Outdoor Walkway Lighting Ideas That Add Ambiance And Make Your Yard Safe

Outdoor lighting is almost as important as indoor lighting. The right lights can make your home's exterior look beautiful, make outdoor spaces more usable, and improve safety and security. Walkway lighting is especially important to ensure you and your guests can get around safely after the sun sets. There are plenty of ways to light outdoor walkways, which means you can find the best option for your space. House Digest exclusively interviewed several experts, including experienced landscapers, designers, and other professionals in the field, to round up these top outdoor walkway lighting ideas. 

One expert we spoke to was Elissa Hall, lead designer at Awning, who advised, "One of the most frequent mistakes I see is over-illumination — when lights are too bright, it can create harsh shadows and glare, detracting from the natural beauty of the landscape. It's also easy to forget about the light's color temperature; warm tones usually blend best with nature, while cooler lights can make outdoor spaces feel more sterile."

Brightness contributes to safety, and warmth contributes to ambiance, so they're two important priorities to balance when lighting pathways. Along with these factors, consider where you plan to place the lights. Hall explains, "Another issue is inconsistent spacing. Lights that are too far apart leave dark gaps, while lights that are too close create a runway effect. A tip I often give is to test light placement at night before making permanent decisions — what works during the day might feel completely different in the evening." Now, with these tips in mind, here are some of their expert-recommended outdoor walkway lighting ideas.

True to their name, pathway lights are designed to cast light upon backyard and garden paths. Generally, path lights are small lights on a short post, designed to line the sides of walkways. Some are mounted on a stake to insert into the ground, and many direct the light downward, toward the pavement.

In an exclusive interview with House Digest, Samuel Davis, a landscaper and the CEO of London Gardeners, highly recommends this lighting type. He says, "[Pathway lights] are used for providing safe passage and vision while offering soft illumination." They're one of the go-to options shoppers think of when considering walkway lighting, and they're an excellent choice for both safety and aesthetics. They come in a huge variety of styles, from minimalist modern posts to ornate traditional lights. Beyond different designs, you can also choose from various lighting colors and patterns (some adjustable), novelty lights for holidays, and even smart lights you can control from indoors.

To improve ease of installation, many pathway lights nowadays are solar powered, so you don't need to run an electrical line. One highly-rated solar-powered example with a classic design is the Beau Jardin Solar Pathway Light. Alternatively, a sleeker and more modern option (also solar-powered) is the Bobcat Solar Pathway Lights. If you're after smart features, the Philips Hue Calla Outdoor Smart Pathway Light is corded and pricier, but offers full control from a smartphone. 

Spotlights are a popular pick for landscape lighting. These produce a concentrated beam of light, used to highlight the item they illuminate. They're less commonly used for walkways, but are still a worthwhile option to consider. According to Davis, "[Spotlights are] very useful for pointing [at] normal features of the yard like structures, trees, and water features, making eye catching points in the yard." Placed strategically, they draw the eye to the things you want to highlight. To command attention, spotlights tend to be bright, so they can throw off some ambient light that can also brighten nearby paths.

Don't shine spotlights directly on the walkway, as this will make the lighting look harsh and unwelcoming. Instead, use spotlights near the path to show off nearby garden features. The Malibu Low Voltage Landscape Spotlight is a highly-rated corded option that's stake-mounted and adjustable. If you prefer solar-powered, try the InnoGear Solar Outdoor Spotlight, which is also staked and adjustable, but doesn't require an outlet.

If you'd love a garden full of whimsy and charm, then string lights are an agreeable pick for lining walkways. They're playful, romantic, and sure to create a cozy backyard space. Outdoor string light options are plentiful, so don't settle for a set that doesn't have the design and features you want. Style options range from traditional Christmas lights to strands of LED Edison bulbs. Corded and solar-powered options are available, as well as smart sets that can connect to your smartphone. String lights can also come with all sorts of adjustable features, including variable brightness, temperature, and color.

Their lightweight design also opens up a whole world of design ideas. Davis suggests a few placement options saying, "String lights may be used in a freely hanging manner over trees, along ropes, or around fences near social spaces and add fun or celebration to the environment." When it comes to lighting an outdoor walkway, one of the easiest options is to hang the string lights along nearby trees (for even more creative ideas, check out how to decorate outdoor trees with lights). If you don't have nearby foliage, you can use a freestanding product, like the Holiday Styling String Light Poles. Or, you can even DIY your own light poles using concrete, posts, and planters.

