As the temperatures drop, you may find yourself wandering outside in a cozy sweater trying to soak in autumn’s essence. And no one will blame you.

Fall is a wonderful time of year and it beckons many of us outside for the last few weeks of temperate weather before the snow begins to fall.

If you find yourself slinking outside to breathe in the falling leaves, you might want to add an extra level of magic to your outdoor space. These outdoor decorating ideas will help you add some simple lights to transform your backyard into an eerie asylum or rustic retreat, and you’ll get the most out of the space this fall.

1. Trade Bright Lights for Tea Lights

To add some ambiance to your patio, get rid of that harsh wall light and instead sprinkle the space with small tea lights. By spreading out the light source, instead of shining one bright spotlight, your space will glow warmly.

Because it can get windy in the fall, opt for battery-powered tea lights. They will last longer and you won’t have to worry about getting up to relight them every time the wind picks up.

2. Tinted String Lights Offer Variety

String lights, like those hung at Christmas, provide great ambient light, and they are designed to handle the weather so you don’t have to worry about wind and rain as the seasons change.

Trade out bright white or colored lights for tinted string lights. Brown or orange-tinted bulbs will give your patio a nice glow. String lights are easy to hang and they can go almost anywhere. Line them along a table, over the doorway, or on your overhang for some extra aminance in your outside space.

3. Try Flickering Candlesticks

To create some lighted accessories for your backyard, reach for LED candlesticks. You can easily make all kinds of cool arrangements with these and place them around your patio for a moody setting.

You can paint the candlesticks to have whimsical patterns in fall colors or be dark and spooky for a haunted backyard theme. Make sure the lights flicker for the added element of atmosphere that comes from a burning candle.

4. Intertwine Lighted Garland

To add extra ambiance to fall decorations you already have, wrap them with bendable lighted garland. The small lights add a twinkling effect to anything they’re around, which can complete your magical outdoor space.

Wrap the lighted garland around wreathes, other hanging lights, or your patio arbor for simple, yet elegant lighting that will completely change your backyard design.

5. Illuminate Your Space with Globe Lights

Globe lights add an eclectic feel to any backyard space. You can string them across the yard, along the house, or in between branches for a unique, quaint atmosphere.

To take your globe lights to the next level, get them orange tinted or surround them with paper lanterns. This will break up the light so that it is more muted, adding to your backyard’s ambiance.

6. Candles Galore

Although LED candles are great, nothing can emanate the warm glow of fire like real candles. Use a variety of sizes and colors to decorate your yard and gather them in clusters around the patio.

When you really want to illuminate your surroundings — perhaps for outdoor dining — light the candles and watch the shadows created by their light dance around the backyard. You can also put the candles in patterned tins or paper lanterns as party decorations or just for your own outdoor enjoyment.

7. Perfect Pumpkin Lanterns

Fully embrace the season by using its signature foods to help illuminate your backyard. Carved out pumpkins, or even gourds, with candles inside make for perfect decorations and offer a little bit of that signature orange light that characterizes autumn.

You don’t need to carve out scary faces to get the right effect. Simple patterns punched out with a screwdriver can create an attractive display that isn’t too focused on Halloween.

8. Add Creative Paper Lanterns

Create some additional ambiance by adding paper lanterns to your outdoor lights. White lanterns reflect the surrounding light, giving your patio a gentle glow. Or reach for colored lanterns that will add some tint to your outdoor space.

You can buy lanterns for fairly cheap, or build your own to get custom patterns and colors that match your outdoor decorations. To really capture the autumn atmosphere, choose colors that match the falling leaves like warm oranges, muted browns, and deep reds.

9. Utilize Bare Branches

To complete your autumn sanctuary, capitalize on classic fall features in nature. Falling leaves, autumn harvest, and bare branches are perfect companions to your fall lighting.

Bring the iconic look of leave-less branches into your autumn design by draping them with amber lights or pulsating candles in mason jars. The part spooky, part familiar essence of the bare trees will really make your backyard feel like fall.

Conclusion

Whichever of these outdoor decorating ideas you choose to for your backyard design, have fun with your fall decorations. Creating a special space in your backyard will make those cozy sweaters and warm cups of coffee that much more enjoyable.

Sources

http://www.lightsforalloccasions.com/c-263-thanksgiving-fall-lights.aspx

http://www.landscapelightingworld.com/landscape-lighting-project-ideas-fall-maintenance-a/346.htm

By now, you’ve been to a few barbecues this summer. It’s hard to get bored of endless watermelon and savory steaks, but the typical evening gathering is starting to lose its luster.

Still, the perfect summertime temperatures are far from over, so don’t give up on BBQs just yet!

Next time you host a delectable outdoor dinner, use the outdoor decorating ideas in this post to bring new life to the average barbecue. Attendees will feel like they’re walking into an event, not just a dinner, which is sure to liven attitudes and lift spirits.

Simple outdoor decor like string lights and tablecloths do wonders for dressing up an event, but to really make the evening feel special you need a little more. Adding creative centerpieces to your outdoor dining tables will make the barbecue feel like a special occasion.

Unsure about your crafting abilities? Don’t stress. We’ve got a few simple tips to make designing centerpieces a breeze.

Check out these easy tricks for making outdoor centerpieces everyone will love.

