How To Make Neon Lights Work In Your Home
If you like your lighting funky, you’re in the right place. Lighting is SO much more than a functional necessity in your home - it’s a design choice that can transform the feel of a room, influence your mo...
How To Make Neon Lights Work In Your Home
If you like your lighting funky, you’re in the right place. Lighting is SO much more than a functional necessity in your home - it’s a design choice that can transform the feel of a room, influence your mood and reflect your personality. Nothing does this better than neon lights, which have emerged as a bold, vibrant trend in decorative lighting, and offer an eclectic and colourful way to light a room. Whether you're thinking of upgrading your living room lighting, revamping your outdoor lights, or exploring quirky and unusual lamps, neon lights offer versatile and visually stunning options, and are well worth exploring.
The Rise Of Neon Lights In Interior Design
Originally associated with shop signs and retro diners, neon lights have found their way into our homes (and hearts) as trend-led elements of decorative lighting. Thanks to LED technology, today’s neon-style lights are energy-efficient, safe to use indoors, and available in endless colours and designs. These lights make a statement, acting as both art and illumination.
Whether you're using them as wall lights for the living room or integrating them into your mood lighting set-up, neon lights serve as a dynamic component in contemporary home decor.
Lighting A Room With Neon: Where To Begin?
When lighting a room, it’s important to balance functionality with aesthetics. Neon lights work best as accent or mood lighting, contributing to the ambience of a room rather than providing the main source of illumination. Here are a few creative ways to incorporate neon lights into various parts of your home:
Neon works especially well when layered with other cordless lighting solutions, such as portable lamps or LED strips, to create a warm, inviting atmosphere.
A Guide To Statement Lighting
Neon lights are the epitome of statement lighting (often literally!) They focus the attention, start conversations, and set the tone of a room.
To use them effectively:
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Choose a theme – Whether it's your home bar, the kitchen or the downstairs loo, there’s a neon for that! Browse at your leisure to find a design that complements your decor.
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Mix materials – Style your neon lights next to or with wooden or metal fixtures to create contrast and texture. Greenery works brilliantly, too.
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Consider placement – Mount neon lights on blank walls to draw the eye, or use them to highlight architectural features like alcoves or shelves.
This guide to statement lighting wouldn’t be complete without recommending the pairing of neon with quirky and unusual lamps. Mixing a fun neon sign with one-of-a-kind table lamps can create a dynamic lighting scheme perfect for creative spaces.
Fun Lighting: Express Your Style
Neon is at the heart of quirky lighting - designs are generally bold, colourful, and unconventional. It's lighting that doesn’t follow traditional rules. Instead, it’s all about personality.
For example:
A cactus-shaped neon lamp brings a touch of desert whimsy to a minimalist room.
Lightning bolt neon lights work perfectly in a teen’s room or game room.
Neon speech bubbles or custom messages are a great way to express your personality.
To get the most out of neon lighting, layer it with other types of light sources, like cordless lighting options that provide flexibility and convenience without the clutter of cables.
The Best Lighting For Small Rooms
Small rooms can feel cramped and dark if not lit properly. Neon lights can help open up these spaces with their soft, radiant glow and vibrant colours. One of the best lighting tips for small rooms is that while floor lamps or ornate chandeliers are fabulous for bigger spaces, they should be avoided in cosy spaces and they can dominate.
As well as neon lights, consider:
Wall lights to free up floor space.
Slim, vertical neon lights to elongate walls and create a sense of height.
Light-coloured neon, such as white or pastel, which helps reflect more light.
Combining neon with decorative pieces like mirrors and reflective surfaces can amplify light and create an illusion of spaciousness.
Mood Lighting For The Living Room
Mood lighting is all about setting the tone. Neon lights are great for creating a party vibe, but styled in the right way, they can also make a space feel relaxed or energising. Consider dimmable neon signs or those with remote controls, which allow you to shift colours based on time of day or mood.
For example:
Warm colours (orange, pink and sunset corals) create a cosy feel.
Cool colours (blue, green) give all the calm and tranquil feels.
Bright or mixed colours can energise and uplift you.
Using neon as mood lighting for the living room, for example, not only adds a fun and contemporary twist but also helps you tailor the atmosphere to different occasions.
Wall Lights And Neon: A Perfect Match
If you're on the hunt for wall lights for the living room, kitchen or even the hallway, neon options present a quirky alternative to traditional wall sconces. Unlike conventional lights, neon wall lights are both artistic and functional. Mounting a neon sign or shape above a console table, behind the TV, or next to a bookshelf can subtly illuminate the room while adding an artful touch.
Wall-mounted neon signs also work really well in hallways, staircases, and landings – in other words, transitional areas that often lack visual interest.
Outdoor Neon Lighting
Neon lights aren’t just for interiors - they’re increasingly being used as outdoor lights, too. Weatherproof LED neon signs can turn your patio, balcony, or garden into the most fabulous entertaining space that pops with personality.
Neon lighting ideas for outdoors include:
Using neon signs to illuminate the function of certain areas – bar, dance floor, or a cosy corner.
Framing garden entrances with neon to create a superstar welcome.
Hanging festive neon signs as part of your outdoor Christmas lights for a modern holiday look.
Pair neon with traditional garden lighting to balance form and function. While neon adds style, colour and quirkiness, conventional garden lights ensure sufficient brightness and visibility.
More Ways To Combine Neon With Garden Lights
Garden lights often follow a natural aesthetic, using materials like stone, wood, or copper in their design. But when paired with neon, your garden lighting can take on a whole new personality. Imagine patio steps or a terrace where low-voltage pathway lights guide the way and create cosy pockets of illumination. Super-atmospheric, and perfect for partying long into the evening.
Using neon alongside cordless lighting in the garden means you can move pieces around easily - ideal for hosting, rearranging furniture (a RSG speciality), or decorating for special occasions.
Cordless Lighting And Neon: Flexibility Meets Style
One of the biggest challenges in lighting design is dealing with wires and power outlets. Cordless lighting solves this problem completely and looks effortlessly stylish at the same time. Neon lights come in battery-powered and rechargeable versions, making them easier to install in unconventional spaces.
Whether you're shining a light on your favourite tomes on a bookshelf, decorating for a party, or enhancing your funky lighting set-up, cordless neon options offer freedom of placement and easy portability.
Quirky And Unusual Lamps That Complement Neon
If you’re already using neon lights, why not double down on the uniqueness with quirky and unusual lamps? Think lava lamps, mushroom-shaped lights, or animal-inspired designs. These unusual and quirky table lamps pair well with neon to create rooms full of character and creativity.
In eclectic or bohemian spaces, this mix-and-match approach to lighting breaks all the rules - in the best way. Use a variety of textures, colours, and shapes to build a lighting scheme that feels curated and expressive.
Final Thoughts
Neon lights have evolved from retro signage to one of the most versatile and stylish decorative lighting options. Whether you're exploring lighting ideas for the living room, kitchen, home bar or hallway, refreshing your outdoor Christmas lights, or experimenting with quirky and unusual lighting, neon adds flair, colour, and personality to any space. You won't regret it!
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