18 enchanting ways to light up your home this winter

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Add a magical touch to your home with these enchanting outdoor Christmas lights ideas. Whatever the shape, size and style of your home and outside space there are new and clever lighting tricks to brighten your spirits and those dark winter nights. Discover not just the latest designs ideas but find out how best to use them to bring a festive touch to your night-time garden.

It could be swathing a patio with festoons of mix and match light strings, lighting paths with eye-catching flower stakes, using groups of shimmering stars to lift the darkest corners or going all out with a spectacular showstopping lit tree. Of course, there are also mesmerising projectors, app-controlled colour-changing fairy lights and good-old tealights and lanterns to experiment with too, so why wait any longer – light up your outdoor space now.

Keep scrolling to find your perfect setup, then make sure you check out our garden lighting ideas feature for brilliant ways to illuminate your space throughout the year.

1. Light up the borders

Starry lit flower stakes look stunning dotted alongside pathways and borders and the latest designs are truly spectacular. With light and airy stems that disperse into glistening bursts of gold, they brighten up the surrounding area casting a soft and magical glow. Use them as a trio or en masse for a sensational effect.

2. Create a magical welcome

Transport guests into a magical wonderland by using twinkling Christmas trees both inside and out – find out how to grow your own Christmas tree in our guide. Frame the outside of a glazed doorway or large window with a pair of potted fir or pine trees adorned with the best outdoor lights, including all-white fairy lights and groups of flickering lanterns. Continue the magic inside with a third tree decorated with identical fairy lights and swags of greenery around the window’s edge. Carriage lanterns with battery-powered candles add an inviting flicker and complete the Christmassy scene.

3. Deck the doorstep

Guarantee guests a truly festive welcome by lighting up your doorstep. A group of flickering lanterns or a small lit tree will all do the job nicely but light cast from discreet motion projector takes it to another level. Falling snowflakes, twinkling stars all create a spell-binding winter wonderland touch and couldn’t be easier to conjure up. Simply hang the compact projector – often disguised as a decorative lantern – plug into the mains and watch the magic happen.

4. Try some Scandi charm

Introduce some charming front porch ideas by staging a Scandi-inspired winter scene. Look for an area that can be seen clearly from inside the house and think about how you can accentuate its key features. A low-overhanging roof is the perfect spot for a row of simple star lights while a pretty, multi-paned window could shimmer with the glow of battery-powered candles or lanterns. Dress the area in front of the main feature too to layer up the interest. Moving a garden bench or potting table beneath a window could create a spot for another group of lanterns or pots of pale flowering Hellebores. You can find out how to grow Hellebores in our guide.

5. Layer your lights

Just like inside your home, layering different types of lighting outside is the secret to creating a stunning, rather than chaotic, effect. Stick to one colour and tone and think carefully about the different areas that need lighting.

It’s often more dramatic to focus on lighting one key area such as a front entrance or gateway rather than dotting fairy lights randomly. Use existing lighting as a base – these could be the best outdoor wall lights or a single pendant and change the bulbs if necessary, for a softer or warmer welcome. Next add string lights to outline windows, porches and eaves, then use battery fairy lights to outline potted trees, plants, wreaths and winter hanging baskets.

Head over to our guide on how to make a Christmas wreath using foliage from your garden to give your front door a unique look this festive season.

6. Show off topiary

Highlighting interesting plant shapes with plain white fairy lights is simple but oh-so effective, especially when they are arranged symmetrically in pairs framing a doorway, gateway or lined up along a path or terrace. Clipped box, bay and privet spheres, cones and standard or cloud pruned trees work particularly well as you can use the lights to outline the distinct shapes. Always stick to the same tone of light – either cool blue/white or warm gold/white for a smart, cohesive look and be sure to tuck the battery pack discreetly into the foliage, or if using solar powered, be sure to neatly hide the wire and position the panel in a bright spot away from the feature.

7. Make patios twinkle

For a contemporary take on Christmas patio ideas, go for minimal but striking designs that are impossible to ignore for. A group of simple lit stars is the perfect way to bring some festive sparkle to a secluded corner, porch or outdoor tabletop. Choose from three different sizes and arrange them regimentally in line or staggered as a trio. With wire frames wrapped in tiny warm white LEDs they create a particularly delicate look and can be set to be still or subtly twinkle.

Gallery: 33 stunning bedroom ideas (Real Homes)

These inspiring bedroom ideas are the best place to start planning your dream makeover…

These bedroom ideas will prove that when it comes to bedroom decor, you only have to make a few small changes to see a big difference. Pop a new cushion here, a lick of paint there, and voilà you’ve transformed your space into something wonderful.

