decorating with cable lights
Cable lighting products, also commonly known as rope lights, are high quality flexible lights that often add a unique decorating touch. The lights are enclosed in a thick flexible plastic case, and are manufactured to withstand many years of use. Cable lighting is capable of providing beautiful indirect lighting both indoors and out.
Because cable lighting is fairly cheap and also extremely easy to work with, it can be used just about anywhere. Your imagination truly is your only limitation! Cable lighting can be used for decorating, accentuating, or even for safety reasons. Any area that has a need for lighting is a great place for cable lights!
A lot of businesses use cable lights to attract consumers to their business. Carefully tacking cable lighting around a sign or window will draw more attention than a sign that remains unlit. Luckily, cable lighting comes in a variety of colors so you can choose a color that meshes well with your business or theme. Chose a type of tack or hook that will work well on the surface you will be attaching the lights to. Because these lights do not get hot almost any type of hook or tack will work well.
In recent years, cable lighting has become more and more popular with those that decorate the exterior of their homes for the winter holidays. The cable lights can be strung along the roofline with shingle clips to produce a most spectacular holiday scene. Because they don't cost a fortune, cable lights are an excellent option for those who like to decorate but don't want to spend a fortune on their lighting.
Cable lights can be used in a fun way on a ceiling! The length of the lights can be tacked on the ceiling in any pattern or shape of your choice! For more lighting fun, multiple strands in a variety of colors would be great! This idea also works great for kids who are afraid of the dark. A strand or two provides just enough light to be sure there aren't monsters lurking in the dark, yet it's not so bright that it will keep them awake.
If you have a dark path or drive leading up to your house cable lighting is a cheap, and inexpensive fix for this. Running rope light down the perimeters of the path, using ground stakes to hold the length of lights in place, will give just enough light to guide one down the path as well as adding a distinguished look to your property. These lights do not require much energy so they can be used year around with little extra expense.
If you have a boat dock or deck that goes out into the water, cable lights can add a beautiful touch that will get appreciative glances from those boating at night. Stringing the lights along the edges of the dock looks stunning at night when the light hits the water. Also, this will add an element of safety should you dock the boat at night. The light can be decorative, but will also provide enough light to give the captain some help in proper placement of the boat.
Running cable lighting down the sides of a narrow or steep staircase is a great idea! It gives an illustrious look as well as safely lighting the way up or down the stairs. Because the lights are encased in heavy duty plastic this decorating idea is safe even on a carpeted staircase. Small cable tacks can be used at the bottom of each step to hold the rope in place on a high traffic staircase.
Cable lighting can also be used as wall art! Stringing a strand across the wall in a pattern of your choice will be instant art! Hang it up, plug it in, and you've got art! Kids usually like this idea a lot, and it's a cheap decorating idea if you don't have the cash for new paint and accessories. And, when you get bored with one pattern you can easily change it!
Cable lighting can be used in bathrooms where low lighting is often preferred. A strand of cable lights can be carefully laid in any enclosed lighting fixture to provide a very romantic type of lighting. This type of low lighting would be ideal for a nice long bubble bath.
As you can see, there are so many great things you can do with cable lighting; the ideas truly are endless. Some decorating tips to get you started: It's best to pull the length of lights tight if you want a straight line that does not sag. If using the lights, generally less is more. If you're going for a business, professional, or distinguished look using one or two strands will keep it neat and simple. As with all dealings with electricity, safety is a factor. Overloading an outlet or circuit could cause a fire, so use care and caution when installing the lights.
Have fun with cable lights and let your imagination run wild!