Porch lighting is a major factor in deciding the style of house lights you choose for the outdoors. It’s always better to select porch lamps and light fixtures that will not only provide light in the evening, but will also enhance the look of your home during daytime. To add a creative touch its best to pick a single theme and a central piece to highlight the area to get a coordinated and well-planned design. Keep in mind that colour plays a big part in porch decor. Make sure to plan your porch light fixtures in such a way that the materials and products used to design your porch complement the style of house you have invested in.

The Importance of Porch Light Fixtures

Porch light fixtures can make your home safer and more attractive. With decorative hangings or fixed lamps and lighting it can look even more graceful at night. If you have a pool, pond, water surface or shiny area near your porch it is best to highlight it with colored lighting fixtures. Our backyards or front gardens can be scary places to go at night if enough outdoor lighting is not provided. For home security purposes it’s advisable to purchase outdoor porch lighting with attached motion sensors as they help deter burglars. Motion lights are cool gadgets that can sense movement coming into their range. Upon detection, the motion sensor lights will automatically fill the area with illumination.

Types of Porch Lights

A practical way to adequately brighten your porch is by using outdoor lighting and decorative porch lights. Before buying porch lights, it is a good idea to examine how it can blend with the style of your home. Selecting just the right porch light fixtures can be fun and exciting. There are so many outdoor porch lights to choose from and so many ways to light your porch.

• Flush Mounted Porch Lights
  They are generally fixed to the surface of a ceiling which helps light an outdoor walkway, garage, carport, or work area to provide a safe night time. The primary guideline for selecting the best outdoor flush mount lights is to get the actual height and width of the ceiling and sidewall. It is an excellent outdoor lighting arrangement which comes in different styles and shapes. These are also great for illuminating the front door and the top of the steps any day.
• Security Lights
  Porch lights are a great source of security for our homes. With everyone in the world growing above poverty line the number of burglars has also increased. Keeping money or jewellery at our own homes has become a difficult task now. In that case fixing porch and outdoor lightings is one of the wisest things to do. Security porch lights contain motion-detection sensors that can recognize when a visitor approaches the porch entrance and will automatically turn its lights on. Sometimes it can also be set as brightening illuminations which will also keep you informed about the people in your surroundings. It also helps to scare unwanted animals coming into your surroundings at nights.
• Outdoor Wall Lights
  In order to complement the appearance of the home there are a wide variety of outdoor wall lighting styles available. It’s basically the design that makes your walls get a stunning look in the night as well as in the day. Fixing outdoor wall lantern lamps is one of the best ways to light outdoors. They provide a soft ambient light and come in styles that can match the different ideas that you may be having in your mind. Outdoor wall lantern lamps come in a variety of designs that can suit well for your homes. If you plan to highlight a specific area in the porch wall mounted scones can be used. It’s a great outdoor wall lighting fixture which can be mounted directly on a wall. It has a magnificent effect and creates a great ambience if used indoors too. Outdoor wall lights have the ability to highlight the architectural details while ensuring safety and style to your porches.
• Hanging Lights
  Hanging lights can give a well illuminated look to your porch and give a welcoming effect to anyone who pays a visit to your home. Normally these types of lights hang down a bit from the porch ceiling giving the ground below adequate light at night. It’s a great outdoor lighting fixture which will ensure that your porch is well lit and secured at night. The most common form of hanging light fixture is lanterns suspended from a chain suspension which is suited for the higher built porches. They come in a lot of designs and shapes and are entirely up to us to pick what suits best for our homes. It’s a great outdoor lighting which can add a warm glow to your outdoors. Lantern lighting is also useful for home decoration and it also helps in making good use of open spaces.

Outdoor lighting itself is an area, everyone needs to pay attention to, if planning for a well designed home. In today’s modern lifestyle a home without a porch is mostly uncommon. Adding glow to this space in your environment can be done by choosing the wisest range of porch lighting fixtures that suits your home. Since porch lamps and fixtures are the first thing a visitor might notice and trigger their curiosity to know more about the interiors, always select the best porch lights that are functional as well as stylishly elegant.

What are Tiki Torches?

A Tiki Torch is one of the most creative sources of outdoor lighting, and very popular for use at parties and social gatherings. Tiki Torches are great for adding a soft light and creating a tropical ambience when placed along patios, walkways, gardens or pools. Tiki torches were first used in the South Pacific islands as the only source of light. The word Tiki comes from Polynesia and has a few different meanings. Although the interpretations regarding the term are unclear and not established, Tiki is said to mean “the first man” or a small carving that represents ancestors. Stories revolving around its origin still continue bringing home a sense of mystery and fantasy.