To bring you the best bedroom decorating ideas around right now, we simply delved into our archives, scoured the internet, asked the experts and looked into our crystal ball to determine the latest bedroom design trends. Of course, it was worth it, because now you have the ultimate gallery of gorgeous bedroom decor ideas to get you inspired.

We have covered it all, from small tweaks to big revamps, so no matter what your style or budget you will find something you love here.

REDESIGN YOUR BEDROOM WITH A NEW COLOUR SCHEME

If you want a completely new look for your bedroom, a new colour scheme is a great place to start. You might not need to change up too much either, especially if your walls are already painted quite a neutral colour.

Create a mood board or use Pinterest to come up with colours you love and even look at paint swatches to see how they will all work together. Then just start bringing all those new colours in with bedding, cushions, rugs and once you know you are really happy with the new colours you can maybe go a bit bolder with paint, wallpaper and furniture.

Uber fresh, light and airy, this sunny scheme using Crown’s Sunrise matt emulsion is a sure fire winner to lighten and brighten up a dark room and create the illusion of space.

CHOOSE A SUBTLE PATTERN TO ADD INTEREST

If you are confident in the atmosphere you want to create in your bedroom, wallpaper can be a quick and cheap way to bring in the right colours and patterns. Use the colours within your wallpaper to dictate the rest of your room – we adore how the subtle pink hues work with the gorgeous bed set up in this room.

If you are worried about overwhelming your bedroom with wallpaper, just go for one wall and make a feature of it.

WALLPAPER ALL YOUR BEDROOM WALLS FOR A COSY FEEL

Oooh how cosy is this room? Love it. And this just demonstrates how lovely the right wallpaper can look on all four walls of a bedroom. The print is nice and neutral and really subtle, plus it totally matches everything else going on in the room, which is a great way to make a small bedroom feel nice and cocooning.

OR USE PAINT TO UPDATE YOUR BEDROOM WALLS

Even easier than wallpaper, paint can totally change your room in a matter of hours, plus it’s a great way to experiment with colour because it’s not really permanent. Our choice for bedroom paint would always be soft, rosy hues that are going to be relaxing and you can add more colours in if you want a brighter look.

PICK WARM OCHRES, RUSTS FOR A BEDROOM DECOR IDEA

If earthy shades are your thing, look no further than this down to earth scheme from Annie Sloan. Her famous chalky paints are the go-to-place if you love natural shades – they have a super quality that looks fabulous on any wall. The block design Annie has used here is so on trend – you can recreate it yourself with four colours and a roll of frog tape. If you fancy using the same colours they are Old Ochre, Honfleur, Oxford Navy and Scandinavian Pink.

CREATE A PANEL EFFECT WITH PAINT

This is a great bedroom design idea for any space, and it works particularly well in small bedrooms to heighten the room. All you need to do is use masking tape and a ruler to mark where you want your lower colour to end and just get painting!

WORK WITH THE ALCOVES IN YOUR SPACE

Working with your bedroom design is a must in all decorating schemes. And, if you want to be bold in your colour choices, particularly if you want to pick a dark colour for your bedroom, painting an alcove is a great way to work this in to your space. This room still looks bright and fresh but the dark wall, along with the matching bedding add a more dramatic feel.

CREATE UNIFORMITY WITH DIY PANELLING

Panelling is everywhere at the moment! And, not just in traditional homes, as wall panelling works really well in modern spaces too. Fear not if you haven’t been blessed with original panelling in your bedroom, as you can DIY the look.

CHOOSE CONTRASTING COLOURS FOR A VIBRANT SPACE

You see, wall paneling works so well in a cool and modern bedroom! We love this room, particularly because of the contrasting colours. The softness of the pink brings out bright teal and yellow so well, making it a great bedroom idea for couples and for anyone that adores vibrant spaces.

ADD SHIPLAP PANELLING FOR A RUSTIC LOOK

This is a look that’s all over Instagram at the moment. Very beachy, very relaxed, shiplap walls are the thing to have in a bedroom. Now, you can DIY the look with just cladding but we have also seen some fab wallpaper that replicates the look without the faff. Wayfair make loads, as do Etsy so check them out.

CREATE A GALLERY WALL WITH MIRRORS

We have always been fond of a gallery wall, and we are loving the latest trend of maxing out on mirrors as an alternative to prints. A gallery wall of mirrors is a fab bedroom idea because no matter what the size of your room it’s going to bring in more light, texture and interest.

