Our exterior light situation is a little ho-hum, as evidenced by this tiny fixture outside the back door on our garage (don’t mind the grimy green brick that’s screaming out for some scrubbing).
And yes, I realize the door itself is looking a little rough. It originally sported a rusty, loudly-banging storm door (not just a medium bang, this was SCARE-YOUR-NEIGHBORS LOUD) that we removed. So we’re getting ready to repair some of the trim and prime/paint it white to match the door in the sunroom veranda that we already updated.
But let’s turn our attention back to the light. It was too small and very weather-worn, so we decided it was time to make an upgrade. Choosing the fixture to upgrade it with proved a bit more challenging than we expected. Maybe because we’re not really used to shopping for them. I think we might have bought three exterior lights in the course of seven years. So after hitting up a local outlet and some big box stores without anything screaming “I’m perfect!” at us, Sherry took the hunt to a few online sites to see what she could come up with. After about an hour of clicking around (and waaaay too many windows being open at the same time which led to not one, but two browser crashes) there were eight contenders:
- Black lantern $69 here (inspired by the ones here)
- Seeded glass lantern $75 here
- Outdoor wall lantern $87 here
- X-Lantern $37 here
- Bronze cross-cross sconce $35 here
- Bronze lantern $79 here
- Antique copper wall light $219 here (purely just for eye candy, since it’s way above our budget)
- Bronze lantern $117 here
Making that mood board didn’t give us a eureka moment either. But what did was strolling through the lighting aisle at Home Depot and Lowe’s again, and discovering that Option #1 had gone on sale (down to $59). It had been my favorite all along anyways (Sherry was really into #6, but it was significantly smaller) and my argument for #1 was that we were looking for something large and in charge, and it was the second biggest of the bunch while also being among the three most affordable ones in the roundup. Sherry gave me one of those “hold on I’m thinking” faces and then said “ok, let’s do it.” And into our cart it went.
Installation was just like installing any other fixture:
- Step 1: Turn off the power
- Step 2: Remove the old one after staring at the wires to see how they’re connected (or even grabbing a photo of them with your phone if it’s your first light-switching job)
- Step 3: Connect the new one to the same wires the old one had been connected to
- Step 4: Tuck all of the wires into the backplate and use the provided screws to adhere the light to the house
- Step 5: Turn the power back on and make sure the light is connected well and working correctly
So installation went nice and smoothly, and you can see from this photo that it’s a big improvement. Well, not the door. Or that green wall. But at least the light is no longer rusty and small.
You think I’m joking about the size difference, don’t you? Here’s a side-by-side with the old fixture so you can see just how much more substantial the new fixture is compared to the old one.
We personally like an outdoor fixture that has lots of visual presence, so this guy is doing the trick for us. Just imagine this with a freshly painted door and non-green bricks and a nice welcome mat and some plants on either side. I know… that’s a lot of imagining. We have a long way to go back here.
I like this shot the most, since it helps to show the size of the light, along with the traditional shape, which we think is pretty fitting with the exterior of our house (we’ve admired it on a lot of our neighbor’s homes, and also were inspired by this photo of an outdoor space with similar ones). At one point I suggested that we put them in The Artist Formerly Known As Prince The Veranda Formerly Known As The Sunroom (we’re looking for four sconces to go on the posts in there to provide some eye-level light) but after holding them up they didn’t look right – so we’re still on the hunt for what might work in there.
I’ll share just one more “after” photo of this guy because when I came out to take this picture I opened the door to find a herd of deer standing right outside. Of course they ran away at the sight of me.
But they didn’t go far and still make an appearance in the background of this picture.
Here they are, just giving me the ol’ deer staredown, when I stepped a little closer. If you’re on the edge of your seat for more of my stellar wildlife photography (or are just a fan of Where’s Waldo: Deer Edition) we’ve got this post on Young House Life for your deer-loving pleasure.
