How to Use String Lights for Home Decor

Wrap furniture and items with lights., Create a photo display with strung up lights., Make easily movable lighting with large bulb lights., Arrange string lights in interesting shapes., Write out messages with string lights., Decorate your bed with...

7 Steps 3 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Wrap furniture and items with lights.

    Everyday household items like mirrors, bookshelves, ornamental baskets, and so on, can be easily dressed up with lights.

    Simply drape or wrap the lights on the object, or attach the lights in place with things like adhesive hooks, pushpins, and tape.Be careful when using tape to attach your lights to a finished surface, like wood, a painted wall, and so on.

    Some tapes may damage finished surfaces.

    You can turn your nightstand into a combination nightstand/nightlight by wrapping lights around it.
  2. Step 2: Create a photo display with strung up lights.

    String up lights between adhesive hooks, nails, or a similar kind of hanger.

    After the lights are in place, attach photos in between lights with clothespins to make a string light photo display.If you aren't ready to invest in picture frames, this is an inexpensive and charming way of displaying your favorite pictures. , Large bulb string lights are usually smaller than a traditional light bulb, but the bulbs are about the size of a child's fist.

    These easily add a classy, glitzy, slightly antiquated atmosphere to virtually any space.

    Drape large bulb lights for furniture or fixtures (like sills, ledges, and so on) to create inexpensive, enchanting lighting.If you like variety, this technique might be perfect for you.

    You can easily move large bulb string lights around your home whenever you feel like a change.

    You should be able to find this style of light at most big box stores like Walmart, Target, and so on. , Arrange pushpins or adhesive hooks on a wall in the outline of a shape, like a tree, a cloud, snowman, or whatever you desire.

    After that, wind your string lights around the pushpins or hooks so the lights take the shape of your design.When using pushpins, try to use as few as possible.

    Using too many may leave behind unsightly holes in your wall when you take them down.

    Use different colored strings of lights to highlight certain features, or to give color and definition to your string light designs. , Lights that are more flexible than your average string lights, like tube lights, are preferred for message writing.

    More flexible lights will be easier to write messages with.Use pushpins or adhesive hooks to outline your message on a wall.

    Wind your string lights around these hangers until the lights spell out your message.

    If you're worried the pushpins might do too much damage to your wall, use a thin piece of board as a mount and use pushpins, nails, or a similar hanger to outline the message.

    Wind the lights around the hangers, then attach the board to a stud. , If you have a canopy, wrap the canopy frame with lights and allow the ends to trail down into the canopy fabric.

    Even if you don't have a canopy, you can wrap the corner posts of your bed to give cozy, gentle glow to your bedroom.To create a unified color scheme, you may want to match the color of lights that you string up with your comforter, blankets, and so on. , Especially if you plan on using a few strings to decorate, string light cords can quickly get out of hand.

    Gather together multiple cords together with zip ties and binder clips.

    Use adhesive wall hooks to collect together and manage wall strung lights.

    Even gathering together a few separate cord ends can give your light decorations a more tidy appearance.

    Loose cords can easy become a dangerous tripping hazard.

    What's more, if you've used wall hangers for your lights, these may do damage to your wall if yanked out suddenly.
  3. Step 3: Make easily movable lighting with large bulb lights.

  4. Step 4: Arrange string lights in interesting shapes.

  5. Step 5: Write out messages with string lights.

  6. Step 6: Decorate your bed with lights.

  7. Step 7: Manage electrical cords.

Detailed Guide

Everyday household items like mirrors, bookshelves, ornamental baskets, and so on, can be easily dressed up with lights.

Simply drape or wrap the lights on the object, or attach the lights in place with things like adhesive hooks, pushpins, and tape.Be careful when using tape to attach your lights to a finished surface, like wood, a painted wall, and so on.

Some tapes may damage finished surfaces.

You can turn your nightstand into a combination nightstand/nightlight by wrapping lights around it.

String up lights between adhesive hooks, nails, or a similar kind of hanger.

After the lights are in place, attach photos in between lights with clothespins to make a string light photo display.If you aren't ready to invest in picture frames, this is an inexpensive and charming way of displaying your favorite pictures. , Large bulb string lights are usually smaller than a traditional light bulb, but the bulbs are about the size of a child's fist.

These easily add a classy, glitzy, slightly antiquated atmosphere to virtually any space.

Drape large bulb lights for furniture or fixtures (like sills, ledges, and so on) to create inexpensive, enchanting lighting.If you like variety, this technique might be perfect for you.

You can easily move large bulb string lights around your home whenever you feel like a change.

You should be able to find this style of light at most big box stores like Walmart, Target, and so on. , Arrange pushpins or adhesive hooks on a wall in the outline of a shape, like a tree, a cloud, snowman, or whatever you desire.

After that, wind your string lights around the pushpins or hooks so the lights take the shape of your design.When using pushpins, try to use as few as possible.

Using too many may leave behind unsightly holes in your wall when you take them down.

Use different colored strings of lights to highlight certain features, or to give color and definition to your string light designs. , Lights that are more flexible than your average string lights, like tube lights, are preferred for message writing.

More flexible lights will be easier to write messages with.Use pushpins or adhesive hooks to outline your message on a wall.

Wind your string lights around these hangers until the lights spell out your message.

If you're worried the pushpins might do too much damage to your wall, use a thin piece of board as a mount and use pushpins, nails, or a similar hanger to outline the message.

Wind the lights around the hangers, then attach the board to a stud. , If you have a canopy, wrap the canopy frame with lights and allow the ends to trail down into the canopy fabric.

Even if you don't have a canopy, you can wrap the corner posts of your bed to give cozy, gentle glow to your bedroom.To create a unified color scheme, you may want to match the color of lights that you string up with your comforter, blankets, and so on. , Especially if you plan on using a few strings to decorate, string light cords can quickly get out of hand.

Gather together multiple cords together with zip ties and binder clips.

Use adhesive wall hooks to collect together and manage wall strung lights.

Even gathering together a few separate cord ends can give your light decorations a more tidy appearance.

Loose cords can easy become a dangerous tripping hazard.

What's more, if you've used wall hangers for your lights, these may do damage to your wall if yanked out suddenly.

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J

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