by 18 by 5.5 cm). The symmetrical version is 3.46 by 7.60 by 2.60 in (9 by 19 by 6.6 cm). It is hardwired.
Hang wall lights about 66 in (168 cm) from the floor, and space them evenly along the wall. See the full range in outdoor wall lights.
Portable Light That Travels
A lantern is the easiest way to add warmth. It needs no electrician, and it moves from the dining table to the lawn to the pool edge as the evening changes.
Wicklow, the Woven Rattan Solar Lantern, is solar charged, so there is nothing to plug in. It runs for about 24 hours on a full battery, and the weave casts a patterned glow. It comes in two sizes: 11.02 in wide and 16.54 in high (28 by 42 cm), or 11.81 in wide and 18.90 in high (30 by 48 cm). Buy a single lantern or a set of up to 8.
For a quieter, rounder glow, Lumen, the Solar Floor Lantern, is portable and needs no cable or outlet. It comes in two sizes: 7.1 by 10.6 in or 8.3 by 12.2 in (18 by 27 or 21 by 31 cm). Group three at different heights for a table setting.
Explore more in portable lanterns, outdoor lanterns and rattan and woven pieces.
Edges, Steps and Posts
The edge of a deck is where light matters most. A low light here is a safety feature that also defines the shape of the space.
Post Lights for the Perimeter
Plinth, the Square Post Light, is a black stainless steel cap for decks and gate posts. It is 5.91 in tall and comes in widths of 9.8, 11.8 or 15.7 in (25, 30 or 40 cm), with solar or hardwired power.
Match the width to your post, so the cap sits cleanly with a small overhang.
For steps and rails, Ruelle, the Half Moon Deck Light, aims its light down at the boards, which keeps glare off people seated nearby. Each light is 3.7 in across and 1.8 in high (9.4 by 4.6 cm), with a 39 in (99 cm) lead wire. The low voltage wiring clips under the boards, and packs run from 6 up to 48 lights.
See more in step and deck lights and post lights.
Why Rattan Works After Dark
Woven shades do something a solid shade cannot. They break the light into a pattern that moves across the deck, the wall and the faces around you. It feels like candlelight filtered through leaves.
Gourd is hand woven and finished with stainless steel parts. Kauai pairs a woven shade with a black iron tripod, and Wicklow wraps woven rattan over an iron frame in brown. Because the weave is natural, color and pattern vary slightly from piece to piece. That variation is part of the character.
Power Without the Fuss
Outdoor lighting only works when it is easy to live with. Choose the power source to match how you use the space.
- Plug in: Kauai plugs in, so a floor lamp can stand wherever there is an outlet.
- Solar: Wicklow and Lumen charge from the sun, so nothing needs wiring or an outlet.
- Hardwired: Volta is hardwired, and Plinth is also offered hardwired. Both give steady light in every season.
- Low voltage: Ruelle uses low voltage wiring that clips under the boards, which keeps a deck tidy.
Mixing sources is normal. A hardwired wall light gives dependable background light, and solar lanterns add the flexible layer on top.
Three Evenings, Three Moods
Dinner
Bring the light close to the table. Lanterns at the center, a pendant overhead or a floor lamp beside the chairs all work. Keep the glow below eye level, so guests look at each other and not at a bulb.
Lounging
Switch off the overhead and let the lanterns and floor lamp carry the space. This is the hour when rattan shades earn their keep, since the weave scatters the light across the deck.
Late
Leave only the edge lights and a single wall wash on. The space stays safe and quietly lit, and the garden remains visible beyond the deck.
A Simple Plan
- Layer one: lanterns or a floor lamp at seat height.
- Layer two: one overhead pendant or a pair of wall lights.
- Layer three: step, rail or post lights to mark the edges.
- Color: keep all sources to 2700K, so the whole space looks like one room.
- Control: put hardwired lights on a dimmer or a timer, and let solar pieces carry the rest.
Visit patio and deck lighting to see the full collection.
Is It Right for Your Space?
If your patio is covered, begin with a pendant. If it is open, begin with lanterns and a floor lamp. If it has steps, mark them first, and then add the rest.
Tell us about your space at info@norafurnish.com and our team will help you plan the lighting.
