Beyond The Holidays: Radiant String Light Ideas That Sparkle All Year Long!

December is a month of joy, festivities and beautifully illuminated homes that greet you at every turn throughout the merry Holiday Season. Christmas has sped past us this year already, and while we are still recovering from all the fun and frolic, we cannot help but think about the gala New Year Celebrations ahead! But pretty soon all the euphoria of the holidays will be behind us and we are left with the cold winter blues! While a few wonderful decor additions can help keep the dreariness away, nothing gets this accomplished better than twinkling string lights that exude inviting warmth.

Beautiful porch with string lights in the backdrop

by Francis Dzikowski Photography

Just because Christmas and New Year are behind you does not mean you need to roll up those brilliant string lights and stack them away in the attic for another year. With a bit of resourcefulness and imagination, one can turn these seasonal delights into glowing decor additions that cheer you up every single day. Here are some wonderful DIY ideas and elegant inspirations that shed some light on how to get this done with class and panache…

Stylishly casual way to decorate with string lights!

by Kayloves vintage

Let those lights sparkle beyond the New Year!

by My Paradissi

Colorful string lights inside the screened porch

by Smith & Vansant Architects

Eclectic living room with a touch of minimalism

by Mina Brinkey

Crafty bedside lamp with cool string lights

String lights provide the perfect ambient lighting

Ingenious String Light DIYs

What better time to dig in and enjoy a lovely DIY project along with the kids than the holidays? Once you are done with the New Year extravaganza, pick up those string lights that would otherwise be stuffed in a box and let your creativity take over. Here are a few string light DIY projects that should get you started in the right direction. Feel free to improvise so as to craft lights that suit the specific style and color scheme of your home –

Colorful Rainbow String Lights

How about adding a playful vibe while using the string lights? This multihued idea allows you to infuse some color into a room even while keeping the modern appeal of the space intact. All you need is some cloth, a few exciting colors and of course a bit of glue. For detailed instructions, head over to Buzz Feed and get started!

Making of the fabulous and vivacious string lights

DIY Wine Bottle Lights

Looking to create a stunning centerpiece that will steal the show at your next party? All you need are some old wine bottles and those delicate little string lights that you used to decorate your roof during Christmas. This one is not all that hard to make, but make sure you are careful with the cutting of the glass while fitting in the string lights…

Light up New Year Party with some DIY flair!

Just combine a few old wine bottles with string lights!

LED Rope Light Carpet

This one is definitely for those who are confident with their knitting skills. A simple string light strand sits cozily inside this knit pattern rope crafted by Johanna Hyrkas, and you can mimic the design without any great difficulty. Uber-cool and futuristic, it is bound to add a warm glow to your bedroom or living space with ease.

Cup Garden Lights

A great party idea and a stylish addition to the kids’ room and the outdoors, the Cup Garden Lights can be used even inside your home. The idea is pretty simple and yet the result is charming enough for you to admire! You can even get the little ones around the house involved with this project to make it all the more interesting.

Brilliant Art Installation

Miss the clear star-studded skies of the summer and the spring? Why not add a few glittering constellations and twinkling stars to your bedroom wall with this impressive wall art project. Just grab a wooden board, punch out some holes and let the string lights shine through with panache! If you are fascinated by such artistic creations, then check these 50 DIY wall art ideas as well.

Twinkling art installation for the bedroom

DIY Rope Light Strand

If you feel that the Rope Light Carpet above is a bit beyond your skill level, then we have the Rope Light Strand for your convenience. Pick up a thick manila rope and a string of lights and get busy with the weaving. Since it is a manila rope, picking the strands apart and weaving them should not be any trouble whatsoever.

DIY Rope light idea for contemporary interiors

Bright and Warm Indoors

Lighting is a key aspect of interior design and while we often talk about the gentle glow of recessed lighting and the focused illumination offered by pendant lights, strings lights are relegated as mere holiday additions. But these unique lights bring along with them an inimitable aura that spreads a fuzzy, cozy glow which elevates the mood of a room instantly. A nonchalantly hung set of strings lights on the wall or those wrapped around a chic mirror in the living room can become instant focal points and blend in perfectly with a sleek, contemporary theme.

Trendy modern bedroom with string lights and a canopy bed

by CMM Construction

Fun use of string lights in the industrial bedroom

by Lauren Mikus

Bottle up some festive magic to last till next Christmas!

by Curry Strumpet

If you are using strings beyond the holidays, it is often best to stick to white as the color of choice. But cool blues and gentle reds look equally appealing if the accent color in the room matches these hues. You can use these lights to accentuate artwork, draw attention to a specific feature in the room or even complement the existing ambient lights.

A sparkling border that defines the collage on the wall

by Jen R

String lights elegantly draped over a mounted cage light in the home office

Photography by Jen Jafarzadeh L’Italien

Sopisticated dining space with string lights turned into an art installation — Sophisticated dining space with string lights turned into an art installation

by Janet Paik

String lights add a cool twinkle to the living space

by Bruce Palmer Coastal Design

Dazzling use of lights in the dining room

by Laura Garner

Dreamy Evenings and Magical Nights!

You might not be all that keen on venturing outdoors in the next two or three months. But soon, summer will start to wipe out the winter chills and you will be tempted to spend more evenings and possibly early nights outside than indoors. Add to this all the summer parties that your porch will host and it is never too early to start thinking about outdoor lighting. Strings lights are absolutely perfect for the patio and the backyard. Creating romantic and picturesque settings with their dazzling demeanor, they tend to transport you into a completely different dimension.

Exquisite outdoor space illuminated with string lights

Gorgeous Globe String Lights from Pottery Barn

String lights are convenient to work with in large outdoor patios

Easy to install, you can even hook them up to a solar powered source and you won’t even have to worry about finding a conventional plug point! The fact that we tend to associate string lights with good times and festive joy makes them all the more appealing as a permanent addition to your home. Apart from enhancing the aesthetics of your home, the sight of these wiry lighting fixtures seems to instantly lift your spirits when you are feeling down and low. And just for that reason alone, they deserve to stick around beyond the holidays…