Living in an apartment can often make it difficult for you to be able to decorate your outdoor areas in a stylish and unique way because they are so cramped. Having a patio that has another patio directly above it limits the ability to grow plants or add too much furniture to the area. If you want to give your outdoor patio a bit of a face lift, consider creating unique lighting to hang from the ceiling. This will allow you to create ambiance and style at the same time. The following guide walks you through creating a unique light fixture using an old shutter.

Paint the Shutter

The first thing you will need to do is paint the shutter. You can choose to paint it a bright, bold color or stick to a color that is a bit more sophisticated and traditional. Regardless of the color you use, you want to be sure that you paint an even coat of paint on the entire shutter and allow the paint to dry a few hours before continuing.

Drill Holes in the Shutter

Next, you want to measure around the edges of the shutter with a ruler. Make a mark at every inch with a pencil. Use a drill to drill holes that go all the way through the shutter at each mark that you made.

Add Hooks

Use the ruler to measure in from each corner of the shutter by one inch and make a mark. Use the drill to make a small hole at each mark, but do not create a hole all the way through the shutter. Use a hook that has a screw base on one end of it and screw the hook into the shutter at each corner.

String the Lights

You want to use battery-operated outdoor Christmas lights on this project because they do not require electricity and can be operated by a remote control. String one socket through each hole of the shutter making sure that all of the wiring will be on the side of the shutter that has the hooks on it. This ensures that no one can see the wiring once the shutter is hung. Once all of the sockets are strung through the holes, add the bulbs to the sockets. Test the lights to make sure they work.

Hang the Shutter

Get on a ladder and add one hook to the top center of the patio ceiling. Add a chain to each hook that is on the shutter and then pull them all together to hang from the one hook that is located in the center of the ceiling.

When you have guests over, you can use the remote to turn on the lights to create a romantic oasis to enjoy one another's company. If the batteries run out, you can simply unhook the shutter, replace the batteries, and rehang it to use it again and again.  

To learn more about shutters, contact a company like The Blind and Drapery Corner.