We love styling and decorating with lanterns because they make a statement and they're versatile enough to use year-round. Curious about how you can use lanterns in your home? We've put together tips for determining the ideal lantern material and size for your home, as well as ideas for filling and placing your lanterns. Keep reading below for our favorite outdoor lantern ideas for indoors and outside.

Step 1: Determine Your Ideal Material & Size

Before you can start decorating with lanterns it's important to consider the materials and sizes you can work into your design.

Lantern Materials: The style of the lantern you select will set the foundation for your lantern decor. If you're looking to keep it rustic, choose an iron lantern. For a more contemporary look, opt for a metal lantern. If traditional style is more your thing, a wood lantern would be just right for your home. For a coastal or boho look, you may want to stick with a ceramic or glass lantern. Just be advised that these more fragile lanterns should be kept indoors if possible.

Lantern Sizes: Keep the size of your lantern in mind while planning your lantern decor. A very tall lantern on a dining table might make it hard for guests to have a conversation. A tiny lantern placed on the floor on its own might look like it's missing something. To add texture mix and match the sizes of lanterns as you cluster them together.

Step 2: Ideas for Decorating With Lanterns

We love decorating with lanterns because you get a chance to be playful while tidily curating the small items you have around the house. Be inspired by a few of our favorite lantern decor ideas below.

Candles: Candles are probably the most quintessential lantern-filler – and for a good reason. The many glass angles of a lantern create a nice glow wherever you place them, especially if they sit near a wall, in a corner, or serve as a table decoration. To make decorating with candles easy, place a bit of sand in the bottom of the lantern and add a pillar candle. To make it even easier, use battery-operated candles.

Hemp Rope or Wood Beads: Keep it simple with a low-lift addition to your lantern. Decorate with a bit of nautical hemp rope or a string of wood beads to make a statement. Curl the rope or beads up in a way that doesn't look too neat – a bit of untidiness will create more texture.

Pebbles or Glass Beads: Add color to lantern decor by filling the lantern with ceramic pebbles or glass beads. These come in a variety of shades so you can swap the colors around as the seasons change. Pebbles and beads can both make a nice base for propping a pillar candle up if you need to add some extra light.

Natural Elements: For a whimsical, outdoorsy touch, consider decorating with lanterns filled with elements from outside. Take a coastal approach and use sand, seashells, and starfish. Or make it rustic with candles filled with pinecones and faux moss.

Terrarium: Fill a lantern with succulents or air plants. Place your lantern somewhere where it can get lots of light. Spritz the plants with water rather than pouring it directly into the lantern. If you don't have the greenest thumb, make it easy and decorate with faux plants or flowers.

Seasonal: Decorating with lanterns can be extra special around the holidays and as the seasons change. In autumn fill your lantern with faux cobwebs or mini pumpkins. In cooler months try filling your lanterns with cranberries, faux snow, or ornaments to create your own mini Christmas winter wonderland. For spring use moss and decorative eggs. And in the summer try out the coastal look with sand, shells, and sea glass.

Step 3: Lantern Placement Inspiration

Once you've determined your lantern's material, the best size, and what to place inside of it the last step to decorating with lanterns is finding the perfect spot for it. Keep reading for our favorite ways to place lanterns.

Light Up the Patio: Outdoor lantern ideas are one of our favorite ways to create a cozy atmosphere year-round. Place a few lanterns around your patio to create warmth without attracting the bugs overhead lighting tends to bring in.

Warm Up the Front Door: Similar to the patio, we also love to place lanterns around the front door. It creates a rustic welcome for guests and illuminates the pathway so you can easily find your keys.

Brighten Mealtime: A few small lanterns placed on the dining table can create a peaceful mealtime aesthetic. Whether you're hosting friends for a wine tasting or want to make a weeknight feel special, lanterns are just the right thing for adding ambience. Just make sure to check the height before purchasing a lantern for the table; something too tall will obstruct your eyesight.

Add to a Bookcase: A bookcase is a clever spot to add a lantern or two. They're sturdy enough to use as bookends, but also act as decor. You can also place a couple of lanterns on top of the bookcase to create some height.

In a Vignette: Use a lantern as part of a vignette by setting one on a decorative tray. Place your tray on a coffee table to hold remotes and decor or keep it on the surface in a powder room along with bowls of bathroom necessities.

On a Console Table or Surface: A single lantern or a few in different sizes can add a bit of oomph to a console table, sideboard, or bar cart. We love how these surfaces can give a large lantern the space to make a statement of its own, or you can create a scene with a few.

Ready to try decorating with lanterns in your space?