How To Use Lights To Decorate Your Porch
Apr 19th 2024
The porch is one of the most important areas of homes that have it. It is a focal point, the location that visitors must pass through before entering the property. As such, it is important to decorate it properly, especially during the holidays, and one of the best ways to accomplish this is through creative lighting techniques.
Make Sure You Have The Right Type of Lighting
Porches differ in size, so it is important to make sure you have adequate lighting to cover all the right spots. Specifically, you want to highlight certain festive elements. Some of the best types of illumination for this purpose are either hanging or mount light fixtures. Lamp post style lights are best for the walkway which leads to the porch, as they can visually entertain both passersby’s and guests.
The main purpose of porch lights, aside from decoration, is to complement the best features of the porch and surrounding property, assist visitors in reaching the front doors and boost security around the perimeter.
Combine LED Lights With the Proper Decorations
LEDs (light emitting diodes) have now become the standard in multiple types of illumination, and porch decoration is no different. These lighting sources have phased out the old incandescent bulbs due to their much greater longevity and lower cost. Those who use LEDs for holiday decorations have reported a significant drop in their monthly energy bill. While this is great news, it is essential to ensure your LEDs are used with the right type of decorations.
For instance, they can be combined with flush mounts, pendants and lanterns, which should always be about six inches over the door. You can also use wall sconces, but only when they’re a minimum of sixty six inches away from your porch floor. A lot of homeowners like using lamp posts, and these elements work best when their illumination is roughly one quarter the pole’s size.
Save Money By Repurposing Your Old Lanterns
Instead of buying new lanterns and light fixtures year after year, why not repurpose it? To do this, you will want to extract the bulbs from your hanging lanterns after which you will replace them with pillar candles that are flameless. Once you’ve done this you can enhance the look further by incorporating faux leaves and lining the steps of the porch with your fixtures.
Experiment With Different Types Of Color
You will want to experiment with various color types to come up with a lighting style that is best for your porch. For example, adding a bit of yellow and red will make the area lively, giving it an earthy tone which is perfect for fall and winter. Some homeowners like to use wicker chairs which are bright in color, with a pillow or throw rug to complete the look. For those that prefer neutral colors, metallic objects stand out best against orange or brown hues.