1. Get Inspired by Nature

Outdoor centerpieces don’t need to be extravagant. In fact, a collection of flowers, leaves and twigs from the yard arranged in a simple vase could be the perfect centerpiece your table is missing.

If your garden doesn’t have many pickable pieces, head to the store for inexpensive plants, like cacti or fresh herbs, and place them in interesting vases to add a little flare.

2. Strike a Match

Lit candles add an air of ambience to any environment, and the earlier-setting sun makes nighttime lights essential.

Float small candles in glass vases filled halfway with water or decorate the candles to be stand-alone pieces. Some glitter or ribbon goes a long way when making a simple object seem special. For a more eclectic look, arrange a handful of candles of different heights in the center and surround the collection with twinkly garland.

Pro Tip: Use citronella candles to decorate your tables. You’ll get the added bonus of keeping bugs away while your tables glow through the night.

3. Open the Junk Drawer

You’d be surprised what junk items can become with a little imagination. Tin cans, mason jars and bowls all make great vases. Use some twine or paint to spruce them up if these items look a little worn.

Other items can be used for vase or table decoration. Rubber bands, wine corks, newspapers and lace are a few examples of items that can be repurposed into your next great centerpiece.

4. Give Items a Fresh Coat

Simply adding a little paint can breathe new life into shabby materials. When painting glass vases, paint inside the glass instead of outside for a cleaner look. Or, use items around the house to add interesting patterns, like bubble wrap to create polka dots or tape to make stripes.

If you want to have a little more fun at your next barbecue, splatter glass jars with glow-in-the-dark paint. The centerpieces will come alive as the sun sets, exciting guests of all ages.

5. Light the Way

Lighting is key to creating a stellar backyard ambiance.

And if the wind is a concern where you live, forgo the candles and opt for LED lights. Find battery-powered string or individual lights so guests don’t have to worry about tripping on a cord.

LED lights come in all shapes and sizes. Liven the event with colorful lights that flicker through the rainbow or choose flickering white lights to create a moody atmosphere.

6. Embrace the Unusual

Sometimes the best centerpieces are those created with completely unique items. Books, knickknacks or fruit and veggies can be organized in artful ways to make stunning centerpieces.

If you are throwing a themed dinner, creative outdoor centerpieces are a great way to decorate without spending too much money. Fill cowboy boots with flowers for a southwestern supper or load a sliced globe with foliage for a worldly feast.

7. Work With Water

Float objects in water to add a clean, mystical look to your centerpieces. Candles, flowers and fruit float well and look pretty in glass containers.

Use food coloring to turn water a light, graceful blue or eye-catching red. Drop in marbles or glass beads for a unique look or light the jars to create multi-colored lanterns.

Conclusion

The heat of summer can get monotonous, but your barbecues shouldn’t. Take advantage of the last few weeks of warm nights this year by throwing a dinner for your friends and family.

Creative decorations can spark conversation and make the evening memorable. What is your favorite way to spruce up a drab backyard picnic?

With summer tapering off and fall slowly arriving, the cooler night temperatures are a perfect time to spend with friends hosting barbecues or late-night dinner parties. You have nice outdoor dining sets and outdoor furniture sets, but how do you create the perfect ambiance around these patio essentials? If you’ve ever pictured yourself sipping wine and eating olives in an Italian villa as the sun goes down, then here are just a few decorating suggestions to lend your patio some Old World charm:

La dolce vita
Once the sun sets you’ll need the perfect style of lighting to keep the festivities going. Outdoor string lights, especially yellow globe ones, can give any space an Italian courtyard feel. To create a canopy effect, string several lines in a zigzag overhead. Pair the lights with a patio bistro set and you’ll feel like you’re dining in Tuscany. You and your guests will be able to dine and celebrate al fresco into the wee hours thanks to these romantic lights.

Pergola
A pergola is a pair of poles with crossbeams over its top, and even though it won’t shelter you from rain, its beauty makes up for what it lacks in utility. You can purchase these garden and walkway coverings at most home supply stores or you can make your own out of cedar wood. Whichever route you decide to take, these wooden structures are great to hang vines and other plants off of. A pergola will give your backyard a bit of shade and an Italian Renaissance look.

Add a chair under the pergola to create a perfect and peaceful place to escape with a great book or a glass of wine.

Flora
Besides vine-like plants, other flora can really add to the villa atmosphere. If you want plants that will complement your outdoor chaise lounge or other lounge seats, then consider planting a few Mediterranean plants and trees. Cypress trees, succulents, lavender and rosemary plants will give your patio and backyard a beautiful and sophisticated vibe. Add even more greenery near your tables by planting some ferns in clay pots and arranging them around your deck or near your pool.

Games
Villa settings are all about relaxing and taking in the joys of everyday life, but that doesn’t mean lying around all day. If you want to provide some entertainment for your guests but also keep your Old World-style theme, consider buying a bocce ball set. The Italians modernized and popularized this ancient sport, and it’s a fun and relaxing outdoor game that you and your partygoers will instantly fall for.

If you’re looking for another classic game – one that will work your brain instead of your throwing arm – then treat yourself and a guest to a game of chess or backgammon. These board games never go out of style and can be a wonderful way to while away the hours.

Food
What Italian villa would be complete without food? Wine and cheese plates are a great way to go. Serve a selection of red and white wines or prosecco, a few light Italian beers and a charcuterie plate, and you and your guests will be dining in style at your “villa.”