Your pergola is a perfect place for some seriously festive holiday lighting. Here are a few tips for getting a great look, as well as for getting the job done safely.
Choose your lights.
You can choose cheap Christmas lights with thin strands, but you don’t have to.
Patio lighting looks amazing all year. Choose heavy-duty lights meant to withstand the elements. You can simply switch from colored holiday bulbs to clear white bulbs after the season is over. Or go bold with blue or gold lights, which look Christmas-y at Christmas but which just look cool any other day of the year.
You can get lots of ideas on this Pinterest board. You’ll also get some great info on lighting options on this page, which is also a great site for picking up any supplies you might need to make your project a success.
Make a plan.
Otherwise, you won’t know how many lights to purchase. You also need to be sure you have a GFCI outdoor outlet close enough to support your project. You might have to consult a local electrician before you begin.
Your plan should include measurements. It’s not enough to make a rough sketch here. If you measure you’ll know exactly how many feet of light and cord to bring home.
Note, you don’t have to stick stolidly to your pergola. You can incorporate trees, fences and overhead yard space into your design as well.
Be polite to your neighbors.
When planning your design, make sure you’re not going to aim any shining, glaring lights directly into someone’s living room or bedroom in the middle of the night. You won’t make any friends if you make it hard for other people to sleep or watch TV.
You might even want to knock on your neighbor’s door so they can verify your light display doesn’t bother them. You can work with them to make adjustments. Hey, you might even make a new friend or score an invite to an awesome holiday party. You never know!
All this advice applies nicely to gazebo lighting as well.
What’s that, you say? You don’t have an awesome pergola or gazebo to hang lights on just yet? It’s not too late to get one. We’re happy to install them until the ground freezes over (literally). Give us a call for a free estimate today. We’ll be happy to talk about how we can help you transform your yard into your own personal winter wonderland.
