Outdoor festoon lights around an arch

8 Ways To Hang Festoon Lighting In A Outdoor Space

Festoon string lights are great decoration for a garden and are easy to install so brilliant for DIY garden projects. Here are some of the best ways to use festoon string lights in an outdoor area:

1. Entwine along the beams of a pergola

Hanging festoon lights from a pergola is the easiest way to install them in a garden. First you need to decide where the power plug is and how to safely bring the lights towards the pergola. You then need to attach and run the cable up the nearest leg of the pergola. Most of Sparkle's festoon lights have a 10m lead giving plenty of cable between the power socket and the pergola.

The easiest way to then display the pergola festoon lights is to use the existing line of the beans but you can create any pattern you fancy. You can use cup hooks, zip ties, velcro or even strong string and place whatever you chose to use every meter along your structure and then attach the festoon lights. The other option is that you

Fairy lights & festoon lights hung from a pergola

         Drop bulb festoon lights & copper cluster fairy lights @pandora.maxton 

2. Display along on a fence or wall

If you want to hang garden festoon lights on a fence, attach some cup hooks or cable ties -depending on the style of fence every meter and then attach your lights. This will light your garden up beautifully. You can either hang them the full length of a fence or around a seating area as shown below.

If you would like to hang your garden festoon lights on a wall, you need to have something like a trellis to attach them to or to drill in cup hooks at regular intervals to attach them along the wall.

Edison bulb festoon lights on a wall and fence 

        Edison Bulb Connectable Festoon Lights @thehouseofdickenstocks

3. Hang above a table

Festoon lights look beautiful hung above a table, to be able to do this you need festoon light posts at each end of the table to be used to hang the festoon lights from.

Festoon lighting hung above an outdoor table

        Globe Connectable Festoon Lights

4.  Hang above a patio or deck

This is more complicated than hanging festoon lights on fences or on pergolas. You first need to work out where your power socket is and in what shape you want to use your festoon lights in. Are there any structures already in place that you can use in your plan? This may be the wall of your house or a tree in your garden.

If there are not enough structures to attach your lights to you can also use poles for festoon lights to create the look you want.

If you’re working on a hard surface area and can’t break it up, get some of those buckets filled with concrete and space them out to match your design.

The good part about arranging festoon lighting this way is that you have almost total freedom for your poles’ placement and you can use as many festoon light poles as you want, which means you can create some truly intricate designs.

Patio festoon lights

         LED Festoon Lights

5. Deck out a greenhouse or conservatory

Festoon lights are a great addition to a greenhouse or conservatory and really make a statement. There are two options here, you can hang the lights along the ceiling or along the top of the wall depending on the look that you want to create.

You will need to place hooks along the top of the wall or ceiling to attach the festoon lighting too.

Drop bulb festoon lights in a conservatory

        Drop bulb festoon lights

6. Frame a feature point

Festoon lights are great for framing a feature point like this arch. You will need hooks or cable ties to attach the festoon lights too. This will light your feature point beautifully. 

Festoon Lighting around an arch

        Garden Festoon Lights

7. Use as task lighting in an outdoor kitchen

Using festoon lights as task lighting in an outdoor kitchen is a brilliant way to brighten up the area and improve visibility while cooking and entertaining. Consider hanging them along the full kitchen area and ensure that the light is directed where it's needed most. 

Festoon Lighting in Outdoor Kitchen Area

          LED Festoon Lights @firststepontheladder

8. Light the way along a path

Hanging festoon lights along a garden path is a great way to use festoon lighting. You need to start by working out the length of the path to decide which festoon lights to use. Then you secure poles along the path to drape the festoon lights in along and then just plug them in.

Festoon lights along a path

         Rounded Bulb Festoon Lights

So hope this gives you some ideas of how to use festoon lights in your garden or event.

Visit our complete festoon lighting collection to chose which festoons you will use in your outdoor space.

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