Sorry I keep getting sidetracked. Lights. We’re talking about lights. And obviously that back door isn’t our only outdoor fixture. We’ve got one more wall-mounted one above our garage. It was also looking a bit worse-for-wear and was also on the diminutive side.
So we purchased a second one to match the one we added to our backdoor. And… the results were a little less impressive.
Even though it felt nice to have a sparkly new light up there – and the ORB finish commanded a bit more attention than the rusty gold – the size wasn’t reading as much of an improvement between those two giant garage doors (we’ll be painting those black or charcoal if that helps you visualize where things are going). And yes, we have more green stuff to attend to on that concrete driveway pad. Yeehaw, I smell some power-washing in my future…
But back to the light.
It’s not terrible, but it’s not exactly what we were hoping for. It just looks kinda lost on that big brick wall with those big garage doors. And I’ll admit we’re feeling a little defeated because of all of the lights that Sherry mood-boarded, it was among the largest of them all (it’s about 19″ high, and the biggest – and most expensive – was only 20″). Update: We also have a pergola planned for over the double garage and we want to add shutters to all of the windows on the side and back of our house eventually (as seen on Listy McListerson) so those are things to consider for this side of the house too.
Part of us feels like we should just stick with this one for the time being and withhold judgement until we can do some other things to the garage side of the house (like the paint the doors). And the other half of us feels like we should just return it if we don’t love it there, and not settle for something that we might later end up regretting.
What do you guys think? Would you keep it or return it in the hopes of finding something better? Any tips for where else to look besides local lighting shops, Lowe’s, Home Depot, or Overstock?
Nicole M. says
Hmmmm…the light is nice, but not in love with it in the context of the house, they look too high. I think a light that hangs down would look more proportional.
carolinaheartstrings says
I love them and in fact have the same ones flanking my front door. The only problem with this style of lamp is that being an enclosed fixture it collects a lot of “stuff” inside the light. Bugs, dirt, cobwebs……. They need to be cleaned out all the time! I would not pick them again. Knowing that now, I would pick one open on the bottom (just on a bigger scale than your old one).
BeeBelle says
It doesn’t look like an issue for you with those fixtures, but for the comment-readers who are planning their own outdoor replacements, One of my favorite tips if your fixture has an open bottom is to get some inexpensive metal screen material and make a custom screen to fit in the bottom to keep the bugs out. You can just crimp/roll the edges with a pliers to get it to fit and it saves a lot of mess later on.
Jessie W. says
What about a motion sensor light for above the garage? We have one and really like that it comes on whenever we come home. Love the back door light!
YoungHouseLove says
Love all the suggestions guys! We’ll definitely keep you posted!
xo
s
Lisa says
I like the light by the door, but agree it looks kind of small on the garage wall. If you don’t love, it, I say send it back. I am assuming the one you removed works, in which case you do have a light, just not one that you love. Which means the new light doesn’t really change your situation, other than you’re out $59 and some change. Better the money in your pocket than in Home Depot’s.
Bonnie says
I think the light looks a bit lonely now, but will look good once the rest of the stuff is completed. I’d hang on to it.
We have a very similar looking garage. Instead of a single light in the middle, we have one on each side. I really like the way ours looks, but that might require some serious electrical work to do that on your house.
Suzie says
This is a really stupid question, but we are about to change out an exterior light and I don’t want my husband to electrocute himself. He seems to think that by ‘turning the power off’, you simply turn the light switch off, switch the fixtures, and turn the light on. I think the main power needs to be turned off. Obviously if we are even questioning this, we should leave it to professionals, but he wants to do it himself. Please, enlighten us. ;) Ha.
