Outdoor Lighting Inspiration: Lanterns, Wall Lights & Pendant for Terraces & Gardens

A well-lit outdoor space has the same inviting feel as a carefully designed interior. From terraces and courtyards to outdoor dining areas, thoughtful lighting is often the element that makes the difference.

When we think about outdoor lighting, it’s not just about practicality. It’s about creating layers of warmth and atmosphere. A soft glow at seating height makes a garden feel intimate. Wall sconces draw the eye to architectural details, while statement pendants above dining tables create a sense of occasion.

Crystal Bakehouse wall lights

For designers, the opportunity lies in treating exterior spaces with the same care as interiors — balancing task, ambient and decorative light to create environments that are both functional and welcoming. By evening, carefully considered lighting allows the boundaries between indoors and outdoors to dissolve.

It’s about more than illumination; it’s about extending the comfort, elegance and rhythm of a home into the surrounding landscape. This journal explores how outdoor lighting can transform terraces, courtyards and dining areas into spaces that feel as thoughtfully curated as the interiors they connect to.

Solar lanterns

Effortless Ambience

Few pieces are as versatile as an outdoor lantern, perfect for softening a lounge area, framing a pathway, or bringing atmosphere to a dining terrace after dark, they provide a refined alternative for flexible exterior spaces.

Crystal Bakehouse wall lights

Anchoring the Space

Wall lights bring definition and structure, anchoring the lighting scheme to the architecture. They can highlight stonework, frame doorways, or mark transitions between zones.

Singapore Moderne outdoor wall lights

Beyond their practical role, they also contribute to the rhythm of an outdoor scheme — drawing the eye across a façade or guiding movement through a courtyard. When paired with portable lanterns, they offer both permanence and intimacy, ensuring the space feels designed rather than incidental.

Neuilly chandelier, Project by InHouse Interior Design

Making a Statement

Just as a pendant or chandelier defines an area indoors, statement outdoor lighting sets the tone outside. Suspended fixtures above a dining table or seating area add sophistication, giving the space the same considered feel as any interior room. Together with layered lanterns and wall lights, they help a terrace feel like an outdoor living room — intentional, layered, and inviting.

“Good outdoor lighting isn’t just about visibility — it’s about creating places where people want to linger, whether on a terrace at home or in a hospitality setting.”

Singapore Moderne outdoor wall lights & pendants

Function and Ambience

Ultimately, outdoor lighting is less about brightness and more about atmosphere. The right mix of portable lanterns, architectural wall lights, and statement pendants allows designers to extend the comfort and rhythm of interior living into the landscape. By evening, the boundaries between inside and out begin to blur, and the terrace and garden become another room of the home.

Explore our outdoor lighting collection and find inspiration for your next project.