Tiki Torches are long poles about 5 feet high with a burning wick and fuel tank that is located on the top. The most common type of tiki torches are made of bamboo or cane. These torches not only work as a great source of light but they also create a sensuous look once placed in your gardens. You may find that birds like to sit on your tiki torches when they are not in use. The torch’s stick is mostly hollow, so you will have to mount it on the ground to make it more stable. Digging a hole and inserting a PVC pipe along with the right amount of earth as filling, will serve a perfect base for your tiki torches, allowing them to stay in place for extended periods, or be removed and replaced as desired. Tiki lights add real charm to a veranda or any other outdoor area you plan to light up for your party. Whichever torch type you choose, these attractive garden additions are an ideal way to enjoy outdoor living long after the sun has set.

Types of Tiki Torches

There are a wide variety of natural flame torches to fit just about any atmosphere or occasion. Some of the more popular outdoor styles include bamboo tiki torches, copper tiki torches, gas tiki torches, solar powered tiki torches and table-top tiki torches.

• Bamboo Tiki Torches – Bamboo Tiki Torches are made up of bamboo poles along with a basket on top plus a metal flame protector. The woven bamboo basket acts as a container to hold a canister of lamp oil or any other fuel which will burn. Whenever you need light, simply light the wick and you will find that it can last for up to 8 hours or even more, depending on the size of the basket and the amount of fuel it can hold. Bamboo tiki torches are less expensive than some other types, as well as being more eco-friendly, making them popular with many people. If you wish to create a tranquil and relaxing mood in your backyard, use a set of bamboo tiki torches and let the flickering flame spill its light into your yard.




• Gas Tiki Torches – Most of the gas tiki torches are made of bamboo, but other materials like copper, steel and aluminum are also used. Propane is the preferred choice of fuel for many because it doesn’t create smoke and the light will burn for a long time. High demand has made them quite affordable nowadays. Gas Patio Lights are a great way to go green with clean burning environmentally friendly natural gas or liquid propane. Natural gas tiki torches are ideal for either commercial or residential use as a permanent part of the landscape. Nowadays gas tiki torches are available in portable and permanent forms. There are many advantages of using a gas type tiki torch over others. The torch’s flame can be adjusted to stay at desired height throughout the evening, a group of torches can be turned off by using a master valve, and long term maintenance, similar to that of a propane grill, is limited to keeping the torch’s and burner clean and free from debris.
• Solar Powered Tiki Torches – For the environmentally conscious, solar tiki torches are the best option. There are many advantages of using solar tiki torches. Instead of using fuel and a flame, these torches use solar powered LED lights. They run on sunlight, and hence there is no danger of fire which makes them safe and environment friendly. They do not have to be fuelled, refuelled, lit or unlit during the entire course of an event, or even after it is over. The latest versions come with inbuilt features to automatically turn them on as soon as dusk settles in. Solar tiki torches look more modern in appearance than the bamboo models. Those who prefer modernity and out-of-the-box lighting styles can opt for solar tiki torches.
• Copper Tiki Torches – Copper tiki torches are said to create a dramatic look that is great for outdoor entertainment. They can make your backyard or patio look very atmospheric all year round. Copper, in any form, is beautiful as it’s an unusual metal that can stay stylish for a long time. It does more than creating a mood illumination; when the flame is visible on the top of the torch, it becomes a visually appealing showpiece. Copper tiki torches usually have a modern and elegant design that will blend into most gardens. They give an attractive and contemporary style to your backyard. Generally, citronella oil or lamp oil is used to light them. These beautiful copper tiki torches can be mounted to a deck railing or set in the ground. Most of them are of high quality, and for maintenance you can easily find spare parts such as burners and wicks. Copper tiki torches are a good purchase if you are looking for longevity of the product.
• Table Top Tiki Torches – Table top tiki torches are an innovative variant of the traditional in-ground model and work in the same way. They are shorter than normal tiki lights, with a very stable base and can be used as a decorative piece as well as a lighting item for any number of occasions. Table top tiki torches are highly versatile and come in many fashionable varieties which can be used at a barbeque, party, family get-together, bridal shower, birthday party and so on; and also to decorate garden walkways and paths. They are very convenient and portable, so you can place them wherever you wish. The only note of caution that goes along with this variety, is to keep them out of the reach of children and pets. If you are careful, table top tiki torches are a great garden addition to add spark and beauty to your parties and evenings.

We all work hard to keep our outdoors and gardens beautiful and stunning in different ways. Modern outdoor lighting systems which include tiki torches are one of the easiest yet most creative solutions, which can transform the complete look and feel of your backyard.

A wonderful home, garden or backyard can be made beautiful by using the most appropriate outside lighting styles. For instance, hanging wall lanterns are a great addition, and can make your home and outdoors stand apart. This not only helps in making the exterior look beautiful, but also helps in providing security for your property whenever you are away or home alone.