ADD PATTERN WITH AN UPHOLSTERED HEADBOARD

Choosing pattern can help soften this often cumbersome-looking object! Because, particularly if yours is dated, a solid headboard can often dominate the entire space. A really easy bedroom idea is to cover it up with a playful patterned fabric.

All you need for this DIY project is the fabric of your choice– enough to cover your headboard – and a staple gun. Lay the fabric flat on the floor, then remove the headboard and lay it over the fabric. Get someone to help you stretch the fabric over the front of your headboard and then secure it with a staple gun to the back. It doesn’t matter if it looks a bit messy at the back of the head board because no one will ever see it.

OR, COMPLETELY DIY A HEADBOARD WITH CUTE CUSHIONS

If you want an even softer look, copy this lovely bedroom look. For this super easy DIY project, just pick two or three large square cushions and attach some small brass rings (curtains rings work well) to the top two corners. Then, using the size of your chosen cushions as a guide, mark out where you need to place the nails or screws that will hold up the cushions. Hammer some large brass nails (or use screws if you prefer), hang the cushions and you’re done.

PICK BEDROOM FURNITURE THAT PLAYS WITH SCALE

What does this mean exactly? Well, it can mean three things. First, and importantly, you don’t want to put a king-sized bed in a small bedroom. So, furniture kept in scale within the room is much more likely to make it feel larger.

Next: don’t over-clutter a small bedroom with too much furniture. Doing so will again take up space visually (as well as really).

Lastly, pick a tall headboard like this one. Doing so will make the room feel taller and give it great focus. Patterns and prints on the bed and headboard like this fab design from KDLoves are great for distracting the eye and for keeping the bed as the focal point too.

GO FOR A CLASSIC GREY SCHEME IN A BEDROOM

You can’t go wrong with a grey bedroom can you? It’s always going to be in style and grey is a really easy colour to work with other colours. You can change up the palette with seasons – in the autumn and winter keep things cosy by adding warmer colours and darker greys and then in summer keep all the greys pale and add plenty of crisp whites and light colours.

KEEP THINGS NEUTRAL FOR A FARMHOUSE FEEL

We always love a neutral bedroom, so soft and inviting. We like this bedroom idea of adding in lots of nice textures too, just to keep things from looking a bit flat. The rustic bedside table, upholstered headboard and thick rugs all help to create interest in a space that doesn’t have much colour.

GO FOR A BEACHY LOOK WITH AN ALL WHITE BEDROOM

And of course an all-white bedroom is a classic look. You can also do so much with a blank canvas and change it up easily as styles and seasons change. During the summer months, a relaxed beachy look is definitely one to go for and this works so well with an all-white scheme. Add in some greenery, a few cream or grey accents to soften the look. While in cooler months, you’ll want to embrace Hygge a little more with some Scandi-style bedroom additions to your space.

ADD SOFTNESS TO A BEDROOM WITH BLUSH HUES

Can you tell we love neutral bedroom decor? This room has just a hint of colour with all those lovely peachy, blush hues. Again so easy to style differently too – add darker colours for a more moody, wintery feel, add golds to go more glam or even add subtle prints for a cute boho feel.

CREATE ATMOSPHERE WITH A MOODY FEATURE WALL

Ah finally some darker colours! Feature walls can add so much to a bedroom, and come in so many different forms too. What we love about this bedroom is the dark feature wall. The herringbone tiling effect adds interest and textured, which works wonderfully with those blue walls. Plus, it would be so easy to change the look up too. Paint the walls white and voilà, a completely different space.

MIX AND MATCH FOR A MODERN TAKE ON A BOHO BEDROOM

While old furniture in a bedroom can look lovely, it’s sometimes not the most practical. Drawers that don’t open properly, bedside tables with uneven legs, wardrobes with doors falling off their hinges? Yes, it’s a familiar set up. But why not keep that vintage bedroom, boho look with smaller infrequently used pieces of furniture and accessories, but pick modern pieces for the more heavily used items. The overall result is actually really cool.

MAKE BEDROOM STORAGE STYLISH AND DISCREET

Storage is a must-have in a bedroom, but trying to squeeze in a place to keep all your clothes, bedding, shoes and more, can be tricky. And for this reason we say keep your storage as discreet and possible so your room isn’t just overwhelmed by furniture. Make use of alcoves so wardrobes and drawers can be tucked away and pick small pieces of storage furniture that are going to add some style to the room as well as being practical – case in point this wooden blanket box.

OR, USE AN OPEN STORAGE SYSTEM FOR DECORATION

Of course, bedroom storage doesn’t always have to be practical, you can use it to add some personality to your bedroom too. Pick storage that has both open and closed options so you can hide clutter behind doors and keep your prettiest things on show.

