If you are looking to add beauty and ambience to your outdoor patio, lanterns are an excellent choice and can give it a warm glow that is not too overpowering. Many patio lanterns also come with planters attached to the bottom so you can add live plans and give your patio extra personality.

Some patio lanterns are fueled by oil and citronella can be used to help keep pesky insects away. You can choose to buy a single patio lantern with one light, or a “chandelier” style that has four or more lights on one lantern. Either way, patio lanterns resemble beautiful old English streets and make the patio feel like a home with a nice touch.

If a large, stand-alone patio lantern is not what you are looking for, you can make homemade patio lanterns yourself. Simply purchase some thick, sturdy paper, color it or create designs on the outside, then fold it around string lights for a pretty row of paper lanterns to hang around the patio. Other versions of the citronella oil patio lanterns are open topped, so the flame comes through and looks almost like a torch. Just remember that both the closed and opened top of these types needs to be closely monitored to prevent a fire. Be sure the lanterns are mounted securely so that children or pets cannot accidentally knock them down. You can also purchase patio lanterns that can sit on a table or bench and can be taken inside when not in use. These also provide a nice, soft light. Some patio lanterns are even shaped in different styles to resemble a lighthouse or to give a garden theme. Do some shopping online or at your local home and garden store to get some great ideas for your patio, and you’ll be illuminated in no time.