220V LED string lights

A mains powered LED string lights set plugs straight into a socket, with no transformer: first choose the length you need to cover, then the protection rating for the location, then the material and light colour. This collection brings together models in wood, jute, rope or glass, in warm white and in multicolour versions, for a terrace, a facade, a balcony or a living room.

What are mains powered LED string lights and how are they connected?

Mains powered LED string lights connect directly to the mains supply, with no transformer or intermediate box: the plug goes into a standard socket. The models in this collection measure from 2.66 m to 10 m and light in warm white or in colours, with an integrated LED or E27 sockets.

Direct mains connection, and what it changes

No box to house, no socket reserved for a power supply: a simple socket is enough, provided it stays protected from water, under a canopy, in a waterproof box or behind a terrace door. Installation is immediate, you unroll and plug in. 24V LED string lights with a transformer keep their value in other setups, but they add an element to protect. To compare the two families, browse our full lighting range, where the technologies sit side by side.

Available formats and lengths

Lengths run from 2.66 m for the crackled glass Verrano to 10 m for the solar Lumivine, including 3.30 m, 4.50 m, 7 m and 8 m. A 300 x 200 cm light curtain completes the series. For a railing, 3.30 m is often enough; for a pergola or a facade, aim for 8 m or 10 m. The LED string lights section groups these formats by use.

Which mains powered LED string lights for outdoors?

For outdoors, the collection favours IP44 models, which resist water spray and stay outside on a facade or under a canopy. An LED tube is available in IP65 for more exposed areas. Lengths run from 3.30 m to 10 m, in materials made for outdoors: wood, jute, rope, plastic.

What an IP44 protects against

An IP44 rating covers protection against solid objects over 1 mm and against water spray from all directions. In practice, an IP44 model handles a shower, watering the plants and the humidity of a terrace, but not immersion or repeated direct jets. On a poorly sheltered facade, the IP65 of the Tubolux tube adds that extra margin. IP44 LED string lights for terraces cover most everyday uses, and IP65 LED string lights target heavy exposure.

Solar or mains for the garden

With no accessible socket at the bottom of the garden, a solar model recharges through its panel during the day and lights up in the evening with no cable to run. Mains power, for its part, lights constantly, whatever the weather and whatever the season. The choice therefore comes down to whether a socket is available, not to the amount of light. Solar string lights with no socket and models resistant to water spray answer these two situations.

How do you hang mains powered string lights on a terrace or a facade?

On a terrace, fix the string lights along a railing, a pergola or under a canopy, with the plug kept sheltered. Models in woven rattan, jute or wood suit boho settings, and lengths of 8 m and 10 m cover a large terrace in one run.

Material and effect on a terrace

The Rotinara string lights in woven rattan spread their three bells over 800 cm and set a natural scene. The Umberta string lights in woven jute combine jute and wood in warm white, also over 800 cm. For a very large terrace, the 10 m solar Lumivine with its transparent cable disappears between two fixings. The decorative string lights bring together the woven materials and wood finishes.

2-pin connector and joining two string lights

A 2-pin connector is only compatible with the same family of cables and the same voltage. Before adding a second set, check the product sheet and whether the connector is included: not all models are designed to be run end to end. Always unplug the set before handling the plugs, and avoid improvised connections outdoors. For a terrace, two string lights plugged in separately are better than a makeshift assembly; the LED string lights section sets out the configurations intended by each manufacturer.

Mains powered micro LED string lights or bulb string lights: which light to choose?

Micro LED string lights line up very small points of light, discreet, suited to finishes and to lines you want to highlight; string lights with glass, jute or wooden bulbs give a visible volume and a more decorative effect. The collection offers warm white, amber, white and multicolour versions.

Warm white and atmosphere

Warm white usually sits around 2700 to 3500 K, a range that leans slightly yellow and warms a terrace in the evening without dazzling. That is the effect of the Kaltorica and Umberta models, where the points of light blend into the wood and jute. A cooler white, above 4000 K, gives a sharper, more technical light, rarely wanted for dinner outside. Warm white remains the safe choice when the string lights stay on for a long time.

Multicolour, parties and colours

Multicolour versions are reserved for special occasions: the Zentoressa offers coloured stars over 330 cm, the Prisco combines multicolour glass bulbs, and the Odo plays on transparent stars. Amber, meanwhile, stays up all year for its golden light. On a facade, a single colour stays legible; several shades together give a deliberate party effect. The string lights in all styles let you compare these effects.

Mains powered LED strip lights: how do they work and can they be cut?

An LED strip comes as a flexible band with the LEDs soldered on. Only strips designed for cutting accept a cut, and only on the marked points: the section after the mark no longer lights up. A mains powered LED strip plugs into the mains, with no transformer.

Cutting an LED strip

The rule is simple: cut on the mark, never between two. A cuttable strip states this clearly, with regularly spaced cutting zones. If the strip is not described as cuttable, no cut is possible. String lights with sockets or bulbs cannot be cut either: adjust the length by folding them or choosing another format, rather than cutting the cable. Shortening always changes what stays lit.

The light curtain for dressing a facade

To cover an opening without multiplying fixings, the Federigo light curtain falls over 300 x 200 cm in one piece. The Tubolux LED tube in IP65 draws a clean line of 700 x 3 cm, useful for highlighting a step, a low wall or a canopy. These two formats replace a strip where cutting is not wanted.

How do you choose mains powered LED string lights by room and style?

The choice comes down to three criteria, in this order: the room or use, starting with outdoors or terrace; then the protection rating that follows; finally the material and style. The collection leans towards boho with wood, jute and rope, while E27 sockets and transparent bulbs add a retro note.

Which string lights for which room

An exposed facade calls for IP65, a covered terrace is fine with IP44, and a living room needs no reinforced protection. The length then follows the surface to cover, and the material must withstand humidity if the string lights stay outside. Across the models in the collection, outdoors dominates by far, terrace comes next, and a few indoor uses exist for the living room, bedroom or hallway.

Material and decor style

Wood leads in this collection, followed by jute, plastic, rope and glass. The boho style dominates, ahead of vintage and retro. A raw wood terrace calls for rattan and jute; a pale wall takes crackled glass; Coco string lights with their E27 sockets suit a retro decor where the bulb is on show. The Designix lighting catalogue groups these families by material.

How much do mains powered LED string lights use and how do you care for them?

The LED string lights in the collection use up to 1.6 W per point of light, which limits consumption over an evening. On care: dust dry, check the cable, unplug before any work and bring in models not designed to stay outside all winter. For LED wall lights, LED chandeliers and LED ceiling lights, see the relevant pages.

Stated power and consumption

Recorded power ranges from a few hundredths of a watt to 1.6 W per point of light, depending on the brightest models such as the Odo, the Luca or the Luntorena. Low wattage does not mean invisible light: on string lights, it is the number of points and the colour temperature that set the mood, not raw power. Count a few watts for the whole set over an evening, more on multicolour versions with several effects.

Care and storage

A dry cloth is enough to dust the bulbs and sockets, with no product or damp sponge on the cable. Check the condition of the sheath and plugs once a season. Before any work, unplug. Models not designed to stay outside spend the winter indoors, coiled without tight folds. Rechargeable LED string lights are stored half charged, and the product sheet shows the current price for each reference.

For a terrace, start with an 8 m model in jute or wood: the material withstands the outdoors and the length covers a whole railing. For an exposed facade, aim for IP65. The full range of string lights can be browsed by style.

Frequently asked questions

Secure payment, tracked delivery and returns: Designix customer service helps with choosing a model as well as preparing a large terrace. The current price of each reference is shown directly in the collection grid.