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Home Decorating

Outdoor front door lights

14 years ago

Hi everyone...Seeing a post reminded me of a question I have been mulling over but not real important on my mind right now. We live on a lake and have a plantation type home with 6 columns across the front. The columns kinda block your view of door lights. We decided to not put lights on each side of the door & just one in the ceiling in front of the door on the porch. Then the electrician said we could always change it if we decided to go ahead & do door lights. The bugs are horrid out here in the summer with lights on so we hardly ever use the light. If we did do door lights in the future, I have a midnight green door & shiny gold brass kickplate, door knocker, & door handle. We also have weathered brown looking cast iron urns by the door with red geraniums. My question would be .......if we ever did do door lights just for looks.....should I go with the polished gold look (like the door) for the lights or more of a weathered brown (like the urns) .....or does it even matter - LOL! I was thinking the shiny gold would probably be better.....what do ya'll think? Would love to hear.......Any pics of your own would be great also! Thanks in advance.

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Comments (9)

awm03
14 years ago
Sounds like a shiny brass light would work just fine. Do you like the light your current light gives? I have an overhead recessed light and love the soft lighting it provides.
bonniee818
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you awm03! I do like the current light at the ceiling but with the bugs out here at the lake, we rarely turn it on. :) Recessed lights are great, we couldn't do that as the air conditioner duct work started right above where they needed to cut out for a recessed. Glad you got one!
Bonnie
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I vote for the black fixtures as well. Timeless. Classic. They will need to be an elegant design as they will stick out like a sore thumb against the white background if they are not elegant. We had the opposite situation, in that we had a black door with lots of glass. We went with brushed nickel lights that had a lot of glass to complement and not contrast the new black door that itself also had a lot of glass with black 'piping' inside the glass. We felt to have black lights as well would have been over kill. You can see some pictures in the link below. Now, there is also a question of how much black? You can get wall light designs which have a small amount of glass and a lot of metal or others which are vice versa. I also suggest you consider motion sensor wall lights. That way you can leave them on all the time for a very nice appearance in the distance yet save on ectricity consumed. I hope that helps. Dan Here is a link that might be useful: Black & Glass Replacement Door
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gk5040
14 years ago
I would not choose a brassy finish for an outside light. I would do a black finish for a light as my first choice....always classic.
monicakm_gw
14 years ago
About the bugs...we live in the country so I know exactly what you're talking about. Have you considered using a yellow "bug light"? It helps a lot! It's not as pretty as a white light bulb but you can't turn the light on anyway so it doesn't matter (lol)
Monica
bonniee818
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you Monica & gk5040 for your helpful ideas! Monica you are right.....if you don't use the light much anyway , it doesn't matter what color, does it? LOL!
bonnie
bonniee818
Original Author
14 years ago
Anyone have any pictures of their outsides? Would love to see your door area with lights.....Thanks in advance!
Bonnie
Oakley
14 years ago
How ugly are the bug lights anyway? I checked into them online the other day and people swear by them. Our lanterns have the clear glass so we get more bugs, but I love the light it gives off. At least they're not right by the front door so that helps.

I went on the porch the other night and all these June bugs came out of nowhere. When I went inside to the bedroom, one was on my jammy bottoms and I didn't know what it was, and started screaming. LOL.

We do have a recessed light (which isn't installed yet) on the other side of the porch, so I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of light it gives off.
2ajsmama
14 years ago
I liked my brass lights when they were new (went with brass caming in sidelights) but then they started getting spotty, and they're under a porch! I think they were Westinghouse or GE from Ace ($50 each). The smaller cheaper (HD) ones on the front of my garage haven't tarnished at all.

I'd match the door hardware, but get a good brand with a good warranty on the finish.

Sorry - only pic I have (showing stone wall in progress under porch) doesn't show the lights. Have to take a new pic now that wall is done.
bonniee818
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks Oakleyok & ajsmama for your suggestions also. :)Ajsmama, I think matching the hardware on the door with the lights is the way to go also....but with you on the spotting & tarnishing the shiny can do sometimes. I had the antiqued kind of gold hardware up there on the front door when it was painted white but when we changed to midnight green as the door color , I changed the hardware as the antiqued didn't show up against the dark green color from the street much . We are sit back off the road some what. In the virtuals I have done, I liked the doing the same as the door. Thanks again & if anyone has pics , would love to see........bonnie

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