When you are looking for brilliant lighting ideas for jazzing up your home, you may not think about neon signs.

Traditionally, neon signs are made from shaped, or straight, glass tubes filled with gas. They contain some components such as mercury which are hazardous, and they can’t just be bought at your local home improvement store.

However, there is a modern alternative, but do you really want to put a neon sign in your home? What benefit is there from having a flashing Budweiser sign in your living room, or are there more creative ways you can use neon? 

Can you use neon in your home?

Neon is a highly unique way to light anything. If you have ever seen the Ryan Gosling movie, Drive, then you will know how much neon was used throughout the film to swathe the actor in pink and cyan.

Neon can change the ambiance perhaps like no other color. The non-dangerous gas flickers and creates a light that isn’t constant, but is unlike any other.

But traditionally it isn’t used in the home. And for good reason.

Neon lighting contains toxic compounds even though the gas itself is safe. The tubes are made from glass which breaks easily, and it isn’t practical to have around the house.

But if you could replace it with a safer alternative, then perhaps it would work. LED lighting is a practical way to recreate neon lights for the home. 

What can you do with LED neon?

Many businesses now are switching away from traditional neon to plastic, flexible LED lighting that looks the same.

You can use LED neon in the home for simple lighting, or to create some funky signs or shapes. You could light up your living room with LED strip lights, or you could get fancy and replicate a famous logo. Just don’t get sued.

Because neon made from LED lights is flexible, it can be shaped a lot easier than the traditional glass tubes. Signs, shapes, logos, and names, can be made from acrylic tubing. 

Are LED neon signs only for indoors?

After the lockdowns over the last two years, it is fair to say that most people are enjoying and appreciating the outdoors more than ever.

Gardening has become a bigger hobby than before, and so have home improvements. Adding value to a home is often a goal for DIY enthusiasts, and one thing you can do to increase the value of your home is to install some decking.

Once you have decking in place, you need lighting. Solar-powered LED lights make a great way of illuminating your new installation. Also, you can add a cool sign to advertise ‘Jen’s Garden Bar’, or something along those lines.

LED neon signs can be waterproof, or at least resistant, depending on what type you purchase. 

Are neon signs expensive?

No one wants to add to their energy bills. Fossil fuels are running out, and the environment is suffering from years of abuse. Fortunately, LED lights are an energy-efficient way to light a home or to present a sign.

They are also cost-effective. LED lights go on for a longer time than some other types of bulbs. Whether you are considering incandescent, halogen, or even traditional neon, LED lights can outlast the lot.

When looking to add some funky additions to the home, cheap neon signs might be eco-friendly, but also a unique way to do this. It would appear that they won’t break the bank, or fill up the trash, as they will last a substantial time. 

Show me where to put my funky sign

People have varying tastes, and what one person finds cool, another might think is a bit naff. However, neon signs can be used to create a bit of fun, add some style, or just be practical.

You can add a neon sign to display your favorite football team in your den if you have one. Alternatively, make a sign to show your BBQ area outside. Teenagers can use them to add some of their personality to their rooms.

Put one in the garage to make a point of showing this is your workshop, and maybe your daughter will want one to show the same about her bedroom. LED neon is flexible so it doesn’t have to only be used for signs. It can just be used to uplight, add color or ambiance. 

Summary

Funky neon signs may not be on the top of your list of home improvement methods, but they can add something different.

Traditional neon is just cool. There is no other way to describe detective movies or romantic French scenes, where the neon is the biggest feature. However, neon is starting to be phased out, and LED lighting is more eco-friendly.

LED lights use 1/6th of the energy that an incandescent bulb does, and they last longer. This means that your funky sign can sit and glow for years before you need to replace it. You just need to decide what the sign will be...