19 Super Cozy Ways To Use String Lights In Your Home

Let it glow.

1. To seriously upgrade your sleeping situation, drape lights on top of your canopy.

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For a super starry look, try lightweight wire LED lights ($15.50)—you can pile on twice as many without weighing down your canopy. You can also learn how to DIY a canopy with this quick video.

2. Or just hang a few strands behind your canopy for a cozy glow.

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Get more info here.

3. You can also toss a strand over the back rungs of your bed frame for easy, instant mood lighting.

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This is a great design trick to add more interest to white bedroom walls without loading them up with pictures and posters. See more photos here.

4. And if you got the bottom bunk in your dorm, drape string lights from the top to make it extra cozy.

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Either hang them from command hooks on the wall that line the bottom of the top bunk or ask your roommate if you can thread them through the top bunk’s bed frame slats. Get more inspiring decor dorm pictures here.

5. You can use globe string lights to outline a killer accent wall.

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Use pushpins to secure around the perimeter of a small wall space. This is a great trick to light a gallery wall in a dim corner. Learn more about it here.

6. Or remove a few bulbs and let the remaining ones spotlight specific pieces of art.

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Get 25 feet of black patio lights here for $16.

7. If you want to forgo frames, just clip photos onto a strand to display.

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Use mini gold binder clips ($1.99) for an uber cute look. See more photos here.

8. Or hang a strand by itself for a minimalist ~arty~ vibe.

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Be strategic with your strand placement to get the most magical look possible. Plug lights into a hidden outlet so everyone doesn’t have to see how the sausage gets made. Learn more about it here.

9. Put a battery-powered strand in a bell jar for an artsy DIY light.

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Buy the battery-powered lights here ($20).

10. This trick also works with a geometric lantern or terrarium.

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Check out cute geometric shapes here and here.

11. Drape bigger bulbs above your nightstand for the coziest lamp you could ask for.

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And save space on top of your nightstand for extra books and stuff.

12. Or hang them from a hook in a kid’s room for a modern nightlight.

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This tip is perfect for teens who are still-kinda-maybe-not-a-little-somtimes afraid of the dark, but have outgrown their plastic dinosaur nightlight.

13. If you want to divide an open-concept room without making it darker, add a wall of lights.

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This is a great way to give your space a sense of shape without adding walls. Place a wall of globe lights between the living room and kitchen so you can still listen to Dance Moms while you cook.

14. Or use them to brighten and draw attention to high ceilings.

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Not showing off. Definitely not showing off. See more pictures here.

15. You can also zig-zag them down a hallway that needs just a little more overhead light.

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Spotlights are expensive, but string lights can give a similar effect for a fraction of the cost. See more photos here.

16. Another trick: Forgo a pendant light or chandelier over the dining table and just go full-on string lights.

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If you have a long dining table, hang them along the length of the table to elongate the appearance of the entire spread.

17. If you want to create quick outdoor mood lighting, hang string lights along a wall.

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Command hooks are your best friend here.

18. An spray paint green holiday bulbs gold to get a super polished look.

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Unscrew the bulbs, place the cord on a drop cloth in a well-ventillated area, and spray paint. Get the tutorial here.

19. If all else fails, drape them along a wall to make the whole place shimmer like the stars.

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Opt for copper wire lights ($14.50) for a more delicate, modern look that’s all lights and little wire. Learn more about it here.