15 Pool Deck Lighting Ideas for the Summer
Set the stage for a successful backyard gathering with pool deck lighting! Once summer rolls around, the pool deck becomes a gathering point for friends and family. However, homeowners often forget to decorate the deck when installing their landscape lighting. To complete the look of a backyard, find the top 15 pool deck lighting ideas below.
The Top 15 Pool Deck Lighting Ideas
Add lighting to the pool deck and its surrounding structures to highlight plants and enjoy increased visibility. Make a water feature pop with string lights or place a spotlight on nearby trees. The deck provides more opportunities for creative lighting than most pool areas. Here are the 15 best lighting ideas to set off a pool deck at night time.
1. Lanai Lights
Beautify your roofed, open-sided patio, porch, or veranda with tropical Lanai lights. Sharing their Name with a tiny Hawaiian island, Lanai lights add dramatic effect during the evening hours.
Lanai lights deliver uplighting and downlighting simultaneously, providing illumination on the ground and the ceiling of a lanai.
Found throughout America’s 50th state and in millions of homes throughout the contiguous United States, Lanai lights create a safer space for friends and family by illuminating the pool deck and dark areas around the swimming pool.
2. LED Step Lights
Illuminate the steps or stairs that lead to the pool deck by installing LED step lights. The pool area is one of the home’s slipperiest places. Thankfully, a lighting professional can make it safer by installing waterproof outdoor lighting on the side of each step.
LED step lights do more than illuminate wet stairs and increase safety — they tell guests where to go. Most visitors will intuitively understand that the step lights lead to the deck and pool area so homeowners can entertain guests rather than direct traffic whenever they host parties.
3. Low-Voltage Well Lights
Simplicity, efficiency, and functionality make low-voltage well lights one of the best pool deck lighting ideas. They maximize usable space and deliver clean lines. A lighting professional can install them around the edge of an existing pool deck or embed them in deck stairs.
Because the lights are low voltage, they produce a warm white light without running up the utility bill — perfect for any outdoor space. Try well lights and discover how the right lighting can help a pool deck take center stage.
4. Pergola Lights
A nearby pergola provides shade to a pool deck during the daylight hours. However, the beauty of a pergola shines the brightest after the sun sets.
Hang several strands of string lights to mimic the stars and entice guests to gather under the pergola. Or, set your party ablaze with fire features, like a fire pit or tiki torches.
Whether the pergola protects the refreshments table or just a few loungers, guests will flock to this part of the pool deck if the right lighting options are selected.
5. Recessed Deck Lights
Decorate the pool area with unassuming, recessed deck lights. During the daytime, recessed lighting remains barely visible. But, at night, homeowners can amaze their guests with colorful LED lights.
Recessed LEDs can change color with a tap on a smartphone, setting the mood with modern visual appeal. Homeowners can control the brightness, color, special effects, and more. Some of the most popular places to install recessed LEDS in a pool deck include:
- Ceilings
- Floors
- Walkways
- Fascia
- Posts
- Rails
6. Star Lights
Make your backyard sparkle with eye-catching star lights. On an overcast evening, homeowners can still ensure their guests see some stars. The fun, welcoming feel of starlights reminds visitors that they are at a party.
Affordable and easy to use, star lights deliver some of the best value when lighting a pool area. Their gentle glow provides just enough illumination for swimming pools and any patio or deck in the surrounding area.
7. Fence Lights
Brighten up your boundary line with one of the best pool deck ideas: fence lighting. Fence lights let guests know where the pool deck ends and the backyard wall begins. For enhanced security, a lighting professional can set up a motion sensor for fence lighting, too.
Due to their outdoor location, all fence lighting should be waterproof. Try to find fence lights that change color to set the mood for backyard holiday gatherings.
8. Post Cap Lights
For pool decks with railings, post cap lights help guests safely find their way around. They also enhance the aesthetic appeal of fence posts, handrails, and other vertical beams. On a walkway, they serve almost like waypoints, giving visitors a better sense of the space around them.
Most post cap lights have small roofs with eaves to direct water away from the electrical components. Before purchase, homeowners should check whether a post cap light is waterproof.
