Our exterior lighting has been a bit underwhelming, as shown by the tiny fixture outside the back door of our garage (and yes, that grimy green brick could use a good scrubbing).
The door itself is a little rough, too. We recently removed a rusty, loudly-banging storm door, and we’re planning to repair the trim and prime and paint the door white to match the updated veranda door. But for now, let’s focus on the light.
The old fixture was small and weather-worn, so we decided it was time for an upgrade. Shopping for an exterior light turned out to be more involved than expected—we don’t replace outdoor fixtures often—so we visited local lighting stores and big box retailers before continuing the search online. After an hour of browsing, we narrowed it down to eight contenders:
- Black lantern, $69 (inspired by a popular outdoor lantern style)
- Seeded glass lantern, $75
- Outdoor wall lantern, $87
- X-shaped lantern, $37
- Bronze cross-cross sconce, $35
- Bronze lantern, $79
- Antique copper wall light, $219 (eye candy, above our budget)
- Bronze lantern, $117
Creating that shortlist didn’t produce an instant “this is the one” moment. The decision finally came while wandering the lighting aisles at Home Depot and Lowe’s again, where we spotted Option #1 on sale for $59. It had been my favorite from the start—large, bold, and one of the more affordable choices—so it won out. Sherry had liked one of the bronze options, but it was significantly smaller. After a brief discussion she agreed and we bought the black lantern.
Installing the new outdoor fixture was straightforward and followed standard steps:
- Turn off the power at the breaker.
- Remove the old fixture and note how the wires are connected (a quick phone photo can be useful if it’s your first time).
- Connect the new fixture to the same wires using the provided connectors.
- Tuck the wires into the backplate and secure the fixture to the wall with the supplied screws.
- Turn the power back on and test the light.
The installation went smoothly, and the new light is a clear improvement—even if we still have the door and brick to tackle. The new fixture is noticeably larger and more substantial than the old one, providing the scaled visual presence we wanted for this side of the house.
We prefer outdoor fixtures that make a statement, and this one fits the bill. I like to picture it with a freshly painted door, clean bricks, a welcome mat, and some potted plants to frame the entry. That’s our goal for the near future.
The traditional shape complements our home’s exterior and matches aesthetic elements we’ve admired in neighboring houses. We even considered using similar fixtures on the veranda posts to create eye-level lighting, but after holding them up we decided they didn’t quite fit there. The search for the perfect veranda sconces continues.
One afternoon when I went outside to take photos, a small group of deer were standing just beyond the door. They scattered when I stepped out, though a few lingered in the background of some shots—always a charming reminder that upgrading exterior lighting can also mean enjoying the outdoor surroundings.
We didn’t stop at the back door: we bought a matching fixture for above the garage as well. While the new garage light looks nicer and the oil-rubbed bronze finish stands out more than the old rusty gold, it doesn’t read as big on the large expanse of brick above our double garage doors. That area still feels a little imbalanced; the fixture is about 19 inches high, which is large for most options, but it still seems a touch small for the scale of the garage wall.
We’re considering a few options: keep the garage light as-is and hold off on final judgment until we paint the doors and add other elements like a pergola or shutters, or return the fixture and continue the search for something with more visual weight. Either approach has merit—sometimes patience pays off, and sometimes a different fixture is the right call.
What would you do in our place: keep the garage fixture and finish the other updates first, or return it and hunt for a larger fixture that better balances the garage’s scale? Any suggestions for places to find larger-scale exterior lights beyond the usual retailers would be welcome.