Our Story

About String Lights Outdoor

From String Lights to Real Outdoor Spaces

Hikmat (Henry) Taghiyev, founder of String Lights Outdoor in Houston

String Lights Outdoor is a Houston company that designs, builds and installs motorized aluminum pergolas, louvered-roof systems and glass enclosures for restaurants and homes across the United States.

My name is Hikmat Taghiyev, but most of our clients know me as Henry.

I started this business in New York in 2016. When I moved to Houston in 2020, I noticed something on almost every restaurant patio: string lights. Owners were doing their best to make outdoor dining feel special, but a few strands of bulbs can’t stop the Texas sun, the summer heat or a sudden Gulf Coast storm. Guests went inside, and tables sat empty.

I come from Azerbaijan and Turkey, where gathering outdoors is part of daily life, and I knew those patios could be much more. So I made myself a promise: one day I would help these restaurants replace their string lights with real outdoor rooms. Pergolas, motorized shades and enclosures that work in every season.

That is the idea behind our name, String Lights Outdoor. If you found us while searching for string lights for your patio, you’ve found the next step.

What String Lights Outdoor Builds

Today we design and build motorized aluminum pergolas, louvered-roof systems, glass enclosures and complete commercial patio build-outs. We manufacture our motorized blinds right here in Texas, so we can deliver and install in about two weeks. Imported alternatives often take two to three months. On a restaurant opening, that difference decides whether your patio earns revenue on day one.

Making our own blinds also means custom sizes and direct service from the people who built them. Every system is chosen for Gulf Coast conditions: high heat, strong wind and heavy rain.

Restaurants, Steakhouses and Private Homes

We have built and enclosed patios for restaurants, nationally recognized steakhouse brands and private homes across Texas, Colorado, California, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Florida, Washington and Iowa. Our residential clients get the same commercial-grade systems.

See finished work in our case studies, including a louvered pergola and patio enclosure in Greenwood Village, Colorado and a fixed aluminum pergola with guillotine glass in College Station, Texas.

How String Lights Outdoor Works With You

I bring an MBA and a business mindset to every project, but I’m a builder first. I review the drawings, coordinate the permits, walk the site and stay involved until the final walkthrough. When you call us, you’re talking to the person responsible for your project.

  1. Consultation: we visit your site or meet you at our showroom to learn how you want to use the space.
  2. Design and engineering: we prepare drawings and coordinate engineering for local wind and building codes.
  3. Permits: we coordinate permits with your city and, on commercial jobs, with your general contractor.
  4. Fabrication: structures are made to measure, and blinds are built in our Texas shop.
  5. Installation and walkthrough: our crew installs the system, tests every motor and shows you how to use the controls.

Visit the String Lights Outdoor Showroom in Houston

At the showroom you can see our pergola and shade systems up close, compare finishes and fabrics, and talk through layout, budget and timeline with our team. Bring photos or plans of your patio, backyard or restaurant, and we will help you choose the right system for how you want to use the space.

Visit our showroom in Suite 5002 at the Decorative Center of Houston, or call me directly at 281.720.7272.

You can also request a quote online, send us a message or read our frequently asked questions.

Hikmat (Henry) Taghiyev, MBA

Founder, String Lights Outdoor

Restaurant pergola in Houston by String Lights OutdoorRestaurants Steakhouse patio enclosureSteakhouse Brands Cafe awningCafés & Retail Residential outdoor living space in TexasResidential