If you need some extra light in your yard but don’t want to pay for expensive permanent lighting fixtures, DIY garden lanterns are a great alternative. With simple tools and easy to find materials, you can create everything from rustic wooden candle holders to delicate, twinkling tea light chandeliers.
28 Simple DIY Garden Lanterns for Your Next Outdoor Party
The project you choose will depend on the materials you have on hand and the amount of light you need. A small outdoor cafe table may only need one or two small candle holders to properly illuminate it. If you have a larger area that needs to be brightened, you can create a lighting feature from a string of fairy lights or several tea lights. You should always be sure to use fire-safe materials if you plan on using open flame for your garden lanterns. For instance, wood lanterns should only be used with string lights or other non-flame light sources. Glass mason jars are an attractive and functional option if you prefer the soft flicker of real candles.
No matter your personal style or crafting ability, the 28 DIY lantern examples below are sure to provide you with the inspiration you need to create your own backyard lighting display.
1. Hanging Twine Mesh Candle Holders
2. Simple DIY Rustic Wooden Lanterns
3. Glass Jewel DIY Mason Jar Luminaries
5. Easy Recycled Tin Can Lanterns
6. Fun Paper Cutout DIY Magical Fairy Lantern
7. Pressed Flower and Leaf Wax Paper Lanterns
8. Nautical DIY Rope Candle Holder
9. Homemade Star Shaped Paper Lanterns
10. Tissue Paper and Wooden Bead Project
11. Fairy Lights in a Decorative Bottle
12. Sweet and Simple DIY Paper Lighting
13. Decorative Laser Cut DIY Metal Lanterns
14. Polka Dot Summertime Hanging Light
15. Hanging Jam Jar and Tea Light
16. Beach Themed Mason Jar Candle Holders
17. Upcycled Punch Pattern Tin Can Lanterns
18. Rustic DIY Wooden Hurricane Lanterns
19. Naturalistic Stick and Paper Lanterns
20. Creative DIY Fabric Covered Lantern
21. Modern and Colorful Candle Holder Cubes
22. Colored Frozen Ice Lanterns for Winter
24. Outdoor DIY Tea Light Chandelier
25. Simple Handmade Mason Jar Torches
26. DIY Woodland Fairy Silhouette Lantern
27. Milk Carton Fall Leaf Lantern
28. Recycled Scrap Wood Candle Display
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