How to Decorate with Neon Lights Indoors

Are you looking for a way to add a fun, artsy twist to your home? Then you might want to consider neon lights.

At first, this can feel like a tacky idea usually reserved for bars and the windows of tattoo parlors. But you can actually make neon lights work right in your home in ways that are classy and add a unique style. From accenting wall art and word art to more extreme uses like making a futuristic game room, you may be surprised to learn just some of the possibilities of neon lights in a residential space.

This is also a fairly easy way to get a new look in your home. Many custom neon fixtures can run around a couple hundred dollars or more from a shop. But you can also find neon-style signs for residential uses on sites like Amazon. Take this “dream” sign, for example. These tend to run around $10 to $80 depending on the size and complexity of the design. And generally, neon-style signs take just a few minutes to hang. Lighting a whole room with neon lights, however, might take the help of a professional remodeler or electrician.

For a cozy, welcoming feel, choose neon words with a domestic connotation. Image: JY J/Shutterstock

Use Words to Create Ambiance

The most common way to use neon lights, or even neon-style LED lights, is to use them to spell out certain words that create a specific mood in the home. For instance, the sign in the photo above creates a comfortable feel by literally just spelling the word home. Some other ideas for neon word signs that would look great in living rooms or bedrooms include:

• Welcome
• Family
• Dream
• Inspirational quotes, like “do what you love”
• Hello
• Be happy
• Goodnight
• Good vibes only
• Your favorite song lyrics

Along similar lines, you could also go with different images, like moon outlines.

Neon lights can also accent the elements that are already in the room. Image: Photographee.eu/Shutterstock

Accent Items with Neon Lights

Another great use for neon-style lights is to use them to accent items you already have in the home. You can see in the photo above how you could use a neon lighting style around art on the wall, as is the case with the red lighting on the wall hanging. It really makes the bright art pop all the more.

You could also use neon lights to add a glow from under major pieces of furniture. An example is the light that glows from under the cooktop island in the photo above. People often place colored lighting under cabinets for some accent lighting, so why not go neon?

Vertical neon lights can create a massive statement look. Image: Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock

Create a Futuristic Space

A more involved idea comes in the form of the game room in the photo above. By adding neon vertical lighting, you can create a room that has a futuristic element to it. As the photo above shows, this is the perfect setting for a gaming room. But it could also work in artsy bedrooms, den areas and man caves.

For this idea, you would need thick neon lights sold in straight bars. You might also have to hire a professional remodeler or electrician to hook up the lighting properly.

And remember, properly installed and constructed neon lighting should never run warm. If you find one that is, you will want to invest in a higher quality light.