YoungHouseLove says
Main power! Don’t take any chances! If you have a circuit tester that’s great too!
xo
s
Kris says
The one light above the garage doors looks very lonely. You either need to bring it down to between the doors and add one one either side or remove it completely and add one on either side of the doors so you have two. You may want to hold off on doing anything with that light until you know what you’ll do for the pergola. Sometimes lights can be hidden on the sides of the pergola and end up looking like an afterthought. Another alternative is to hang the lights off the pergola as shown on one of my pins. http://www.pinterest.com/kbrasser/pergolas/ Someday I’ll get to putting up a pergola over our garage doors but one is 18′ wide and is proving to be difficult how to handle the load of the pergola over that length.
LesleyE. says
I am so glad you went with #1. Being from the deep south and the New Orleans area, #7 was screaming out to me. But, I understand the cost associated. We saved just so we could put these at our front door:
http://www.bevolo.com/french-quarter-lights/on-original-bracket-1
Heather says
Hi John and Sherry,
I recently discovered your blog and love it. You guys do great work. You asked about additional places to look for outdoor lighting – have you heard of Rue La La? It’s kind of like Joss and Main but has daily boutiques for men, women, kids, home, and travel. Today there is a lighting boutique and they have a bunch of outdoor lighting at what looks like reasonable price discounts. You have to request to join but it’s free. Just thought you guys might want to check it out. Keep up the good work!
Heather
Tania says
I like it! :) Definitely at least for a “phase one”!!
Kelly says
Wow, the list hasn’t been updated since July and y’all have done a lot since then! Finishing the sunroom, Clara’s room, painting the living room, the stairs…
Random question, on the List you said something about doing the stairs to the garage. Did you have enough runner left over for those stairs too?
YoungHouseLove says
I think we do but those stairs would get really dirty since we come in with wet shoes, etc. So the plan is just wood steps there that I can wipe down.
xo
s
Lyn says
Hi guys – my first thought was you need two – one on either side. I believe there have been comments from others saying the same thing. Looks like they put one in the middle because it was probably the easiest thing to do but does look a little goofy. Even if it were larger I still think it wouldn’t look quite right because of where it is. Due to the scale of that area one fixture in the middle just doesn’t work. Most homes here (TX) have one on either side for balance and it just looks good. Since you plan on this being your home for the long haul I’d do one on either side.
Rebecca says
I just installed a light between my garage doors 2 weeks ago in a very similar area as you guys. Since I used a previously wired box to install the light (like you are) I chose a light that went down vs up. I think outdoor lights that face up like yours are best used when installed at eye level. If the light faced down it would make the area feel cozier.
Posted it on instagram for you – http://instagram.com/p/gvle71k9Da/. I got mine from LightingDirect.com. Its called Maxim MX 35003. Good luck!
YoungHouseLove says
Love all the ideas and links guys!
xo
s
Cindy O. says
We recently built a carriage house behind our 1945 North Arlington, VA colonial and struggled with exactly this issue. The lights I picked out originally and had installed were way too small. Ended up with something much larger and we are much, much happier (plus they are on a light sensor so go on automatically.) You probably are all over this but at least at the specialty lighting stores, they have the same fixture in multiple sizes so that may be an option for finding the perfect light. Good luck!
Nicole says
I think the light above the garage doors needs to move down so that it is in between the garage doors. You could eventually put a total of 3 – one on either side of the garage doors and one in between. This would give the light(s) a little more visual presence.
As for the brick repair you would have to do to move the light fixture – I have no recommendations on that :)
Morgan says
I didn’t read all the comments, but I feel the one over the garage could look good if there was something black to counter balance it. I think if there was black trim around your garage doors, or maybe black planters on either side of the garage, it may pull it together. The garage doors need a pop of definition.
I just love your website all the way from Canada :)
Dana says
I think I’d return the one from the garage. I agree that it doesn’t pack enough punch. Though I’m probably biased because I fell in love with #4 and now think all exterior lights pale in comparison.
Celine says
Don’t know if anyone has suggested this but have you tried Costco? We bought our lights for $20 each from there. They are huge, beautiful, and bulbless! They don’t have any lightbulbs that you can see but have some internal lighting system that automatically turns on at night..The design looks light the #2 and #4 lanterns you have listed. Good luck!
