40 Stylish Solar Lighting for Outdoors

Creating a functional and stylish outdoor space can be so much fun. There are so many things to take into consideration when creating an outdoor entertaining area, a lounge area, a functional greenhouse area, and even creating a functional buildings for animals and even the “she shed”. There are so many options for out buildings and other exterior spaces but there is something that everyone needs to consider is lighting for safety, function and esthetics. That is why I want to talk about solar lighting for outdoors today.

As of late, we have been doing a lot to our outdoor spaces, creating places to relax and to play. But, we have also been creating a functional small farm in our backyard. We added goats last year as well as chickens. We have built our amazing chicken coop, as well as a super cute goat house. Just recently, we finished a small greenhouse in the garden.

These buildings did not have power to them, but for our safety and the safety of the animals I wanted to add some. We are often out in the back area of our property working on things, and especially at night when we lock up the chickens and goats, having a source of light is really important to me. We needed backyard lighting. I knew I needed to do research to find the best outdoor solar lights for my area.

Something we had to consider and think about was electrical when planning these buildings. While, running power to all the different buildings was a large task, I knew it was something that I needed to consider. We needed a power source. I didn’t want to have to stalk out to the chicken coop at night with no lighting or option for light. I had to find a way to create functional lighting for my goat shed and also my chicken coop, but I also wanted something that was stylish AND something that was solar.  

I think that was the hardest task of all, finding stylish solar lights. I could have found multiple options

Solar lighting for outdoors that is stylish is very very hard to find! Believe me, I know. I have spent many hours scouring the internet looking for solar lighting that looks good! Solar energy is a great option in homes these days, especially the outdoors.

I am sorry, but its a fact that solar lights are not the best looking lights. They often have weird designs, and just overall aren’t esthetically pleasing. Lets talk about what kinds of outdoor solar lighting are available:

Outdoor Solar Lighting Ideas

Lets talk about the different kinds of light fixtures that you can get with solar capability.

• Path Lights- There are tons of solar path light options on the market today. This is one of the most popular types of solar lights available. You can find hundreds of different styles and price ranges. These are great garden lighting ideas. They can give a nice warm glow to your garden pathway at ground level.

• Solar Lanterns– These are generally inexpensive solar lights, and look like old fashioned lanterns or like hurricane lanterns. These are more like a solar accent light. You can use these on tables, hanging on a wall, or hanging from trees even.

• Solar Pendant Lights– These are lights that hang from the ceiling and are on a length of chain or rope. These are great directional lights. They can shine down or if you have a glass shade, they can shine out at all angles. These would be great for an outdoor kitchen as well!

• Solar String Lights– As the name describes, these are string lights that are solar powered. These are a fun way to add light without much commitment. They are great for outdoor areas that need some overhead illumination where you can easily hang them.

• Step Lights– These are another really great option if you have an outdoor space with stairs. Solar power step lights illuminate your steps so that they are easily navigated safely.

• Solar Light Chandelier– If you are looking for more decorative and functional outdoor lighting, this is a great option. What a great focal point this type of light would be over a dining area or seating area.

• Deck Lights- I wrote a whole post with outdoor deck lighting ideas, you should check it out here! These are the best things to have on your deck.

• Overhead lighting– Similar to pendant lights, but often flush with the roof, these are mainly functional and I struggle to find any that are stylish as well.

• Wall Lights– These are often easier to find and there are many stylish options out there. They are also called wall sconces.  These are one of the best solar lights options that you can use around the exterior of your home to add style, safety and function in an area where you do not have electricity or where you may not want to use electricity.

When you plan, design and build something that I feel is pretty great, like my chicken coop, slapping an ugly solar light on it was not happening. I needed something that went with the design of the building. Something stylish.  That is a big ask when it comes to solar lighting for the outdoors.

I spent a lot of time looking for the best solar lights for my spaces. Ultimately for me it came down to finding the right lighting that was stylish, and functional. I needed it to function throughout the winter months as well so durability was an issue. I ultimate chose some farmhouse style wall lights that gave directional lighting. These lights shine down, illuminating the area that I needed. This is the space I would be walking and entering the chicken coop and goat house and it makes my life so much easier having them.

I do have to say, solar lights have come a very long way in the past couple of years, and I sure hope they get even better and more stylish soon. I think having solar lights that look pretty and are functional is so important to those of us who want both. And I was so very excited when I finally found a light that would work for my outer buildings not only functionally but stylish!

This light in the picture below is a solar light!  Can you believe it?

We decided to use two on our chicken coop, one for the run and one for the actual coop. What is nice about this light fixture is that it turns on in the evening and automatically turns off in the morning. I am not sure how many hours of light they give, but I haven’t ever had to worry about it. 

This light also gives tons of light! I was really surprised at how great the amount of light was, since most solar lights I have used in the past are quite low light emitting.

Over the past couple months I have had a ton of people asking about my chicken coop lights and cannot believe they are solar! So, I decided to round up all the stylish solar lights I could find, in hopes to make it easier for you to find one that works for your situation. 

Whether or not you use the them on a back porch, a greenhouse, barn, or anywhere else, you can count on finding some stylish outdoor solar light options! 

Check them all out below! I searched high and low for some really great outdoor solar lighting ideas:

The great thing about having automatic solar lights, like the ones I have on my chicken coop and goat barn is that I don’t have to worry about light and security when and if I am out near these buildings at night. They light the paths along with the buildings so I can feel safe when I am out there. This is a huge reassurance for me.  

I hope that this collection is helpful to you too!

Make sure you check out these other amazing posts as well:

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