Shop Lighting and More | 1StopLighting.com

How to Make Your Outdoor Lighting Pop

modern home with hanging outdoor lighting

You know how this goes… you’re in the market for a different house (too many rug rats) and as your real estate agent drags you to the 15th house today you pull up in front, and immediately you feel that this might be the one.  You’ve heard it a thousand times – “curb appeal” can make or break the sale of the house before you’ve even stepped foot in it.
﻿
Curb appeal can be greatly increased by a few changes to the outside of your home.  Landscaping with flowers? Sure. Trick somebody “Tom Sawyer Style” into painting the outside of the house?  Yup.  The last thing you should change to really make your house shine is your outdoor lighting.
﻿
That first impression of your house can welcome your guests with open arms, and by taking your time to select just the right decorative lighting, your house will just feel like, well, you.  Whether your preference is “down home on the farm”, or industrial minimalist, the lighting of the outside of your home should set the mood for what your guests should expect within.
﻿
Let’s take a look at a few of the types of outdoor lighting you may already have, or maybe even consider adding to get just a little more “Ohhhhh!” out of that curb appeal.  Firstly, many homes have one (or more) of three main types of entry lighting: Wall Lights, Flush Mount Lights, and Hanging Lights.

Outdoor Wall Lights

Outdoor Wall Lights, sometimes called wall lanterns, are wall-mounted fixtures designed to illuminate the area next to your home.  Frequently you’ll find them hanging out on either side of your main doorway, but often they will illuminate a walkway on the way there. 

white cylinder outdoor wall lights in a pool setting at night

Progress Lighting - P5675-30K

Progress Lighting - P560004-135

Pro Tip: If buying lights for either side of your door, pay attention to the size of the light and where the actual lamp shines.  For instance, the “light” part of your fixture should be about 66” to 72” above the floor… so if your box is mounted high and you buy a lamp that “points up,” the light will in the wrong place. Kind of like this…

Should’a picked a wall lantern that hangs down instead of up

Outdoor Flush Mounts

Outdoor Flush Mount Lights are built to go under a porch/roof and install tightly against the ceiling of that structure.  Frequently these are used in areas where wall mounts near the door are impossible (say, if you have sidelights by your door), and the ceiling is low.   Design-wise, flush mounts have come a long way from the “bulb in a dome” days, and you can find strong style statements in very functional, compact fixtures.

flush mount ceiling light in a traditional style front door entrance

Progress Lighting - P5788-20

Outdoor Hanging Lights

﻿Outdoor Hanging lights are best suited to covered/porch areas that have a little more height to them, allowing you to hang your fixture so the bottom is about level with the door sash.

What I’m sure you’re noticing here is that any light will make the space brighter - but in taking the time to review the styles, shapes, finishes, features and options of the fixture you select you can guarantee that it fits your style and will welcome your guests for years to come.

When remodeling, or building a new addition or outdoor living area, there are other types of lighting that will make your house stand out even more.  Some houses make use of a welcoming beacon near their front walkway – an outdoor post lantern – that beckons people to the front door.  Generally, these lanterns stand on a post (6’-10’ tall) and serve to light the way for passersby.  Hey, be careful here… you can’t just stick any doll’s head on a Barbie©, and you can’t just put any post lantern on any post.   Make sure the diameter of the post fits your new lantern head (most are 3” in diameter but check to be sure).  Easy way to make this right?  Buy the post and the lantern from the same manufacturer.

Progress Lighting - P5458

Another way to lure people to your doorway (not saying you WILL, but at least you CAN) is to invite them up your front steps without having them break their neck.  Step lights provide a little bit of light exactly where you need it most – illuminating every (potentially lawsuit-inducing) step. Modern LED lights use so little energy and last for so long, that they are a cheap way to ensure your guests safety. 

Progress Lighting - P6832-2030K

﻿Outdoor ceiling fans frequently have light kits attached and provide much-needed summertime airflow while sipping mint julips and gazing at the local neighborhood beautification project… or in our case sitting back, feet up on the rail, cold one in hand and making fun of the neighbors.  Po-tay-to, po-tah-to.  These fans also beautifully illuminate your porch and should be considered when planning your outdoor lighting.

outdoor ceiling fan in a furnished patio

Progress Lighting - P250034-129-WB

Finally, one of the biggest curb appeal bumps that you can get can almost exclusively be seen at night. Landscape lighting illuminates your home, your trees, your ‘Merican flag… just about anything you want highlighted for the world to see.  Path lights will brighten your walkway, flood lights illuminate a nearby cluster of trees, bollards will may lighten up the curve of your driveway, deck lights brighten your deck (weird, huh?), well lights bathe your home’s outside walls in glorious light… all designed to make your home the envy of the neighborhood at nighttime.

wide view of house and landscape in evening setting

Lighting the outside of your house with well-chosen decorative lighting brings safety from intruders, makes maneuvering your walkway and steps easier (which adds a different kind of safety) and delivers luminous beauty for all to see.  What you need next is options – where can you find the biggest selection with industry-trained experts just waiting for you to call?  1StopLighting has all that and more – call us at 1-866-203-5392 and our experts will talk you through it, every step of the way.

How to Make Your Outdoor Lighting Pop

Outdoor Wall Lights

Outdoor Flush Mounts

Outdoor Hanging Lights

Ideas & Guides

Product Ideas

Room Ideas

Seasonal Ideas

Product Spotlights

Ideas & Guides

Product Ideas

Room Ideas

Seasonal Ideas

Product Spotlights