Exterior Lights That Pack a Punch

Design Trends

Aug 31

What’s one of the biggest mistakes I see constantly made by homeowners and developers alike? Small exterior wall sconces. When exterior lighting is too small it makes the home shrink back into itself losing impact and ultimately reducing curb appeal and the perception of quality. Small lighting is often less expensive so many homeowners resort to less expensive options that don’t actually fit the exterior of their home. This cheapens the overall look and doesn’t give the completed vision they are looking for. What most homeowners don’t realize is there are many lighting options that give the visual punch lighting should give without breaking the bank. Here are some of the preconceptions about exterior lighting and our answers.

Small homes need small exterior lights. No! Most smaller homes look much richer and more welcoming with large exterior sconces. Often we suggest one large sconce on the porch wall or approach to the front door and two medium ones on either side of the garage.

Match the size of the existing exterior lights. No! In many homes the exterior sconces are in need of a larger option. Builders usually install the least expensive smaller options just to get the home off the books and don’t invest in the small price increase with a larger fixture.

Lights should be visible from the street. Yes! Exterior lights contribute to the overall curb appeal of a home and welcome guests. Lights should be easily viewed from the street and should be one of the first impressions visitors see when they pull up to the home.

Use a Formula. Usually with exceptions. The most commonly used formula is to install exterior lighting fixtures that are 20% of the size of the front door. The same rule can be applied to garage doors. While this calculation does often work it usually works out to a fixture that is 18” or larger and that would be considered a nice larger sized pendant. So we like this rule and think it often works out.

We have some foolproof selections for affordable exterior sconces in the larger sizing that we often recommend to clients and friends. Here are some of our favorite lighting options for many architectural home styles.