Where to Install Outdoor DIY Solar Landscape Lighting
When it comes to outdoor lighting, larger light fixtures are typically the primary focus: porch lights, exterior sconces & lanterns, and pendants to illuminate main exterior areas. However, landscape lighting often seems to be an afterthought. As we’ve been working to update our outdoor living spaces and home exterior this summer, we finally finished installing solar landscape lights. For such a high visual impact, it was an incredibly easy and cost effective process. While simple and affordable, I believe the challenge for most, is where to install outdoor DIY solar landscape lighting. Click through for my best placement suggestions, installation ideas, before & after images of our exterior, and my top outdoor solar lights for every aesthetic!
Earlier this spring, I shared my designer guide for choosing timeless exterior lighting. Be sure to check out that post if you missed it! Just like interior lighting, the key to achieving a professional designer look outdoors, is to layer lighting. Landscape lighting is a big part of creating a cohesive, layered and dimensional exterior look.
Solar Landscape Lighting Ideas
Solar lights are the perfect solution for illuminating outdoor areas. They’re budget-friendly, require no electrical wiring, and are totally powered by the sun… they’re the type of fixtures you can install and forget about (an upgrade with instant gratification). The technology and battery life has also evolved and come a long way over the years- I’ve been impressed! If you’re brainstorming outdoor use ideas for these handy fixtures, I’ll share some solar light applications below.
- Illuminate pathways
- Flood light architectural elements (home exterior and outdoor structures, like a storage shed)
- Light a fence or your property perimeter
- Illuminate plants or timeless terra cotta pots
- Solar garden lights
- Line landscaping curbs
- Highlight outdoor focal points (flags, fountains, outdoor kitchens, pergolas, etc)
Not only do these enhance curb appeal, but they’re very practical in illuminating your outdoor areas with a layered light source. You can see more easily, navigate your property safely, all while increasing the value and aesthetic of your home. I installed the following…
Solar Pathway Lights
I landed on these solar pathway lights based on their classic lantern design, height (which I could easily nestle into our boxwoods), positive reviews, and warm light profile (3000 K).
They come in an 8-pack, so I grabbed two sets to line our front sidewalk, as well as our backyard & patio, along with the garage path. They simply stake into the ground and were easy to install. I didn’t expect them to illuminate the first evening, because I installed them just before sunset… but only with an hour of low light, they immediately switched on once the sun had totally disappeared.
Solar Flood Lights
Flood lights are optimal for highlighting larger areas and outdoor architectural elements… your home exterior, large trees, fountains, etc. While highly impactful, I think solar flood lights are the most difficult to place. Unlike pathway lights that feel very intuitive (which are obviously installed along a path), flood lights require a creative and architectural eye for design.
Flood Light Placement Suggestions
Think about what areas of your home or outdoor structure you’d like to highlight. Given we have a Georgian style colonial home (very symmetrical), we opted to install flood lights in front of each of our lower windows (four across the lowest level). This helped to illuminate the majority of our exterior, providing depth between our home and landscaping. I’ve got an example later in this post! To share some solar light ideas… windows, bay windows, dormers, porches, towers, columns, and gables are all great opportunities for flood lighting.
Solar Stair Lights
Perhaps the most functional solar landscape light we installed was solar staircase lighting. These handy blocks can either be screwed into place for a permanent solution, or they come with adhesive applicators (depending on your staircase material). After ordering a second set, I also discovered you can simply rest them on the staircase corners, as they’re not prone to shifting.
I think these look best when installed mirroring each other- two lights per stair (facing each other). I’m actually planning to install more on our larger front porch staircase- closest to our front door. I just prioritized our back yard, since we most often use that outdoor area. These have been game changers!
String Lights
I installed these discreet, yet charming, white string lights immediately upon moving in, as they perfectly blend with the pergola over our outdoor dining space. I most recently shared these in my al fresco summer tablescape, if you’re in need of outdoor dinner party inspiration.
While these are plug-in… they make plenty of durable, reliable, and highly rated solar string light options. I simply didn’t want to replace our existing lights since they’ve worked well for us. Rather than replacing, I added a matching set to our existing setup.
Solar Landscape Lighting Before & After
Here’s a quick before & after glance at our front exterior before and after the addition of solar landscape lighting. I’d still like to add some fixtures, but the immediate difference is already looking very nice! What do you think?
Curated & Layered Landscape Lighting for Any Aesthetic
We’ve been living with many of these landscape lights for over a year, and I recently ordered and installed more to complete our outdoor lighting plan. They’ve withstood the test of time, have been durable, and I’ve been able to experiment with different styles. While I stuck with a traditional black aesthetic, I wanted to curate a few different finish options for you, based on your home exterior and outdoor living needs! These are perfect for layering…
Click directly on each solar light below to be redirected.
Black is always a timeless choice, and probably the most prevalent and readily available when it comes to solar landscape lighting.
Copper is another classic pick, so if you happen to have copper gutters or accents, it would provide a cohesive exterior look that would patina nicely.
Last, white is a great choice if you have durable vinyl accents- like a vinyl privacy fence, pergola, or floral window boxes. If you’re looking for a color that blends seamlessly, this could be the perfect option for your outdoor space.
FAQ
It depends on the fixture, but in my experience- they only need a small amount of sunlight to function. Many of our lights are placed in shady areas and still function at full capacity. They’re equally as bright and long-lasting, when compared to those placed in direct sunlight.
Ours illuminate from sunset to sunrise. They’re on all evening and they switch on automatically, as soon as it becomes dark.
Be careful to read the product description, as it often specifies the temperature or color of the light. Most of the solar powered landscape lights have variations to choose from. I always choose warm white (or 3000 K) when given the option. You can also check out my designer trick post on how to best choose light temperature & bulbs.
Practically speaking, I’d most definitely say the solar stair lights! Those are incredibly helpful and make navigating stairs after dark much safer. Aesthetically speaking, the spotlights feel very high-end highlighting our home exterior and storage shed. I love those!
I just shared my reviews of each! You can find the flood lights here, stair lights, string lights, and pathway lights… all in my Amazon favorites.
Related
Looking for more outdoor living design suggestions, curb appeal posts, and landscaping projects? I’ll share ten of my favorites with you below…
- How to Choose the Best Garage Door Style & Color for Your Home
- Outdoor Living & Decor Finds from Amazon
- Choosing Timeless Exterior Lighting (A Designer Guide)
- My Outdoor Living Tour
- Classic Planters for Every Aesthetic and Budget
- Tips for Growing & Caring for Boxwoods
- How to Install Window Flower Boxes
- 10 Ideas for Enhancing Curb Appeal
- Transforming Our Side Yard
- The Shed Reveal
Whether you’re looking to brighten your exterior for functional or aesthetic purposes, why not give solar lighting a try this summer? I ordered ours a little at a time (to experiment with fixture types), but it’s an effective option that won’t break the bank! Some of our neighbors have commented on how nice it looks illuminated during the evening hours. Let me know if you have any questions in the comment section below- I’d be happy to help. Thanks for your patience last week while I had family in town visiting! I’m excited to be back to my regular schedule and blog routine today. I hope you’re having a fun and productive summer season so far! What kind of projects are you currently tackling in your outdoor living space?