Cat says
Something to also take into consideration is getting something with low energy use like an LED fixture. I installed an automatic timer (Honeywell Sunrise Sunset timer) that turns on automatically at sunset and turns off at 12am weeknights and 2am weekends and then turns on again at 5am and off at sunrise. It makes my house look so much friendlier and is great for safety. With LED lights it only cost a couple of dollars a year to run.
Jen B says
You all have inspired me many times to make small fixes with my 1970’s-no-charcacter-rancher, while waiting for the day I can make the massive overhaul. But, I would return the lights. The old lights are not that great, but I don’t know if the lights are the problem. I agree with others that the placement of the light by the garage is the real problem. As for the light by the door, it looks to big. That is not a formal door so I feel like it needs a less formal light.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks again to everyone weighing in!
xo
s
Susan says
I actually really like the new light between the garage doors. There’s something about the size that works well with the vents: bigger house vent, medium garage vent, smaller light. I don’t know, it looks balanced to me. Outdoor lights are so tricky, I think you should give it a week and see if it grows on you.
For other lighting sources, I love Barn Light Electric, but they are kind of spendy. (But so pretty.) They have a clearance section though, that sometimes gets in the realm of the reasonable: http://www.barnlightelectric.com/clearance-lighting/
We have two of their Benjamin Industrial Pendants in weathered copper over our dinner table, and even though they’ve been there a year I still get happy every time I look at them. :-)
Cathy M. says
Keep it! When you eventually get to paint the garage doors, build the pergola, and put shutters on the end, the light won’t matter so much because it will not be the star of the show. :-)
Sarah J. says
i would return it and wait until the pergola is built, since that’s going to be more of the show stopper. i think 3 hanging lantern fixtures (one in the middle, one on each side of the garage doors) that appear to be hanging down from the pergola would be really neat and give good balance, spreading out the lighting on such a large surface of the house.
Liz says
I didn’t make it through all the awesome comments, so I might be repeating others, but I think you need three lights for the garage: one where it is now (or maybe a little lower so it hangs between the doors) and one on each side of the doors (all hung at the same height). I would ultimately go with something a little bulkier that hangs like a lantern, maybe like this: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/118219558941420792/
But it seems like you will have plenty of opportunities to use the current one in other places (aren’t you planning on adding sconces on the veranda?), so keep it for now and then reuse when you find the right ones for the garage.
Chyenne says
I was TOTALLY thinking #6 was an awesome fixture. Then I scrolled down and saw that it was Sherry’s too. Literally shouted out, “Ha! We need to design a house together!” ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! Let’s do it!
xo
s
Amy S says
I would return and try something like this: http://www.blog.barnlightelectric.com/discount-all-weather-lights-warehouse-shades/
Margaret says
I’d take it down and live with the original little one. That way, if you find what you want and it’s a little splurgy, then you can justify it with “well, we didn’t end up spending any cash on that temp fixture, so let’s treat ourselves.”
Funny thing about the storm doors. We have three exterior doors with three horrific storm doors that we’ve been waffling about replacing or just removing. I hate the very sight of them. But since we’ve moved into our not-so-airtight midcentury modern, I’m wondering if we should keep the eyesores in hopes of letting a little less chilly wintry air into the house. And then replacing them at some point, which is still less aesthetically pleasing to me. Any draftiness coming through your storm door-less doors thus far?
YoungHouseLove says
Our storm door was the one that was hung sort of crooked so the main door is thankfully nice and airtight!
xo
s
Rose says
Does anyone else think it’s just an unusual spot? It seems like there should be a light on either side of the doors and maybe lower a touch. I guess I never really thought about it until now. Great, now I am going to be study light placements on garages now LOL
Can’t wait to see the doors painted and shutters added – going to looks so nice and polished!
