What are bistro lights?

Bistro lights are a type of outdoor light that is used to light up and enhance an outdoor space. They are often used for restaurants, wedding receptions, and patios. They are typically bigger bulbs spaced out evenly and hung along a wall, ceiling, or strung from poles across the area to light it.

Most people think of public areas when they think of bistro lights, like a restaurant’s outdoor seating section, or a popular wedding reception venue. The truth is, you can hang bistro lights in your own backyard. Many people are using bistro lights to light up their patios, pool areas, and yards in general.

Bistro lights are rounder bulbs spaced evenly apart that give off warm white light, but there’s no rule about you changing it up if you want. You can have any color bulb you want. Style your bistro lights to match your aesthetic. The point of bistro lighting is to add to the ambiance of your outdoor space. If hot pink lights are what you are looking for, then that’s what will enhance your space.

LED bulbs will last longer and handle outdoor temperatures better, so it’s a good idea to get LEDs for your bistro lights. They save energy, meaning they'll require much less maintenance. You’ll find yourself replacing them way less often, saving you money on LED bulbs.

Are bistro lights the same thing as string lights?

Bistro lights are basically backyard string lights. String lights are essentially long strands of lights connected by a wire that can be hung or wrapped around something to light it. Usually, string lights are a warm white color, but can be found in any color. Bistro lights are usually used to refer to bigger string lights that are specifically used for outside spaces.

Outdoor string lights are so popular for several reasons. They are very easy to use and put up, as opposed to other outdoor lighting fixtures that require expensive installations and remodeling. Instead of paying a contractor to remodel your wall or dig up your garden to lay out all the wires and light fixtures, outdoor string lights are almost always DIY.

Unless you have some incredibly complicated idea, most outdoor string lights can be hung on the existing walls of your patio, fence, or wherever you are hanging them.

You may need to put in a pole to hang them from, depending on the size of the area you are hanging the string lights up in. Depending on your expertise, you may need help with that part, especially if the wall lights will be going up high or require extensive latter use.

Because they are so easy to install, outdoor string lights are also much cheaper than other methods of yard and patio lighting. Whereas many Christmas lights and similar products require special installation, you can easily hang backyard lighting from a rope or strong string.

You can buy outdoor string lights and ropes at any hardware store, and most of the time you can go home and hang them up yourself. You get classy ambient lighting for much cheaper than other types of lighting designs you could install.

Outdoor string lights are incredibly versatile. They can go almost anywhere. They’ll look good hanging directly on the wall of your house, your fence, around the patio, wrapped on poles in a garden, or hanging above your head in the open yard. Once you buy them, you’re sure to find a place where they look good.

You can even move them around the yard over time. Especially with LED bulbs, the bistro lights will last a long time so you can keep experimenting with where you want them to go.

Can bistro lights go both inside and outside?

String lights are used both inside and outside. Outdoor string lights are called bistro lights, and while indoor string lights aren’t usually called bistro lights, it’s really the same thing.

Inside string lights are often used in bedrooms or dining rooms, where soft, ambient lighting is appropriate. They can be hung on the wall for both lighting and decoration. While almost any light fixture installation is going to require an electrician to place the fixture and wire everything correctly, string lights can easily be hung by anyone.

They can be hung on nails or tacks evenly spaced on the wall, or if you don’t want to damage the wall, you can hang them on command hooks, with tape, with putty, or you can wrap them around furniture.

Another popular type of string lights is fairy lights. These are smaller strands of tiny LED lights that are used for accent lighting. Fairy lights can be hung around a room, but are also often bunched together and placed with decorations to light them up. This is especially popular around Christmas time. Bowls of ornaments and fairy lights are common decorations that light up a room and accent the holiday spirit well.

There are several options for exterior home lighting designs. Bistro lights are an easy, affordable lighting method that will add to the ambiance of your yard and home. Outdoor space is expensive to light. The lights themselves, the wiring, and the installation add up fast. Outdoor string lights are comparatively affordable, easy, and effective.

How do you hang bistro lights on your patio?

There is no right answer to hanging up your patio lights—because there are tons of ways to make them work. One way is to just hang them on the wall of your house or your fence. You can do this with nails or hooks to hold up the strand.

(Although if you’re looking for more permanent exterior lighting, JellyFish Lighting offers color-changing LEDS for holidays throughout the whole year.)

Another popular way is to wrap them around banisters, support beams, and poles—almost like Christmas lights. You can also attach them to the ends of the ceiling or wall on either side and string them across. This is a great way to get lighting from above.

What type of bulbs should you use for bistro lights?

Most bistro lights use a warm white light with a glass bulb, but you can use any color or any material. The best bulbs to use are LED bulbs. They don’t get as hot as incandescents, making them safer to use, especially around flammable materials like plants and patios.

LEDs are also much more energy efficient and will last you much longer. Even though they are a bit more expensive to buy, they will save you money over time, both on your electrical bill and in light maintenance.

Are bistro lights expensive?

Outdoor string lights can be anywhere from $15 for cheap ones to over $100 for high quality ones. If you need special installation for a bistro light setup it may cost you more.

If you don't have any light sockets in your backyard, you’ll either need an extension cord, (which may look bulky and awkward) or you’ll need to install sockets, which can cost a few hundred bucks.

So long as you have a good space ready and hang them up yourself, even quality patio lights are going to be maybe a couple of hundred bucks. Compared to other outdoor lighting, it’s a steal.

Why should you get bistro lights?

So why use bistro lights? Besides the fact that they are much cheaper than other types of outdoor lighting and still provide great ambient lighting, bistro patio lights create a certain atmosphere that can’t be beaten. The bistro lights atmosphere that is created makes the space feel warm and comfortable. The soft lighting is inviting and fun to create a relaxing environment. Lots of restaurants go for this aesthetic, and many people are adding it to their homes.

Lighting can tell us a lot about a space, and the person in charge of it. Soft, warm lighting indicates a kind, welcoming place perfect for a gathering and socializing spot like a backyard patio. If you want to be the house where everyone hangs out, string lights are a great way to communicate comfort and welcome.

How can JellyFish Lighting help me?

JellyFish Lighting’s permanent LED displays can be adjusted to any occasion. We offer color-changing bulbs that match any holiday.

Your holiday display can become accent lighting year-round, and still be ready for game day colors throughout the year, and security lighting at night. The front of your house is what you display to the street, but the back is just as important. A backyard is a place of gathering and fun; your lights should reflect that. See how JellyFish Lighting’s permanent bulbs create light, peace, and festive feelings throughout the year.