One of the easiest ways to freshen up the exterior of a home is to replace worn-out outdoor lighting fixtures . This is true whether you're staging your home to sell or you're looking to replace those builder-grade fixtures that came with your home.
When it came time to replace ours, I quickly realized that there are a lot of things to consider when choosing outdoor lighting fixtures . I'm excited to share what I learned along the way.
I tolerated these builder-grade fixtures for over eight years because I simply couldn't justify replacing perfectly working (albeit unattractive) fixtures.
When the task of upgrading our outdoor lighting finally became a priority on our home improvement list, I went on a quest to find the perfect replacement lighting fixtures. I'm so happy with the choice we made!
So, what considerations should you keep in mind when shopping for outdoor wall lights ? Here’s what I learned.
How to choose the right outdoor lighting?
Size of the light fixture
The most common mistake people make is choosing undersized light fixtures. Don't assume that the light fixture the builder installed is the right size for your home, as they often install smaller fixtures to cut costs.
A good rule of thumb for the front door area is to choose a light fixture that is 1/3 the height of the door if there is only one light, and 1/4 the height of the door if there is a set of lights around the door.
Style and color of light fixtures
When it comes to choosing a light fixture color or style, take inspiration from your home's architectural features and color palette. Even if you're personally drawn to a particular style of light fixture, it should be consistent with the style of your home (for example, coastal-inspired fixtures work well for a coastal home).
For example, I chose oil-rubbed bronze fixtures because they match the finish of our door hardware, as well as the copper roof adjacent to the front door. The simple, classic lines of the new fixture also fit with the transitional style of our home.
Lighting the luminaire
You also need to consider the amount of light produced by the light fixture(s).
When making your choice, pay attention to the number and wattage of bulbs the fixture requires, as well as the type of glass (clear, opaque, or seeded) it has. All of these features will determine how much light the fixture produces.
Mounting height of your light fixture
Finally, remember that the ideal vertical placement should be slightly above eye level and below the top of your front door.
If your junction box (i.e. where the fixture is installed on the wall) is located high on the wall, you will need to choose a fixture with a body that sits below the junction box.
Best Places to Buy Outdoor Lights
We've updated the exterior lighting in each of the four homes we've lived in (following the steps for replacing exterior lighting outlined in this article).
Home improvement, home staging, tips and tricks
One of the easiest ways to freshen up a home's exterior is to replace outdated and tired exterior lighting fixtures . This is true whether you're staging your home to sell or you're looking to replace the builder-grade lighting fixtures that came with your home.
When it came time to replace ours, I quickly realized that there are a lot of things to consider when choosing outdoor lighting fixtures . I'm excited to share what I learned along the way.
Discover the 4 factors you MUST keep in mind when choosing the right outdoor lighting fixtures for your home #decoratingtips #exteriorlights #lightfixture #lightingtips #exteriorlighting #refinedrooms
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