Choose the right outdoor lights the first time.

By Trove Collective Co. | Outdoor Living

If you've been shopping for outdoor lighting and found yourself going down a rabbit hole of overlapping terms, festoon lights, fairy lights, string lights, party lights, globe lights, you're not alone. It's genuinely confusing and getting it wrong means buying something that looks beautiful in the photo and slightly off in your actual space.

This matters whether you're lighting up a family backyard, an entertaining area, or an entire glamping site or eco retreat for guests. So here's the clear, no fuss breakdown. We stock the outdoor range from Festoon House here at Trove Collective Co. 

First up — are string lights and festoon lights the same thing?

Mostly, yes. String lights is a broad, catch all term for any lights strung along a cable. Festoon lights are a specific type of string light, the kind with larger, spaced out globe bulbs. So all festoon lights are string lights, but not all string lights are festoon lights.

Fairy lights are also technically a type of string light, just a very different one. More on that below.

Festoon lights — bold, warm and made to anchor a space

Festoon lights are what most people picture when they imagine a beautiful outdoor entertaining area, large globe bulbs spaced evenly along a sturdy cable, strung overhead above a deck, pergola or courtyard.

The bulbs are the feature. They're big enough to see individually, give off a warm, diffuse glow and have that classic, slightly vintage feel that works in almost any outdoor setting, from a relaxed backyard to a glamping communal area to a polished cafe terrace.

Best for: Outdoor entertaining areas, pergolas, decks, beer gardens, above dining tables, communal fire pit zones, glamping sites, spanning between posts or structures.

Fairy lights — delicate, twinkly and endlessly versatile

Fairy lights are the opposite end of the spectrum. Instead of large statement globes, you get hundreds of tiny LED bulbs on a fine cable, delicate, soft and almost magical in the right setting.

They don't make a bold statement the way festoon lights do, but that's not what they're for. Fairy lights create texture and warmth, a glow that fills a space rather than punctuating it. Wrapped around a tree, draped across a fence, wound through a hedge, or strung in a canopy overhead, they're transformative in a quiet, beautiful way, whether that's a single backyard tree or the natural features across an entire retreat.

Best for: Trees, garden features, fences, hedges, marquee ceilings, wedding settings, glamping tents and outdoor accommodation, adding a secondary layer of warmth alongside festoon lights.

So which one do you actually need?

Here's the simple version, whether you're styling a backyard or fitting out a guest property.

Choose festoon lights if you want to light an outdoor entertaining area, create a focal point overhead, or make a bold, warm statement. They're the anchor, the thing that makes a space feel complete.

Choose fairy lights if you want to wrap a tree, add warmth to a garden feature, layer softness into a space, or create a delicate canopy effect. They're the finishing touch, the thing that makes a space feel magical.

Use both if you want an outdoor space that genuinely looks like it was designed. Festoon lights overhead, fairy lights through the trees and along the fence line, that's the combination that stops people in their tracks and the one that gets photographed and shared by guests at a glamping site or retreat.

A quick note on quality

Not all festoon lights and fairy lights are created equal and in Australia's outdoor conditions, the difference between commercial grade and cheap really shows. Festoon House products are IP67 waterproof rated, built with UV resistant rubber cables, SAA approved and come with a 2-year warranty. They're the kind of lights that are still going strong after a year of full outdoor exposure, rain, sun, wind and all. For hospitality venues running lighting across multiple sites or seasons, that durability isn't optional, it's the difference between a one off setup and a long term investment.

As one customer put it, the difference compared to cheap alternatives is night and day, with a build quality that looks and feels built to last.

Shop the range at Trove Collective Co.

Whether you're starting from scratch at home or fitting out an entire glamping site or eco retreat, Trove Collective Co. stocks the full Festoon House range, built for real Australian conditions, festoon lights, fairy lights, tree kits and more.

Shop Festoon House lighting at Trove Collective Co. →

Trove Collective Co. — Outfitting Australia's finest outdoor spaces.
Proud stockist of Festoon House.