With the hot days and relaxing nights upon us, summer beckons. Pool parties and family barbecues are hallmarks of summer, thanks to extra light and warmer weather. With the summer months fast approaching, it’s time to prep your home for entertaining.

Prep for summer usually comes into focus when discussing lawn care and pool maintenance, but proper lighting should be at the forefront, too. Exceptional lighting and summer go hand in hand. Whether you’re putting the finishing touches on your home or are a first-time homeowner/decorator, here are five outdoor lighting options to make your outdoor spaces entertainment ready just in time for summer.

Spotlights/Flood Lights

Far from the most glamorous, outdoor spotlights or floodlights are an excellent option for adding practical light to high-traffic areas. Take the Access Lighting Myra 5-Watt Outdoor Flood Light, for example.

The Myra Flood Light is a small-but-mighty approach to outdoor lighting. This single-light wall-mounted floodlight boasts a refreshing bronze finish and single-light design, ideal for mounting outside a garage or overlooking a driveway. Subtle and stylish, this floodlight adds that little extra light your family needs to feel safe in the nighttime.

Outdoor Post Lights

Taking another page from the practical lighting playbook, post lights are a far from sexy approach to adding warm, meaningful light to the perimeter of your property. The Erlenmeyer 17-Inch Tall 1-Light Outdoor Post Lamp by Hubbardton Forge is an excellent example of that.

The Erlenmeyer is designed with a tall/long shape and towers high above the ground. This single-light outdoor post lamp is crafted with sleek, clear glass and comes in a variety of finishes, making it easy to fit your current aesthetic. This light is built to fit 3-inch diameter posts and is well-suited for a front or backyard setting.

The same goes for the Justice Design Group Fusion Pacific 18-Inch Tall 1-Light LED Outdoor Post Lamp. Boasting a powerful internal LED engine, this post lamp produces an incredible amount of warm, LED-quality with every use. Wet-rated with rain artisan glass, this post light will quickly make inroads within your comprehensive lighting scheme.

Outdoor Bollard Lights

Safety and style go hand in hand with a pathway light like the SONNEMAN Reals 22-Inch Bollard. This type of light is singlehandedly the best way to make your yard, deck, and walkways safer. Crafted with geometry in mind, situate outdoor bollard path light near any walkway, outdoor garden, or porch to ensure your family and friends alike are safer while walking during the nighttime.

Outdoor Wall Sconces

Bold, beautiful, and oh so eye-catching, outdoor wall sconces can have the ability to totally transform your outdoor spaces. If floodlights and post lights are practical, wall sconces fall into the fashionable and attractive categories.

A star-studded example of attractive lighting is the Access Lighting Silo 10-Inch Tall 1-Light LED Outdoor Wall Light. This single light, wall-mounted fixture is designed with beautiful, seeded glass and produces a whopping 71.6 lumens with every use. Thanks to the sleek finish and covered shade, light is directed to reach the most important corners of your space.

Well-suited for an entryway or on the side of your house, the Dakota 4-Inch Tall LED Outdoor Wall Light by AFX Lighting is the perfect balance of practical and stylish. Sculpted into a unique boxy shape, the clean lines, and crisp edges instantly boost your home’s curb appeal. This outdoor wall light is LED compatible, hardwired, and fits within a variety of outdoor aesthetics.

If you’re aiming for a more industrial-inspired look, turn your attention to the EGLO Riga 8-Inch Wall Sconce. A delightful blend of industrial and modern components, this single-light wall sconce instantly adds aesthetic appeal to your home’s exterior. Ideal for garage areas, driveways, or patio spaces, this outdoor fixture adds that touch of light your space is desperately missing.

Steering far from the ordinary, the Justice Design Group Zuma 14-Inch-Tall Outdoor Wall Light was tailor-made for making a bold and powerful statement. The perfect amalgamation of modern trends with classic styles, this wall-mounted fixture adds eye-catching detail to any front door and entryway space. This downlight fixture comes inside a striking cage exterior, providing protection and causing family and guests alike to do a double-take.

Outdoor Pendant Lights

With the warmer months comes outdoor dining opportunities, and there’s no better intimate dining light source than the EGLO Walker Hill 14-Inch-Tall Hanging Lantern. This luxurious lantern light makes any space feel cozier.

This particular lantern pendant light fits well within many design aesthetics, thanks to the hardwired design and sleek matte black design. Situate this hanging pendant light on your porch or covered patio space to make your outdoor gatherings memorable and more intimate this summer.

From outdoor spotlights and post lights to wall sconces and pendant lighting, making sure your home is prepped for summer hosting should be a top priority. No matter the activity or how hot the temperature is, with these outdoor lighting options for your home, any summer night can become a memorable one.