Fairy Lights

Fairy lights are one of the most versatile options in the lighting world, their uses are almost as numerous as their tiny sparkling bulbs. Many of us might think of them first as a crucial part of a Christmas tree. They certainly can’t be left out of any festive decorations and they add very welcome illumination to the darkest part of winter, twinkling behind glistening baubles and backlighting the tree branches inside and outside our homes. It would be a huge mistake to think this is their only use.

Use your fairy lights to drape over a feature mirror and combine the light reflecting attraction of your mirror with the glow of your fairy lights. It won’t just light up your face in the mirror but the warmth will reflect around your room and make your mirror even more of a focal point. You could do the same around a window, switch on your lights as dusk falls and frame the view outside.

If you have a feature wall with an arrangement of photographs, prints or portraits then fixing your fairy lights up the edges and across the top of the wall, as an illuminating frame is a perfect way to gently draw attention to the area and add to your background lighting. It is a quick way to make a difference in your space with a minimum of fuss. Fairy lights are perfect for a student’s bedroom, a teenager's den or in rented accommodation because it can be changed and adjusted, put up and taken down easily and without any permanent changes to the room being needed.

Fairy lights can be threaded through outdoor plants or around pergolas and gazebos to create a magical, al alfresco area for evening meals or a glass of wine on your terrace. Solar lights are particularly useful for this because you don’t even have to worry about a power supply.

Fairy lights can be put up with removable adhesive hanging hooks which are small and subtle and can be taken down whenever you want to move the lights or change your room. Depending on your preference you could go for solar-powered fairy lights, perfect for the garden, or battery-powered lights. Inside you can also opt for lights that plug into a wall socket.

The shape of the bulb is also up to you. There are miniature round light bulb garlands that look like tiny glowing orbs or string fairy lights which are barely there except the light they give out. String lights look especially good wound around branches or twined around furniture and frames whereas the larger more decorative bulbs are a lovely feature in themselves. They can also form a lovely background to light shelving with ornaments. String lights look beautiful as an option to fill vases and decorative jars, a brightening ornament for a dark corner or alcove.

There are beautiful leaf garland lights, whimsical flower fairy lights and miniature light bulb string lights to suit every type of personality you could wish to reflect.

The light fairy lights give out can be customised to your needs, as well as the bulbs. There are fairy lights that project bright white lights, soft golden light and neon lights to coordinate with your decor. You can also choose bulbs that dim and brighten on a set sequence. Some will very gradually fade in and out, whereas some will switch directly on and off. There are options which allow you to choose your ideal sequence and set it however you would like at that moment.

Fairy lights can fit any niche and they are an ace in the pocket for those dealing with the most challenging interior design questions.