Outdoor lighting can significantly improve the aesthetics and safety of your backyard, making the outdoors more accessible during the dark hours while keeping your home a beautiful sight even when nobody is around. Here are 12 great backyard and patio lighting ideas for Kansas City homes.

1. Free Standing Solar Light Posts

Free-standing solar light posts are one of the easiest outdoor lighting options anybody can DIY in their backyard. They come in various designs and heights, with most models varying from $70 to $300. Some higher-end wrought iron light posts may cost over $500 per post.

Most solar light posts come with a stake that goes into the soil. Others might come with a weighted, enlarged bottom so they can sit directly on your patio.

2. Bistro Lights

Bistro lights have become increasingly popular, especially among younger homeowners. The French bistro atmosphere adds a hint of foreign romance to any property, whereas the industrial-style bistro lights resonate with Kansas City’s profound industrial history.

Plug-in or battery-powered bistro lights can be installed on patios, using exterior outlets as direct power. Solar-powered bistro lights can be dangled above pathways to provide more sophisticated overhead lighting than traditional options.

3. Lighting Along Pathways

Regardless of what type of pathways you have, adding lighting along your walking paths is always a good investment. For walkways leading up to the house, opt for classic, bold, and significant designs to improve your curb appeal. Meanwhile, you can choose more creative options in the backyard to complement the surrounding landscape.

4. Fairy String Lights

Who says string lights are for holidays only? Neutral color string lights can be used year-round as decorative accents inside tree crowns or wrapped around patio and stair railings. Thin string lights are also one of the most affordable patio lighting options, costing less than $20 for a 4-pack of 130-foot, solar-powered lights.

5. Chief’s or Royal’s Themed Lights

Kansas City loves its sports, and red and blue color-ed lights are not the hardest to find. Get some colored lights, plus a decent lighted sign for your favorite team, and voila! Now you can showcase your love for sports in your backyard. 

6. Color-Changing Lights

Outdoor color-changing lights are perfect for setting the mood right, regardless of the season. We recommend using low-voltage outdoor lighting with automated color-changing programming. Our favorite product is FX Luxor, which provides one of the widest ranges of color options using an RGBW LED color board.

If you only want to have the color-changing effect at certain spots, LED low-voltage bulbs are perfect for that. These are individual bulbs that can be programmed separately, allowing you to have different colors at different places in your backyard.

7. Starlight Projector

If you’re only looking for patio lighting for special occasions, a starlight projector is the perfect option. Some projectors can also serve as Bluetooth speakers. Imagine having a long week, then stretching out on the patio with your favorite movie soundtrack and stars floating around you: wouldn’t it be perfect?

8. Night Glow Pebbles

Glow-in-the-dark pebbles absorb sunlight during the day and glow at night. They come in different sizes and colors, and cost as little as $20 per 200-piece bundle. You can lay these pebbles into paver joints, or sprinkle them into the grass or in your flower beds. Most nightglow pebbles are made with resin. While they’re abrasive-proof enough for people to walk on them, they should not be mixed into a gravel driveway.

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9. Renaissance Style Lanterns

If you’re a fan of Tudors, Bridgerton, and other period historical dramas, Renaissance-style lanterns could be a wonderful addition to your backyard and patio. Most of these solar-powered lanterns can be mounted directly to exterior walls or fixtures. Some come with a sturdy chain that can be hung over strong tree branches or posts to be installed into the ground.

These lanterns usually feature a bronze or wrought iron finish and intricate embellishments. Some models use clear glass, whereas others use frosted glass for a gentler lighting effect.

10. Mushroom and Botanical-shaped Lights

Looking to make your backyard a bit more playful? Solar-powered lights come in various shapes nowadays, but mushroom lights are definitely one of the most popular designs. Common designs include frosted glass mushroom stumps and colorful amanitas. These lights work as path lights, but can also be scattered along bushes and flower beds.

11. Lighting Up Your Water Features

If you have water features in your backyard, lighting them up could bring a unique view at night. Some of the lighting options mentioned above, such as night glow pebbles, also work well in water features. Alternatively, you can hire a professional outdoor lighting company to install the right type of lighting for your waterfall or backyard pond.

12. Lanterns With Cutout Patterns

Instead of a glass or open design, these lanterns are enclosed by metal panels with cutout patterns. When light shines through these panels, they cast the geometric shape or decorative design onto their surroundings. These lanterns are primarily decorative and should be used in areas without too much foot traffic because the shadows they cast can sometimes make it harder to see your surroundings.