LED String Lights...Year Round!
UPDATE: There's a wonderful story in the NY TIMES today about LED light bulbs being the wave of the future. Check it out. These string lights will last me 20 years!
I dragged out my energy-efficient LED holiday string lights from the cottage and brought them to my new house. I don't know why I didn't think about using these fantastic lights year-round; they really do add a festive touch to the outdoors and don't scream "Christmas" at all.
Here's a photo of my back patio with the Belgian cafe chairs, new round table and stacks of firewood waiting to be used this winter. I hung up the string lights in a criss-cross fashion going back and forth in the patio. They are hung up rather high, and when you're sitting underneath them, it just emphasizes the grand height of the outdoor area.
Here's a detail shot of the lights. I bought them from Gardener's Supply Company and they look and glow just like regular incandescent lights. The only difference is that these lights use just pennies to illuminuate and can last for around 10-15 years. That's 10-15 years if I left them plugged in for that long! But I unplug them when not in use and feel better knowing that these lights can stay strung up for many many years without needing replacement.
Gorgeous! You have your own little slice of heaven! I bet they look like little twinkly stars at night! I see an evening party in your near future! :) Enjoy!
Posted by: Dawn | July 25, 2008 at 09:59 AM
what a beautiful and inviting place!
Posted by: Elizabeth | July 25, 2008 at 12:12 PM
love that look!
Posted by: amy | July 25, 2008 at 01:34 PM
Wow, I love these! I'm going to look into them.
Posted by: Rachel | July 25, 2008 at 01:40 PM
I used holiday lights like this too. I used the net kind [not power friendly darn it] over the front door area, lit it up very nicely.
Posted by: Vicky | July 25, 2008 at 01:55 PM
I love this! Such a great idea. I can't wait to use it!
Thanks for posting it!
Posted by: kate so | July 25, 2008 at 03:16 PM
I love this! Such a great idea. I can't wait to use it!
Thanks for posting it!
Posted by: kate so | July 25, 2008 at 03:17 PM
That looks really great! I'm always searching for people who use their Christmas lights in non-Holiday applications. Your deck looks super!
Protected from the sun, your sets will last a long time but the wiring may wear out before your bulbs - I'm field testing a few sets and they've been in direct TX sunlight for 3 years and still going!
When you get done with them, there are several online vendors and some cities that have great recycling programs for used lights.
Posted by: Shellie aka Christmas Lights Fan | July 26, 2008 at 10:59 AM
In Australia, we call them fairy lights. A lot of people use them for outdoor lighting year-round. We have them strung around our veranda, and it makes for such a peaceful ambiance.
Posted by: Danielle | July 27, 2008 at 05:09 AM
Excellent lights, cheap to run and look fantastic
Posted by: Ace Lamps | July 28, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Christmas lights also sometimes called fairy lights, twinkle lights or holiday lights in the United States are strands of electric lights used to decorate homes, public/commercial buildings and Christmas trees during the Christmas season. Christmas lights come in a dazzling array of configurations and colors. The small "midget" bulbs commonly known as fairy lights are also called Italian lights in some parts of the U.S., such as Chicago.
http://www.tradekey.com/ks-led-string-lights/
Posted by: led string lights | August 11, 2008 at 03:47 AM
I've got solar powered fairy lights - perfect!
Posted by: Leah | September 07, 2008 at 09:07 AM
where do I get lights from
Posted by: merle adams | September 10, 2008 at 10:16 AM
Like im doing this research paper on legalizing pot.
And i love the information that u have given me! Thank you!
Posted by: Carmen | April 06, 2009 at 08:41 PM