Step lighting doesn't just make outdoor stairs look refined, it also greatly improves safety. Step lighting is designed to illuminate each step on a set of stairs. Jeremy Yamaguchi, the CEO of Lawn Love, praises this lighting type, exclusively telling House Digest, "[Step lights create] a luxurious and inviting ambiance while also making it easier to watch your own step while walking up or down! It's a design choice that often makes a house seem more expensive, modern, and intriguing. I would personally recommend solar lights to save money and be more environmentally conscious."

Solar step lights are easy to install as well. An option like the SOLPEX Solar Deck Light attaches right to the top of each step and charges during the day. Save even more power with a motion-sensing solar step light that turns off when not in use, like the Aootek Solar Motion Sensor Lights. Alternatively, you can get step lights wired-in for a permanent option that doesn't depend on the sun. The LEONLITE Premium Series Step Light requires wiring, but looks nicely built-in. Step lights illuminate the way up to a raised outdoor living space. Then, you can use other lighting to brighten up your deck or patio and enhance seating or dining areas.

Similar to post lights, but larger and more conspicuous, bollard lights are a great choice for lining walkways. These are often pillar-shaped and taller than path lights. They usually emit light in all directions, rather than down toward the walkway like other pathway light options. So, they can also be useful for illuminating the landscape nearby. Their larger size makes them look more grand and eye-catching too. Hall told House Digest, "For a more sculptural approach, bollard lights add both height and visibility to any landscape, acting almost as art pieces that punctuate a space."

Bollard lights may not be as common as some of the other outdoor pathway lights on this list, but there's still a variety of designs to choose from. For a classic look, the Solus Bollard Light has a simple post-like design. Modern options are also gorgeous, and can function as a decor piece in your yard. For example, the Rickshire Bollard Path Light and Hinkley Atlantis Square Bollard Light both look artistic in their own right, while also providing useful walkway lighting.

There's a sense of grandeur about post lights that makes them a striking pick for lighting walkways. Generally, these lights have a fixture mounted on a tall post. Jenny He, CEO of Ergeon, recommends post lights for big yards, exclusively telling House Digest, "If you have a larger property or a longer walkway, post lights are a classic choice. There's something so elegant and timeless about a row of lanterns leading the way to your front door. And the great thing about post lights is that they come in so many different styles, from traditional to contemporary, so you can really customize the look to suit your taste."

Hall agrees, stating, "Personally, I love integrating lantern-style post lights, which bring an old-world charm to contemporary designs." A product like the Casa Marseille 3-Light Post Light has that traditional design, reminiscent of old-fashioned post lights you might find in Central Park. On the contemporary side, consider the Wade Logan Giddens Frosted Lamp Post, which is minimalist and angular. It's also possible to buy just the lamp part of a post light, like the NUVO Central Park Outdoor Post Lantern. You can then mount it on your own choice of post, which can mean a deck post, fence post, or other suitable mount. 

Do you want lighting that's less in-your-face? Inground lights are the subtle choice that can still bathe an outdoor area in a welcoming glow. As the name suggests, inground lights are installed into the ground, often sitting flush with the walkway, shining light upwards. Jenny He shares some benefits of inground lights, saying, "For a more modern, streamlined look, inground lights are the way to go. They're sleek, unobtrusive, and give your walkway a really cool, high-end vibe. I particularly love the way they create these glowing lines of light that seem to disappear into the landscape."

With inground lights, the focus is on the glow itself, and not the design of the fixture. Again, options are plentiful. Wired-in choices are good for renovations. These are permanent lighting fixtures that are integrated into the walkway material itself. Otherwise, there are landscape inground lights too, which are mounted on a stake. You can use these to line the lawn or garden on either side of a path. The INCX Solar Lights are solar-powered too, which means they don't require any wiring.

We've gone over some expert-recommended lighting types for outdoor walkways, now onto some tips to create the perfect lightscape. First, take advantage of downlighting. When it comes to exterior lights, this just means using fixtures that shine downward. It's possible to achieve this with wall sconces, spotlights, and even recessed lights, depending on the area. Lights can be installed on walls, posts, and even trees, pointing downward to light up paths and driveways. It's not only practical, but can look nice too. Jenny He says, "I always recommend [downlighting] to my clients who want a subtle, sophisticated look. There's just something about that soft, even glow that's so appealing. Plus, it's a great way to highlight the texture and color of your walkway surface, whether it's brick, stone, or concrete."

For walkways near walls, like along the side of a house, wall sconces are perfect for downlighting. A product like the West Elm Tapered Indoor/Outdoor LED Sconce will brighten the path below. A more affordable alternative is the Ken & Ricky Outdoor Wall Sconce. Landscaping spotlights can also work well for downlighting since many have an adjustable neck so you can direct the light. The VOLT 12V Cast Brass Downlight is an option if you want a more pointed light beam.