Elle Marie says
I had a huge exterior lighting project last year – replacing all of the sconces and post lights for our association of 23 townhouses – which involved a highly restrictive set of criteria and an exhaustive search, since the replacements had to be approved by a majority of the unit owners. I swear, I looked at over 500 fixtures.
My favorite site for exterior lights, after all the places I looked, was Lighting Direct (http://www.lightingdirect.com/). Their customer service was able to answer my questions very promptly, and I found their search system easy to use.
I also looked directly at the manufacturer’s websites as well – ignore the MSRP for fixtures, just focus on the sizes/styles/finishes available – and then search for the styles you like to find authorized sellers. You may also be able to find a local supplier; if you are planning to buy more than one or two fixtures, they might be willing to cut you a deal (or an electrician that regularly works with them might be able to order the fixtures wholesale if you are getting them professionally installed). The electrician who did the install for our condos recommended either Progress Lighting or Seagull Lighting, since they make quality exterior fixtures.
Laurel says
I think it’s an improvement, and although a larger light would be better, multiple of this light could work. Inevitably though, this light here feels like settling. And why do that? I think a bigger and better light, and 3 of them, one on each side of the doors is the best solution.
Melissa says
I don’t think it looks bad, just unbalanced. I know it would probably be a complete pain in the butt, but maybe could you have it rewired so you have one on each side? Or even 3? I think that’s why you aren’t loving it.
If you do have just one, maybe something super industrial looking…almost like something that would be on the outside of a warehouse. The bigger single light might make a difference!
Cassie Moore says
I would leave the new light over the garage. It seems small now because of all the brick but when the brick is more broken up by the pergola and the shutters, it may feel more perportional. You could photo shop it to be sure.
Also, since Sherry likes’s #6, maybe that could be the sconces that you use in the veranda? They would be beautiful and then you both get what you want.
Also, would you consider doing a photo shop tutorial for testing options in your home? I don’t know how to do any of that and have made some costly mistakes that could have been avoided with photo shop.
YoungHouseLove says
John actually wrote one a while ago! If you search photoshop tips it should come up!
xo
s
Cassie Moore says
Thanks! I’ll check that out!
Amy says
I’d keep it and add two more lights. I hate creepy dark corners outside.
[email protected] says
In my humble opinion, I think this one from Lowes would be nice at your garage doors.
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=398461-48899-LW-1019&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=4736831&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man that link isn’t working for me for some reason.
xo
s
Yancey@Ysquaredlife says
Oh man! Sorry the link isn’t working for you. It is the
allen + roth Parsons Field 1-Pack 27 Inches-In Black Outdoor Wall Light.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Yancey!
xo
s
PJ says
As the saying goes, “Don’t let the good be the enemy of the great.” I say return the garage light and find your Goldi-light (not too big, not too small,juuuuuuuustsst right).
Karen says
I don’t know if someone has already said it, but if you’re not in love with the new light, you could always orb the old one until you find something you do love. It really cleans up the fixture and looks great for a long time.
Allison says
What about something like this?
http://www.affordablequalitylighting.com/outdoor-lighting/wall-sign-lights/sign-lights-gooseneck-lights/bronze-metal-gooseneck-barn-light-adlxsv925/?gclid=CJC-quyy57oCFcKDQgodyGYAHA
It’s spendy, but you could probably look around and find it for less. I just did a quick search. I saw several similar ones on amazon for less, but they were much smaller. Look for ones meant for businesses, not homes. I think this one would look great because it’s simple but big! Good luck!
Sara says
I see you already have lots of suggestions for places to shop but I really like our local lighting store’s website and shipping was free when we ordered our lights. It has a pretty exhaustive search filter that allows you to search by size and price (among lots of other specs) so it might be worth checking it out.
http://www.lightsunlimitedinc.com/
Peggy S says
I have not read all the comments, so perhaps someone else addressed this. I love new outdoor light fixtures, but when we replace ours, we looked for 3 things. First, if we are replacing a fixture that hangs down from the base, we replace it with one that hangs down from the base, even if it is bigger. Other wise, we see light fixtures that are over the trim of the door, and it doesn’t look right to us.
