Porch Lighting 101: Modern Porch Lighting Ideas
Your front porch is often the first impression your home gives your guests.
Get the lighting right with these helpful ideas.
From seeing well enough to get your key in the lock after a long day at the office, to helping your dinner guests find the doorbell, it’s important to consider your front porch lighting.
Here are some guidelines for choosing the right outdoor entry lights for your home.
Location, Location, Location
Indoor and outdoor lights sold in the U.S. have an Underwriters Laboratories, or UL rating, on the label. The UL rating tells you which location a light is suited for. For example, a dry-rated light is not suitable for outdoors or anywhere that has excessive moisture. If your porch is sheltered and protected from rainwater, a damp-rated fixture is your best option. Wet-rated fixtures use drain holes, seals and protective gaskets to stop water from collecting on live wires and electrical components, so you'll want a wet-rated fixture for any porch lighting exposed to rain, fog, snow or salty air.
Size Matters
Generally, the size of your front door should inform the size of your outdoor entryway lights. For a balanced look, keep these proportions in mind:
- Wall Sconces: ¼ to ⅓ the height and width of the door (including trim)
- Pendants: ⅕ the height and width of the door
- Flushmounts: ¼ the height and width of the door
Let’s say your door is 100 inches high and 60 inches wide and you want to install outdoor sconces. You should look for fixtures that are about 25 inches high and 15 inches wide.
Wall Sconces
If you’re lucky enough to have a symmetrical front entry, hanging two wall sconces on either side of the door is a natural choice. Flanking your front door with a pair of eye-catching wall sconces can really dress up your home.
Have you found a pair of wall sconces that you really like but aren’t sure what the outdoor wall lights will look like from the street? Make mock-up lights from a piece of cardboard and hang them. Lights always look smaller from 50 feet away, so you’ll want to look at them from the bottom of your driveway and from the street.
Placement Guidelines: Set outdoor wall lights approximately 66 inches (5.5 feet) from the porch floor to the bottom of the fixture. Leave 6-12 inches on either side of the door casing. For asymmetrical entryways or when space is limited, a single wall fixture will do. Hang it on the doorknob side for a well-lit doorway.
Pendants
For porches with high ceilings and no wind exposure, an outdoor pendant light is a good choice. A combination of wall and pendant outdoor entry lights in harmonizing styles will make you home’s exterior warm and welcoming.
Placement Guidelines: Hang pendants about 84 inches (7 feet) from the porch floor.
Size: Your pendant should be centered about 6 inches above the door. Its size should be about 1/5th the height of the door itself. Pendants are usually hung by chain, wire, cable or stem. If you find yourself with a chain option, you have more room to adjust the height however you’d like. Remember that your pendant should be in proportion to the space, so take visual note of how it looks and feels around the entryway, then adjust accordingly.
Flushmounts
Is your front door the pride and joy of your front entry? A flushmount porch light adds welcome light without detracting from your main entrance, columns and other architectural elements.
What’s more, if your front porch has a low ceiling or is open to wet weather, a flushmount fixture is the ideal solution.
Placement Guidelines: Flushmounts should be a minimum of 80 inches (6.6 feet) from the floor.
Remember, your home only has one chance to make a good first impression.