WAP OUT BULKY BEDSIDE TABLES FOR BUILT-IN SHELVES

If bedside tables are compromising your space, you can swap them out for shelving, painted to match the wall behind. The lower they are, the bigger the bedroom will feel, too.

PICK STATEMENT LIGHTS FOR BEDSIDE TABLES

‘Think about what feel you’re after in the bedroom, is it calming and pared back, warm and cosy or something with a more opulent flavour, then create your lighting scheme around that,’ says Rohan Blacker, Founder, Pooky. ‘In general, keep bulbs shaded with material as opposed to glass, unless you want to use the light source for reading. If you’re a book lover, directional wall or desk lights are far more effective than lamps with lampshades, but they are less equipped to create warm, ambient light.’

ADD CHARACTER WITH ANTIQUE EFFECT TASK LIGHTING

Looking for bedroom lighting ideas? Well a bedside light is obviously an essential. We love the seamless look that comes with a wall mounted bedside light, no wires and perfect if you want to keep the space on your table totally clear. They are also great in smaller bedrooms if you cant fit in a bedside table.

EXPOSE BARE FLOORBOARDS FOR A PRACTICAL AND SOPHISTICATED FLOORING CHOICE

Floorboards are a really practical choice in a bedroom, they are easy to keep clean, work with any style and of course look lovely. If you are concerned about keeping the room warm, then rugs are the answer. Invest in a larger rug to keep the heat in and stop it being too noisy under foot, and then add smaller rugs over the top.

OR KEEP THING COSY WITH A CARPET

Carpet is another obvious choice for a bedroom. They are great for adding warmth and cosiness. Go for something relatively neutral on your bedroom floor so it’s not the focus of your room and can cope with whatever style you add to your space.

ADD PLENTY OF HOUSE PLANTS FOR AN EASY BEDROOM UPDATE

House plants are such a great way to add some colour into a bedroom. Mix up the size of plants you choose and have them all at different levels to create a proper jungle feel.

INCORPORATE A SMALL STYLISH WORKSPACE

We are all working from home a lot more at the moment, and for some of us it might become a full-time thing. If you are squeezed for space in the rest of your house, or rent a room and need to create a home office, the bedroom is the place to do it. You want a home office to fit seamlessly into your bedroom, so pick furniture and accessories that match the room’s style. Let’s be honest you don’t want a massive ergonomic office chair and huge cumbersome desk, so go for slimline, stylish office furniture that could even double up as a dressing table.

CREATE CALM WITH A LIGHT COLOUR PALETTE

For a truly chilled out ambiance, be sure to keep your decor – window dressings and the like – light in colour. You can still add some dark hues like in this room with the headboard, but otherwise choose light and breezy tones for the defining features of the space.

GET A COOL SCANDI LOOK WITH WOOD PANELLING

More about simple and Scandi than dark and moody? You’ll love this oak wall covering, then. Behind the wall, there’s actually bespoke wardrobes made from MDF carcasses, but the covering is engineered oak flooring (there’s that topsy turvy floor-to-wall trend again!), which looks amazing contrasted with the plain white walls. This also shows that a feature wall doesn’t have to be behind your bed, either – use bespoke joinery like this to highlight interesting shapes or dramatic ceiling heights to amazing effect.

ADD ENERGY WITH CANARY-COLOURED SHUTTERS

After colourful bedroom ideas but not sure where to start? Shutters always look lovely in a rainbow of colours, plus they are perfect if you just want a pop of brightness as when they are open they won’t look as dramatic. This sunny yellow is so cool, and works well with other hints of yellow dotted throughout the rest of the room.

CLASH PATTERNS AND USE LAYERING FOR DRAMA

Prefer a maximalist look? Use curtains to add pattern and start to build from there. Choose prints and colours for the rest of the room that will both complement and contrast the existing patterns. We adore the clear colour palette of this bedroom idea, and it’s the contrast of patterns that adds that eclectic touch.

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8. Illuminate the trees

Show off skeletal tree shapes with different coloured fairy lights. Simple but dramatic it’s a great way to bring your outside space alive with colour and drama. Tailor the look to suit your personality – cool white/blue tones will create an icy, wintery feel that can look especially effective on pale barked beauties such as Himalayan and Silver Birch. For a more vibrant look try mixing hot tones such as red, pink and warm white. Feel like really showing off? Then have fun with Lights4Fun’s Twinkly Smart App controlled Multi Coloured String lights. Controlled remotely or via Google Assistant and Alexa they will have your guests and family gazing in wonder.

