12 Fairy Light Delights
Already sad about having to take down your fairy lights after the holidays? Here's how to use these tiny twinklers inside all year 'round
Jess McBride
6 January 2016
Houzz Contributor. Custom decorating professional and content creator for the home design industry with a lifelong passion for color, pattern, and texture of every "stripe"
Houzz Contributor. Custom decorating professional and content creator for the home... More
During December, fairy lights are often on full display along residential streets across the country. But although your neighbours may give you funny looks if you leave your Christmas lights up past January, you don’t have to pack the sparkling strands back in the dusty attic once the festive season’s over. Consider this your licence to buck tradition and keep the lights glowing all year … on the inside.
1. Warm welcome
Announce the arrival of your esteemed guests by stringing lights up around the inside of you front door frame. Fairy lights also work well as night lights, since they give off a warm glow that won’t wake up light sleepers.
Make a first impression in your home
Announce the arrival of your esteemed guests by stringing lights up around the inside of you front door frame. Fairy lights also work well as night lights, since they give off a warm glow that won’t wake up light sleepers.
Make a first impression in your home
2. Enchanting retreat
Fairy lights are an inexpensive way to define a cosy nook. Magical for grown-ups and kids alike, a haven like this takes precious little to set up. Paint a low section of wall, tack up lights in a tepee formation and start snuggling on a mattress or cushions.
Fairy lights are an inexpensive way to define a cosy nook. Magical for grown-ups and kids alike, a haven like this takes precious little to set up. Paint a low section of wall, tack up lights in a tepee formation and start snuggling on a mattress or cushions.
3. Celestial canopy
Fairy lights in the bedroom deliver the effect of sleeping under the stars. Layering a canopy of sheers underneath softens their light.
Fairy lights in the bedroom deliver the effect of sleeping under the stars. Layering a canopy of sheers underneath softens their light.
4. Brilliant branch
Evergreens aren’t the only kind of trees that deserve to be spruced up with lights. Much like candles, strings of tiny LED lights can’t help but spread romance throughout a room, especially when they emanate from bare branches. There’s a reason why brides and wedding planners favour branches and candles on their tablescapes.
Decorating with found materials
Evergreens aren’t the only kind of trees that deserve to be spruced up with lights. Much like candles, strings of tiny LED lights can’t help but spread romance throughout a room, especially when they emanate from bare branches. There’s a reason why brides and wedding planners favour branches and candles on their tablescapes.
Decorating with found materials
5. Bedhead border
Refresh an op-shop bedhead by wrapping it in holiday lights. I challenge you to find any unloved furniture in your home that can’t be made resplendent with this simple hack.
Refresh an op-shop bedhead by wrapping it in holiday lights. I challenge you to find any unloved furniture in your home that can’t be made resplendent with this simple hack.
6. High-end ceiling
Twinkling lights aren’t necessarily a DIY proposition, nor are they always a budget option. Here, Swarovski crystals aligned with the zodiac and illuminated by a fibre-optic ceiling kit create a brilliant light feature that mimics starlight.
Twinkling lights aren’t necessarily a DIY proposition, nor are they always a budget option. Here, Swarovski crystals aligned with the zodiac and illuminated by a fibre-optic ceiling kit create a brilliant light feature that mimics starlight.
7. Radiant room divider
For those wanting to re-create a snowy evening in, admiring falling snowflakes from a well-lit vantage point is a heartwarming winter tradition in colder climes. As wonderful as thick drapery panels are for insulation during the cold-weather months, sometimes a bare window with nothing but holiday lights just feels right.
Structures and screens to split large spaces
For those wanting to re-create a snowy evening in, admiring falling snowflakes from a well-lit vantage point is a heartwarming winter tradition in colder climes. As wonderful as thick drapery panels are for insulation during the cold-weather months, sometimes a bare window with nothing but holiday lights just feels right.
Structures and screens to split large spaces
8. Flickering fireplace
Whether it gets used or not, the fireplace endures as a powerful symbol of hearth and home. But it’s not necessarily the brick or even the mantel that gives fireplaces their power: it’s the warmth and light they imply. Some people recruit candles for the job; others opt for tangles of holiday lights instead.
Whether it gets used or not, the fireplace endures as a powerful symbol of hearth and home. But it’s not necessarily the brick or even the mantel that gives fireplaces their power: it’s the warmth and light they imply. Some people recruit candles for the job; others opt for tangles of holiday lights instead.
9. Dazzling mirror
When holiday lights dress up a mirror, their reflection doubles the warm glow.
When holiday lights dress up a mirror, their reflection doubles the warm glow.
10. Instant indoor-outdoor style
Wrapping a single beam with lights adds a festive elegance at any time of year. Pair them with a lush garland for the holidays, or spread fresh flowers across the table for a summery alfresco dining experience indoors.
Wrapping a single beam with lights adds a festive elegance at any time of year. Pair them with a lush garland for the holidays, or spread fresh flowers across the table for a summery alfresco dining experience indoors.
11. Glittering glass
We think of string lights as a Christmas treat, but they can also evoke the magic of fireflies, or even glow worms on a cavernous ceiling. Whether you see brilliant bugs or glittering diamonds in this humble glass stand, the vignette becomes an unexpected work of art all year ’round.
We think of string lights as a Christmas treat, but they can also evoke the magic of fireflies, or even glow worms on a cavernous ceiling. Whether you see brilliant bugs or glittering diamonds in this humble glass stand, the vignette becomes an unexpected work of art all year ’round.
12. Luminous loft
We don’t often choose bunk beds for our grown-up master bedrooms, so few adults are likely to reap the rewards of having a sitting area like this, with the feeling of a pergola overhead. But I could see kids, uni students and those lucky studio dwellers with lofted beds living the dream under the glow of LED string lights.
YOUR TURN
Do you keep fairy lights up at home all year? Show us your displays by uploading your photos in the Comments.
MORE
Light up Your Life With Lanterns
6 Quick Home Updates to Welcome in the New Year
Ignite Your Children’s Imaginations With Playful Lighting
We don’t often choose bunk beds for our grown-up master bedrooms, so few adults are likely to reap the rewards of having a sitting area like this, with the feeling of a pergola overhead. But I could see kids, uni students and those lucky studio dwellers with lofted beds living the dream under the glow of LED string lights.
YOUR TURN
Do you keep fairy lights up at home all year? Show us your displays by uploading your photos in the Comments.
MORE
Light up Your Life With Lanterns
6 Quick Home Updates to Welcome in the New Year
Ignite Your Children’s Imaginations With Playful Lighting
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Oh yes. It has become tradition that I plan throughout the year just where I can use more clear mini-lights (both indoor and out) then as soon as they hit mark-down after Christmas I know exactly where I will use them. Some areas are LED for a whiter, brighter light and some are yellow for a warmer, cozier feeling.
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