9. Railing Lights
Stay on the right path while walking around a new pool with deck railing lights. This pool deck lighting idea is safe, functional, and decorative. Try to find lights that deliver bright light for security and warm light for social events.
Homeowners can find railing lights in many different styles using various materials. Unless a pool deck has a roof or overhang to protect it, select waterproof railing lights to extend the life of the lighting system.
10. Sidewalk Lights
Give the path to your new pool deck a futuristic look with sidewalk lights. Embedded in the ground or sitting on short posts, sidewalk lights keep guests on the pavement and out of the flower beds.
In-ground sidewalk lights deliver a clean, finished look. However, a light professional can more easily install sidewalk stake lights. Some of the latest models use light to create dazzling geometric designs on the pathway.
11. Spotlights
Light up your pool deck with powerful spotlights. Out of all the pool deck lighting ideas, spotlights may demonstrate the most versatility. They can light up apoln entire back wall or highlight a landscaping feature.
Perfect for pool decks that extend along the side of the house, spotlights emit light precisely where it’s needed. Have a lighting professional install colorful LED spotlights around the pool area to create a festive atmosphere.
12. Under Cap Lights
Liven up the dark, hard-to-reach spots on the deck with under cap lighting. These waterproof lights nestle in the nooks and crannies of a deck, like under benches or around the fire pit.
Under cap lights provide an extra layer of safety in the darkest parts of a backyard, like stairways, stone walls, and more. Most homeowners prefer to use under cap lights in sitting areas that would otherwise lack sufficient light.
13. Under Deck Lighting
For homes with living spaces under their decks, string lights and ceiling fans provide most of the comfort needed for a cozy gathering. Decorating the underside of a deck will maximize a home’s usable outdoor space in anticipation of large events.
LED strip lighting can also produce a dramatic effect where guests least expect it. Use the underside of a deck as a place to get creative by installing LED strips in a geometric pattern or other design.
14. Waterproof Rope Lights
Improve the atmosphere on any deck with waterproof rope lights. These rugged strands of twinkle lights serve as a durable alternative to standard string lights because they have a protective casing to keep out moisture.
Light up the deck by wrapping waterproof rope lights around a nearby tree or wooden post. Safer to use and easier to install than tiki torches, rope lights can be brought out for a single event and packed away in the garage the next day.
15. Wireless LED Lights
Connect your deck lighting to Alexa or Google Home for hands-free adjustments to the ambiance. Change colors or create a strobing effect to keep the environment fresh and lively. Any smartphone can control the warmth and intensity of wireless LED lights.
If the LED lights will be exposed to the elements, select those with sufficient waterproofing and enjoy the latest in home lighting technology for tens of thousands of hours. Connect the LED lights together for a synchronized light display that guests will not soon forget.
FAQ
How Do You Illuminate A Deck?
You illuminate a deck by choosing the best lighting fixtures for the space. Some decks have posts that can accommodate post cap lights. Others may have railings that can be decorated with string lights or prefabricated rail lights. Do not forget to shine a little light under the deck if your guests will have access to the area.
What Is The Best Light For A Pool?
The best light for a pool is an LED bulb. It lasts longer and conserves more energy than most other lighting systems. The fact that LED bulbs can produce a variety of colors also makes them a popular choice. Although they cost more than many light bulbs, LEDs make up for it with their extended lifespan, saving homeowners time and money that would go toward a replacement bulb.
How Do I Light The Area Around My Pool?
To light the area around your pool, install spotlights to place a focus on water features. Consider uplighting or downlighting trees and plants. And, guide your guests around your backyard with pathway lighting. You can also use floodlights to make the most popular parts of the pool area a tad safer.
How Do You Light A Pool Patio?
You light a pool patio with low-voltage LED lights or string lights. You can install them in the ground adjacent to the patio or embed them in the patio itself. Try to find lights that match the style and materials of nearby fixtures. LED strips can be placed almost anywhere on a pool patio, so find the darkest corners and shine some light there to bring all visitors into the conversation.
Outdoor Pool Lighting Ideas | Blingle!
Which of our pool deck lighting ideas do you like the most? Do you want to illuminate your deck’s water features or hang a few pendant lights? Share your needs with one of our backyard lighting experts. Call Blingle! at 1-833-BLINGLE to schedule a consultation today!