Solar technology has grown by leaps and bounds, and one of the biggest benefactors of that progress is residential solar lighting

Have you been making proper use of your patio this summer? Have you been having outside dinner parties, pool parties, etc.? Many people would like to do more entertaining on their patios, but are limited by the lack of light.  While having patio lights put in would remedy the problem, conventional electrical lights are costly and difficult to install.

The easiest option, if you do not want to go through the hassle or expense of conventional patio lights, is solar patio lights. I know what you are thinking; you think that solar lights are cheap looking little fixtures that barely work and cost an arm and a leg.  That used to be the case a few years ago, but not any more.  You would be amazed at the selection and quality of even the least expensive of these fixtures today.

Yes, you could go with standard solar garden lights for your patio, and find that they are effective in many circumstances.  Let’s say you have a patio with a large concrete area, surrounded by grass or dirt.  Placing a few stake lights around the concrete will look great and provide enough light to see comfortably at night.  You can find them in many design and finishes – from black plastic to brushed nickel and everything in between.

If you want to go with something a little more unique, you could try solar lamp posts.  Just one or two of these placed in the right location will look really nice.  They actually look like real electric lamp posts.  There are even some that look like the kind that were used for street lights in England in the mid 1900s.

Another option would be to go with something like solar soji lamps.  These are awesome if you are one of the many people who have an oriental theme to your back yard.  You just hang them where you want them and they will collect sunlight during the day and provide a beautiful glow in the evening.

If you still have preconceptions of what solar patio lights look like, now is a great time to change those perceptions.  Solar technology has grown by leaps and bounds, and one of the biggest benefactors of that progress is residential solar lighting.  If you haven’t experienced them yet, it may be time you have a look.