The Best Permanent Outdoor Lights For Our Wraparound Porch
Installing permanent outdoor lighting on our wraparound porch turned out to be one of those simple and inexpensive home restoration projects that somehow makes everything feel different in the best way. The soft glow makes it easy to read outside at night, and the brighter settings can turn the whole porch into a festive little light show for the holidays.
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When we first started dreaming of finishing the exterior of Pauline Manor, I kept imagining soft, glowy lighting wrapping around the porch, making the whole house feel cozy at night. The brick was finally done, the new porch floors were installed, and everything was starting to feel like the home I always knew it could be.
Lighting was the last missing piece, but I was limited on what I could do given the age of the house. We had an electrician come out to check the few receptacles that were in the ceiling of the porch, but sadly, only the front two were active, and the process of getting the others live again would require removing some of the original tongue and groove ceiling… that was a dealbreaker for me. Permanent outdoor lights sounded great in theory, but I was worried they would look a little too “interstate fair” for an old Victorian.
When the lights I ordered showed up, I honestly thought I’d made a mistake. I opened the box and immediately said there was no way these tiny little dots were going to do anything for a porch this size. We decided to put up one short section just to test them, and even then, I was standing there squinting at them like they were going to somehow grow bigger if I stared long enough. I told myself I wanted to see them after dark before we committed to the whole porch, because if they looked ridiculous, I was sending them right back to Amazon.
Then the sun went down and everything changed. That tiny test strip lit up the porch in the prettiest way, and suddenly those little dots didn’t look so tiny after all. The glow was soft and even, and it added a warm and cozy feeling that the porch had been missing. Mike and I both loved it so much that we ended up finishing every last section. It became one of those unexpected projects that turns into a favorite memory, and we have enjoyed those lights every single night since.
The set we bought is this one from Amazon and it has been one of the best purchases I’ve made for the house in a long time. These truly are the best permanent outdoor lights, and I don’t say that lightly. They come in 25 foot sections, which makes them incredibly flexible for weird spaces or projects that aren’t perfectly measured.
30LED RGB+IC+Warm/Cool White for Daily, 100+ Scene Modes, Waterproof Eaves Light for Halloween Christmas Decor, Works with Alexa, Google Assistant
We ordered 100 feet because our porch is huge, but we only needed 75 feet, which means we had an extra 25 feet to use for the pool awning. That little bit of leftover ended up saving me money later because I was able to order a shorter second set, and everything snaps together without any drama since the pieces are interchangeable.
The customization is really where these lights shine. There are over 200 color variations if you want them. You can make them bright white, warm white, rainbow, seasonal, soft pastels, or anything in between. If you are the kind of person who likes to match your porch lights to holidays, moods, or the book you’re reading, you can tweak every single bulb individually. You can even set them to sync with music! How cool is that?!
The app gives full control, but there’s also a remote for simple on and off moments when you don’t feel like messing with the settings. I also synced them with Alexa because I like being able to say turn on the porch lights on my way out the door without stopping to grab my phone.
Another feature I love is the scheduling option. The porch now comes to life all on its own at the same time every night, which feels especially nice now that daylight savings time is over and the evenings start so early. It creates this soft glow around the house that feels a little magical without being over the top, and it has completely changed how much time I spend outside. I’ve been sitting on the porch at night reading, listening to music, or just enjoying the quiet, and the lighting makes it feel like a little outdoor living room instead of a dark corner of the house.
One of my favorite parts of this whole update is how the lights highlight the brick and the porch details that we worked so hard for. The exterior projects have taken months of planning and patience, and seeing everything come together at night makes the house feel that much more complete. The house has gone through such a transformation, and the lights are the finishing touch that ties everything together.
Once we saw how good they looked on the porch, I immediately ordered another set for the pool awning because I already knew how nice it would be to have the same soft glow out there. Being able to reuse that extra 25-foot section made the second project even easier. It is one of those rare times when DIY actually works in your favor instead of turning into another long weekend of swearing and extension cords.
30LED RGB+IC+Warm/Cool White for Daily, 100+ Scene Modes, Waterproof Eaves Light for Halloween Christmas Decor, Works with Alexa, Google Assistant
These really are the best permanent outdoor lights if you want something that doesn’t feel temporary or cheap. They blend into the trim during the day, they look beautiful at night, and they give you more ways to enjoy your outdoor spaces. The customization options let you keep it simple or go playful whenever you want, and the price point is reasonable considering the flexibility and quality. I wanted something subtle that still added personality, and these hit that sweet spot perfectly.
Between the porch update and the pool awning lights coming soon, I feel like this whole property is slowly turning into the cozy nighttime retreat I always imagined, instead of a big dark house sitting in the middle of a piece of land. This amazing home sat empty for years and was nicknamed the “Haunted House of Gonzalez,” and I am very happy to change that narrative with some warm, welcoming light.
If you have been thinking about adding lighting to your porch, pergola, awning, greenhouse, or any outdoor space, I cannot recommend these enough. They’re easy to install, they’re customizable to a ridiculous degree, they blend in during the day, and they create the prettiest glow at night. They have been worth every penny, and I am already planning where else I can put them because I clearly cannot be trusted with customizable lighting options. (I personally think the greenhouse should be green… right?)
Sometimes the smallest upgrades end up being the biggest mood boosters, and this porch lighting has definitely been one of them.
