As we welcome 2026, many of us are setting goals to improve our health, habits, and homes. But while gym memberships and closet cleanouts get plenty of attention, your home’s exterior deserves a glow-up too.
Great outdoor lighting does more than illuminate—it adds beauty, improves safety, and helps you enjoy your home long after sunset. From subtle architectural accents to backyard lighting made for gatherings, 2026 is the ideal time to invest in permanent outdoor holiday lighting that’s as practical as it is eye-catching.
These 12 monthly lighting resolutions will guide you through transforming your exterior, one thoughtful detail each month.
January: Set Your Lighting Goals
Start the year by taking a look at your home from the street. Are there dark corners? Dim walkways? An underwhelming façade?
Create a list of your top exterior priorities. Not sure where to start? Our lighting designers at Astoria offer free consultations to help you envision the possibilities.
Resolution: Schedule a design consultation and set 1–2 lighting goals for the year.
February: Light Your Path to Love
Valentine’s Day isn’t just for roses—it’s a great excuse to add charm and warmth to your walkways. Consider soft, romantic pathway lighting or low-profile uplighting along landscaping beds. Bonus: it improves safety in slick or icy weather.
Resolution: Upgrade walkway lighting for added safety and style.
March: Spring Forward With Smart Lighting
As clocks spring forward, so should your lighting system. With Astoria’s smart control features, you can schedule lights to adjust with daylight hours—and customize color themes for St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, or any other celebration.
Resolution: Set up your lighting zones and schedules in the Astoria app.
April: Highlight Your Landscaping
As your garden starts to bloom, show it off. Add spotlights or in-ground well lights to highlight trees, flower beds, or water features. Landscape lighting brings your hard work to life, even after dark.
Resolution: Install low-voltage, waterproof lighting to enhance landscaping.
May: Entertain Under the Stars
Get ready for outdoor entertaining season with string lights, pergola lighting, or patio downlighting. Whether it’s for Mother’s Day brunch or for a Memorial Day barbecue, your outdoor spaces deserve functional lighting with festive flair.
Resolution: Illuminate your patio or deck for nighttime gatherings.
June: Celebrate Summer with Color
Summer is all about fun—graduations, weddings, backyard parties. With Astoria’s permanent lighting system, you can swap from patriotic red-white-blue to warm amber hues with just a few taps.
Resolution: Customize lighting presets for events and holidays.
July: Make Every Day a Holiday
Permanent roofline lighting isn’t just for December. Show your spirit on Independence Day with dynamic color-changing LEDs, all seamlessly tucked under your home’s eaves.
Resolution: Explore the year-round benefits of permanent holiday lighting.
August: Light Up Back-to-School Nights
Longer evenings mean more movement around your home. Make sure kids, neighbors, and delivery drivers have well-lit paths and entryways. Motion-activated soffit lighting and garage uplighting are small upgrades with big impact.
Resolution: Add motion or timer-based lighting for safety.
September: Prep for Cozy Season
Fall is around the corner. Now’s the time to cozy up your outdoor spaces with warm-toned LEDs, especially around porches and seating areas. Consider upgrading to dimmable lighting zones to transition from summer sizzle to autumn ambiance.
Resolution: Switch lighting temperatures to softer, golden hues.
October: Get Spooky (Safely)
Halloween calls for creativity and curb appeal. Astoria’s app lets you set haunting purple, orange, or strobe effects across your roofline—all without climbing a ladder.
Resolution: Try out seasonal themes and animated lighting effects.
November: Add Gratitude (and Glow)
With guests arriving for Thanksgiving and early winter holidays, your home should feel welcoming. Emphasize entryway lights, add soft landscape glows, and ensure stairs and driveways are fully visible.
Resolution: Focus on front-facing lights and guest pathways.
December: Ditch the Ladders Forever
This is it—the season where permanent outdoor lighting shines brightest. No tangled wires, no last-minute installs, no burned-out bulbs. Just stunning displays at your fingertips, ready for every holiday from Hanukkah to Christmas to New Year’s Eve.
Resolution: Make this the last year you ever hang holiday lights.
Make 2026 the Year You Upgrade Your Home
Let this be the year you stop putting off the upgrade—and start enjoying your home in a whole new light. Whether you tackle one lighting goal each month or go all in with a full custom design, Astoria Lighting Co. is here to help every step of the way.
✨ Schedule your free design consultation today and make 2026 the year your home shines—permanently.
