How To Make Outdoor String Lights Look Cottagecore

If your outdoor space lacks proper lighting, it can be difficult to actually use the space. Installing hardwired lighting can also be costly. Plus, choosing the wrong style of lighting, even for an outdoor space, can disrupt the aesthetic of your home if you are not careful. Luckily, there are plenty of budget-friendly patio lighting ideas that work no matter what your style is. One highly versatile option is a set of string lights, which can be placed in a variety of arrangements. There are even solar-powered options, making them energy efficient and perfect for outdoor use. Unfortunately, string lights can also be tough to maintain and may be blown around and damaged more in severe weather than other types of outdoor lighting. Despite these potential challenges, if you like the benefits and look of string lights, they are worth a try for patios and other outdoor spaces.

But you don't have to settle for a boring string of lights. Customizing the way you display the strands can help you capture your preferred style. Say you love the cottagecore aesthetic, which focuses on simplicity and nature and is inspired by life on a farm or a cottage in the English countryside. Natural materials, a touch of vintage, and intricate details are all part of the style. If you compare those elements to a description of outdoor string lights, which typically have black cords and bright lights, you can easily understand the dissonance. Luckily, with the right decor, you can make them work. Make sure you have greenery, wood posts, gel wood stain, and large pots, and you can create a whimsical yet practical cottagecore patio with perfect lighting.

To decorate with string lights while maintaining a cottagecore aesthetic, you need to incorporate features of the style around the string lights. One way to do that is by stringing the lights between wood posts at the corners of your patio. But you'll want to do more than just secure the posts into the ground. Stain the wood structures with a warm, natural color, and attach wooden pieces that make the post more intricate. You might experiment with adding wooden decals and a finial, also known as a decorative cap, to each post before staining the whole piece. This keeps the post from feeling too sharp and new, helping it better fit into the cozy and vintage style of cottagecore. 

Cementing the posts into buckets and then placing them inside of large pots not only gives them a solid foundation, but it also offers more opportunity to work in cottagecore vibes. Fill the rest of the pot with soil, and add flowers or other plants to bring more nature into the patio design. Choosing plants that can climb up the posts, like ivy, will add to the cottage look as well.

When it comes to the string lights themselves, there are a few choices that can help them fit your aesthetic. One option is to purchase string lights that have small shades on them. Shades in natural materials like wicker, rattan, and linen will help your string lights look less bright and modern. Although the options are more limited, if you already purchased your string lights, it is possible to buy shades that can be added to string lights. 

One thing to avoid when hanging string lights is stretching them too tightly between posts. Not only can stretching them tightly damage the lights, but it can also look too severe for the cozy vibes you want. Sharp, straight lines are more suited to a modern style, while a light droop looks more casual and simple. You can also drape the lights in layers and use gently zig-zagging lines to make the design less geometric. 

Another thing to look out for is the warmth of the light bulbs. Soft, warm lighting is a big part of making your home feel like a fairytale cottage, so try to avoid bright, cold lights with color temperatures above 4,000 Kelvin. Along with creating a relaxing and cozy atmosphere, yellow light is less appealing to mosquitoes than blue light, which could help make your outdoor space safer and more comfortable to use.

Another thing to avoid when trying to make your string lights look cottagecore is using them as your only lighting source. Supplement your outdoor space with candles and table lamps for more ambient lighting, especially if your string lights are not too bright. Combining all of these tips will help you turn your modern string lights into a perfect fit with the rest of your cottagecore home. For an even better understanding of how to make your outdoor string lights — and the rest of your home — better fit your dream aesthetic, it is a good idea to consult the ultimate guide to cottagecore decor.