Downlighting is just one option. Really, any type of wall lighting can make your home's exterior look more appealing if you choose the right ones. This simply refers to lights mounted on exterior walls. The most common type is the wall sconce, but you can also find wall-mounted spotlights and lanterns. They can direct light downward, upward, or outward. Exterior wall lights are a great way to light up pathways adjacent to walls, including providing lights for front steps, driveways, and patios.

Jenny He highly recommends this tactic, suggesting, "Now, if you really want to add some visual interest, consider incorporating some wall lighting. Sconces or wall lanterns can create these beautiful pools of light that guide you along the path while also showcasing your home's architecture. It's like having a series of mini spotlights that draw your eye from one point to the next." 

That's one of the biggest benefits of wall lighting: it's a good way to show off your home, while also adding usable light. There are plenty of wall light designs out there, ranging from modern sconces like the John Timberland Bronze Grid Outdoor Wall Light to old-style wall lanterns, like the Designers Fountain Outdoor Wall Mount Lantern. As expected nowadays, you can even find a smart outdoor wall-mounted light, in the form of the remote-controlled and color-changing Philips Hue Appear Outdoor Wall Light.

There are many reasons you need outdoor solar lights for your yard. Not only are they eco-friendly, but since they aren't tethered to an outlet, they open up more installation locations. As Samuel Davis, a landscaper and the CEO of London Gardeners, says, "The advantage is that such systems capture energy from sunlight and therefore require little maintenance from the users of the garden." Many outdoor solar lights turn on and off automatically (thanks to a sensor), which means they're a low-effort way to light a pathway. Keep in mind, they need direct sunlight to charge, which is hard to come by in some locations. With more eco-conscious products on the market, there are lots of solar light types.

Solar stake lights are one of the most popular and easy-to-find sun-powered options. Jenny He highly recommends them, stating, "They're not just eco-friendly but also wallet-friendly in the long run. They're perfect for gardens, casting a gentle glow that highlights your favorite plants without the need for wiring." Essentially, they have all the benefits of solar lights, but with the ease-of-installation that a stake provides.

These can come in the form of path lights, inground lights, spotlights, and more. These versatile options include the AloftSun Solar Outdoor Path Lights, Rayolon Solar Ground Lights, and Pro Series VI Solar Spotlight. Of course, a stake is designed to go into soft ground in a lawn, garden, or flowerbed. So when it comes to lighting up walkways, the path has to be near a surface soft enough to insert the stake into.

One of the best ways to maximize outdoor lighting to improve home security is to use motion sensor lights. These offer a bit of a surprise-factor, turning on when they detect motion, so they might spook an unwelcome person (or animal). They're useful too, switching on right when you need them. Since they turn off when no one's around, they are an energy-saving option as well. That's one reason why Jenny He recommends them, saying, "I always recommend adding some motion sensor lights, especially in areas that don't get a lot of foot traffic. They're a great way to save energy and provide some added security. And let's be honest, there's something really satisfying about having the lights pop on automatically when you step outside at night."

Motion-sensing floodlights and spotlights are common for security uses, but they're usually very bright and not the nicest-looking option for walkway lighting. It's great to have floodlights near entrances for extra security, but for ambiance, you can find other types of motion sensor lights. One example is pathlights, like the Ring Smart Lighting Pathlight. Motion-sensing step lights are another option that offers ambient lighting, for example, the Beams MB530 Motion Sensing LED Step Light.

While solar lights and motion lights are two useful options to consider, you should also look at dimmable and timer lights too! If the two former lighting types aren't the best option for your garden, dimmers and timers are another way to help you save energy. Best of all, dimmable outdoor lights can really help set a mood. Lisa Wark is the Director of Marketing and Operations at Champion Distinctive Landscaping Design and Care. In an exclusive interview with House Digest, Wark explained, "Dimmers and timers allow adjusting brightness for the occasion— [a] little light on a moonlit night, an increase in brightness for events, and a dim light for an evening stroll."

Don't overlook the power of walkway lights to set an ambiance. When you have patio lights dimmed for a cozy outdoor dinner, you probably don't want walkway lights at full brightness. Options with built-in dimmers can help you achieve the right glow. But, if some of your existing lights don't have the functionality, there's a way to dim outdoor garden lights with a simple solution. Timers are for conserving power and are especially useful if you have a knack for forgetting to turn off exterior lights. With a timer, you can set it to switch off automatically after-hours, as well as turn on when dusk falls.