Second, we want to be able to easily access the light bulbs for changing. Third, how easy is it to clean? Exposed light fixtures, like the 2 you’ve shown today, get dirty more quickly than ones on covered porch.
Elaine B says
I do agree that while the fixture looks great by the back door, the scale is wrong for your garage location.
Is this the place to insert a shameless plug???
Check out State Electric Supply. They are a wholesale electrical distributor. There is a local branch in Richmond, VA and while they do not have a showroom, their friends in Christiansbrug, VA do. The company website is http://www.stateelectric.com, and the Lighting Showroom website can be found at http://www.stateelectriclighting.com or linked to from the main site. They do sell to individuals and will ship to you. Good luck with your search for the perfect fixture!!!
Susan in Colorado says
I can’t add anything constructive but I am sad you all didn’t pick number 2.. I LOVE it.. lol…
But I guess since the light by the garage doors is already up knowing me I would just keep it up. Could you move it somewhere else later on down the road??
qs777 says
I love outdoor lights for some weird reason. Maybe it is because they seem more reasonable in price compared to some indoor lights.
I think you need bigger lights for the garage. How about a gooseneck barn light over each door? Also, you might try looking at commercial lights as they tend to be bigger. Can’t wait to see what you come up with.
Lauren says
Have you seen this light fixture?
http://www.lowes.com/pd_338651-85992-LWS1204C_0__?productId=3822577
It is called “Portfolio Brayden” and there are two sizes – this one is the larger one at over 20 inches. It is and online only item actually at Lowe’s. (I asked because it seems from the website it would be available in stores, but the associate told me it is almost never found in stores). We bought several of these, including for outside of our garage, and they are beautiful in person.
Diana Buchanan says
It is my professional opinion (haha, no but really I do this for a living) that you need to either :
a) move the lantern down in between the two doors
or
b) choose two lanterns to flank the two doors
Since the previous lantern hung below the jbox, it just seems like this one is reaching to the sky since it goes up from the jbox. I think of this kind of lantern as more of an eye level thing, so that’s what is to getting me.
Love the choice in lantern, though!
Lauren says
Woo Whoo!!!
As a Police Officer, I’m always happy to see people improving the lighting around their house. I sent you an email a looooong time ago with security tips. I’d be happy to do it again for this house. Just let me know!
YoungHouseLove says
We’d love that Lauren!
xo
s
Colleen says
This would be a fascinating post topic!
mp says
I couldn’t find any interior lights I liked until I visited Lamps Plus. Great prices and very fast shipping.
Hannah C. says
I love the backdoor light! But I agree – not a fan of it above the garage doors. I saw another comment about finding a light that hangs down – I like that suggestion. I also think I would like the light more if it was lower between the two doors. And maybe two identical lights flanking the other sides of the garage doors at the same level? I know that takes the project way above your budget though.
In regards to your question – if you’re not loving it, and it’s only going to be temporary, I’d return it. Put the other one back up (maybe spray paint it ORB for the meantime) and keep the money for something you love.
Marie says
Gahhh John, how could you have missed grimy brick that with all the power washing you were doing earlier this year?? ;)
YoungHouseLove says
I know, right?!
-John
Erin says
I’m on the hunt for similar sconces next to our exterior doors on our 1936 brick home. The existing ones could be the same as your old ones.
I like the new light beside the door, but I don’t like the new light above the garage doors. For one it looks like the wrong type of light for that location, it would look better if it was the same height as the back door location. I would also think something with the light more direction toward the driveway would be better. Maybe this one? http://www.lowes.com/pd_337487-76219-HRK1691ASS_0__?productId=3822567&Ntt=lighting+outdoor&pl=1¤tURL=%3FNtt%3Dlighting%2Boutdoor&facetInfo=
Good luck!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for all the links and suggestions guys! We’re reading/clicking every one!
xo
s