9. Give borders a boost

Pep up a border and create a twinkling pocket of light with some of the latest pre-lit tree designs. Pared back in style with branches bejewelled in lights they look stunning popped into a winter border, amongst skeletal shrubs and ornamental grasses. We love this eye-catching design – with 80 tiny ball LED lights in a gentle mix of warm white and soft tones it adds a beautiful, elegance to the night-time garden.

10. Brighten a gathering place

Give your outdoor dining ideas a festive makeover with some stylish festoon light ideas and pretty lanterns. Weave clear white festoon lights through overhanging climbers, branches or even a pergola so they cast pools of light on the table below. A group of clear glass lanterns, hurricane lamps or even simple or fluted jam jars look stunning clustered together and filled with flickering tealights. Love the idea of introducing a pergola into your outside space? Head over to our pergola ideas feature for more inspiration.

11. Guide the way with lights

One of the best garden path ideas for Christmas is to light up steps, pathways and driveways with a row of attention-grabbing Christmas stake lights. Usually sold as sets of three or four pre-wired units, these designs are mains powered and come ready to be pushed into the ground at regular intervals. Simple to arrange you can easily use several sets to stretch the entire length of your pathway. There are many different festive shapes and coloured lights out there, but we love the simplicity and cheekiness of these spiral trees topped with stars.

12. Create a dazzling focal point

Transform an empty patio or lawn into a shimmering showpiece by creating the chic-ist of Christmas trees. Featuring strings of golden fairy lights and topped with a radiant star this beauty is sure to shine bright throughout the festive season. Supported by a central pole standing over two metres high, it’s a great way to fill a vacant spot. Too big for your small garden ideas? Then why not make your own mini version using a rounded wooden stake, metal camping pegs and a 5m string of outdoor fairy lights instead?

13. Decorate with snow and sparkles

A mature, standalone tree is the perfect opportunity to go to town with Christmas lights. Rather than swamping it with a mass of fairy lights why not be bold and go for dramatic lit icicles instead. Go for either a string of fairy lights with dangling strands that create an icicle effect or look for individual ‘icicles’. The designs pictured above from B&Q are clear acrylic tubes filled with vivid LEDS and they can be arranged exactly how you like to create a brilliant spectacle. Choose between static and cascading settings.

14. Dazzle by mixing string lights

Not just for summer garden party ideas, festoons of fairy lights strung across a patio can add an uplifting festive vibe too. Up the interest by mixing different shapes, colours and scales of fairy lights. Strings of chunky festoon bulbs can look spectacular alongside lines of dainty stars and smaller multi-coloured LEDs and together they cast a surprising amount of bright light. Run light strings parallel and let them rise and fall at the same points for a neat and professional finish.

15. Light up a snowy scene

Bring on the ‘aaaahh’ factor by creating a heart-warming festive scene in the corner of your patio, under a gazebo or favourite tree. Fall in love with one or a group of illuminated characters – for us it was a close call between this duck family or an adorable bobble-hat wearing Daschund – and nestle them in place. A potted Christmas tree – decorated with lights, a pile of logs, basket of holly, a wooden sledge will all help build the scene. Add a final dusting of artificial snow, plug-in and set the character’s built-in timer and you can sit back and enjoy.

16. Add sensational starbursts

Simple but oh-so effective – firework lights are brilliant for highlighting garden features with delicate clusters of light. Made up of fine wire LED lit strands radiating from a central point, these versatile designs look stunning hung from archways, beneath pergolas or a gazebo. Our favourite, and perhaps the easiest way to display them is to pop them between the bare branches of a prominently placed tree or shrub. The bursts of tiny white lights create a magical effect and give a sense of depth and form to the darkness.

17. Guide the way

Pre-lit branches and garlands are a beautiful, quick and easy way to highlight arches or add an extra flourish to your garden gate ideas. Made from clusters of tiny LEDs woven into a wire form they can be gently bent into shape to suit your setting. You will need to fix them in place, but the result is stunning, especially when woven into existing greenery and climbers. Battery powered with a built-in timer just pop them in place, sit back and admire.

18. Spread joy and be quirky

Raising a smile and having a sense of fun is more important than ever this year, and what could say it better than a lit tabletop display. Choose some illuminated heart-lifting characters – it could be a group of cheery robins, polar bears or these jolly toadstools – and arrange on a side table or tall plant stand. Surround with moss, artificial snow or icy glass nodules and pop next to the front door or a window where they can work their joyous magic.

The best outdoor lights for every budget
Winter garden party ideas
How to make festive candleholders with garden foliage

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