In and Out: Outdoor Home Lighting Trends 2026 You Need to Know About

Find out which trends to follow and which ones to ditch in this handy 2026 outdoor lighting guide.

The season for updates and upgrades is here, once again. If the exterior of your home (or business!) is starting to look a little out of date, switching up the lighting may be all it would take to bring new life to your beloved abode. Take a look at outdoor home lighting trends 2026 to see which ones might suit your home!

Although lighting itself isn’t often the focal point, it has significant power to completely change the look of an exterior. Highlighting key features and downplaying the rest makes a big impact on the appearance of your home – especially as the sun starts to set.

Landscape lighting, bistro lighting, and permanent lighting are all types of lighting to take advantage of. Keep reading to discover which outdoor home lighting trends 2026 you should put into play – and which ones are best left behind.

Out: A Single Dominant Lighting Source

Gone are the days of one primary lighting source – both inside and outside.

For example, recessed lighting has been the norm indoors for years. Now, recessed lighting counts as one light source – a no-go. 

Outside, this may look like one type of landscape light fixture used in multiple places. For example, littering your whole yard with path lights and calling it good.

These days, you don’t want your lighting to be too matchy-matchy. Sameness is officially out.

In: Layered Lighting

Instead, layering multiple kinds of lighting in outdoor spaces is in vogue. Use a mix of ambient, task, and accent lighting to create a medley of light around your home or business.

Ambient lighting looks like string lighting or bistro lighting, hung across patios and porches to create a cozy glow for hangouts.

Task lighting is lighting that has a specific function, such as path lights designed to ensure guests can clearly see the ground as they walk up to your home. Accent lighting could be uplighting or downlighting designed to highlight key features of your home. Both task and accent lighting fall into the category of landscape lighting.

If you want to keep up with the trends, it’s time to nix uniform landscape lighting. Mixing and matching is the name of the game.

Out: Harsh Light From Visible Light Fixtures

Light fixtures are meant to give off an inviting glow – not be the main draw themselves. If your landscape lighting is harsh or your fixtures are eyesores, they’re not doing their job.

In: Glow Lines From Discrete Fixtures

Trade in harsh, visible fixtures for subtle glow lines flowing from landscape lighting fixtures that can’t be seen in plain sight.

Glow lines streaming from hidden fixtures create soft edges. These integrate with your home seamlessly, producing a cozy, mysterious glow that sets the scene for comfort. 

On the other hand, harsh landscape lights create sharp edges that are jarring to the eye. These demand attention, keeping the mind on alert. 

Good to Know: Our permanent lighting uses a discrete track system that blends in with your home, meaning only the light itself can be seen. Use it as accent lighting, security lighting, or holiday lighting – and change it up as you please. To get an idea of the cost, check out this blog post.

Out: Single-Temperature Lighting

If you have to make sure you grab a specific temperature of bulb when you go to the store – such as warm or cool – you’re living in the past. Now, you don’t have to make choices you can’t change.

In: Tunable Lighting

Tunable white lighting is all the rage in 2026. This is lighting that allows you to change the temperature of the light without changing the bulb, meaning you’re no longer locked into warm or cool lighting.

Think cool lighting would pop the best one day while warm lighting might be better suited the next? Simply change up the temperature of your landscape lighting to match your every whim.

If you’re considering permanent lighting, the brand we offer is called JellyFish. JellyFish lighting allows you to change the brightness and temperature of every single bulb. Take control of your home’s lighting with ultimate customization!

Out: All Neutrals

Neutrals, such as gray and beige, have had their moment. In the landscape lighting world, warm or cool white lighting would be considered neutral. 

Now? They’ll always remain classics, but they may not be considered trendy at the moment.

In: Colors

Instead, colorful lights – as well as color-changing lights – are having a moment. They’re not just for holidays, either!

Even colorful landscape lighting is beginning to trend. Think blue or red uplights on trees or a soft green glow to highlight bushes. Or, use teal to make your pool water pop. Bring a burst of lively fun to your landscaping.

Good to Know: Did you know? Permanent lighting allows you to change the color of every single bulb! This means you can switch between neutrals and bright colors every other day if you’d like. The possibilities are limitless.

Out: Harsh, Cool Lighting

Even though tunable landscape lighting makes it so that you don’t have to choose, right now it’s clear that cool lighting is seeing a downward trend.  

In: Warm, Ambient Lighting

Cozy, inviting warm lighting is the preferred landscape lighting temperature at the moment. 

Instead of lighting that resembles a sterile, office setting, think lighting that borrows from nature. The goal is to capture hues that mimic the sun at golden hour or soft sunlight streaming through a forest canopy.  

In the event that the pendulum swings to cool lighting? Tunable lighting means you’ll be ready for anything.

Now That You Know About These Outdoor Home Lighting Trends 2026, What Will You Do?

Is it time for a total refresh? Maybe you want to completely change out your landscape lighting system – or add one for the first time.

Or, maybe you’d prefer to make a few tweaks here and there to fit with the trends. Perhaps, you’d prefer to stick with the tried-and-true landscape lighting you’ve had for years. Either way, it’s up to you!

At the end of the day, the key to making sure your outdoor home lighting is timeless is to choose lighting you really love.

If you are interested in making some changes, let’s talk. To find out about pricing and what the process would look like, request a quote from Services By Bright today!

Which of These Trends Do You Plan to Implement – or Skip?

Just because it’s trending doesn’t mean it’s for you. Let’s talk about it in the comments!