Outdoor lighting can highlight the look of your home and its surroundings. Adding the right lighting can even turn your backyard into a party place. Well thought out outdoor wall lighting fixtures help in creating an attractively illuminated house.

There are many types of lighting you can consider in creating a beautiful environment. It’s our own idea of how we want to transform our space that makes all the difference.

Outdoor Wall Lanterns

These are usually fixed to the exterior sides of the house or another wall. Creativity to decide which outside lighting highlights your home lies inside you. One easy way to enhance the beauty of your house and add to its charm is to fix new outdoor wall lanterns. Our entrances, walkways or steps need to have the right and brightest possible lights to avoid any accidents at night. It’s best to use outdoor wall lanterns with bright lights in walkways and minimal lights near doors. Buying lanterns matching the tone and texture of your wall will enhance the soothing effect it can bring on your home at night. The materials used in making wall lanterns include aluminium, steel, plastic, wood and brass; obviously you should choose the look to match your home.

Outdoor Hanging Lights

In order to give your backyard a beautiful glow and enticing ambience in the evening, there is nothing like a hanging lantern. If it is designed with some of the most well thought textures and colours, it can be a lot more interesting. Outdoor hanging lights have a simplicity and elegance that makes them every bit as attractive outside as they are indoors. In most cases low voltage hanging lights are the best as they can enhance the look of trees and plants in the surrounding area, while adding a soft light to see by. You can also use low voltage lighting to illuminate a garden pond, swimming pool, or an outdoor fountain. For modern homes contemporary designs which incorporate straight lines and hard angles. These are often highlighted by bold colours and simple designs with unusual touches which give a great outlook to the home. However, you will never regret the choice of buying an outdoor hanging light as it will add that special magic to your surroundings.

Landscape Lighting

We all believe a good home is incomplete without a beautiful garden. Landscape lighting, also called garden lighting, can be used to add an extraordinary beauty to your garden in the evening. By using this, you will find that the shapes of the plants and flowers create interesting and hidden forms that are truly magnificent. If you shoot light from underneath it can add dimension and depth to an area, while choosing overhead or side lighting can add flow and distinction. Even highlighting a beautiful flower using landscape lighting can create the perfect ambience for a romantic evening.

Choosing the right type of outdoorlighting for your landscape can make all the difference to the look of your home. Today you can choose from a wide variety of designs based on what is best for your location. Even decorating the surrounding areas like a garden pond or fountain will also look stunning at night.

Outdoor Path Lighting

Path lights are generally placed along the sides of a walkway, path or driveway. They are kept low to the ground to spread the light down so that you can see where you are walking and not stray off the path. It is best to keep it simple and use less bright lights on the walkway. If you plan to install recessed step lights, make sure to mark each stair individually for people going both upwards and downwards. Make sure that the lighting does not come from above the top of the stairs. If the shadow of each stair covers the entire stair below, it will make the stairs themselves all but invisible.

Floodlights

These are outdoor lights which are mostly fixed to the ground or a wall to provide light over a specific area. They are also used as security lights that can help keep your surroundings safe at night. Floodlights come in a wide variety of finishes like bronze, steel, plastic, etc. Adding floodlights to your garden or outdoors can create a safe and well-illuminated environment. Since these are designed to be weather resistant and tamper-proof they can last for a long time.

Outdoor Table Lamps

Outdoor table lamps are great for seasonal use and are portable enough to move in and out of your house. The main two types of outdoor lamps are those that run from the mains electricity supply, and those that are powered by solar energy. Solar lamps are becoming very popular these days as they are cost-free after the initial purchase, and very convenient attached to any wires.

Solar Outdoor Lights

In an era where we think of global warming and energy saving, there is no better option than going for solar lights. The best thing is that they requires no wiring, and therefore there is no risk of electric shock when you install them, and none of the work associated with wiring them up. Solar lights can also help you save money on your electricity bill, since they don not run on household power. The most important thing you need to keep in mind is to place the solar outdoor lights in an area where there is ample sunlight. The sunlight charges the internal battery during the day, creating and storing enough energy to power the light throught the night. You can find them in variety of styles, finishes, and brightnesses, and are very easy to find at any hardware store or garden center.

Outdoor lights play a vital role in our modern homes. We are living in a time where home parties and night parties have become a part of our lives. It’s best to create a space outside your own home using the different designs of outside lights available on the market and enjoy your self-decorated unique surroundings. Choosing your outdoor lighting can be a daunting task, but if you can think about the effect it can have on your home and surroundings it becomes can become and enjoyable and rewarding task.

What are Garden Fairy Lights?

Garden fairy lights, or the standard outdoor fairly lights, are small sparkling bulbs attached to an electric cable and come in different patterns like a string of single coloured bulbs, a mix of colours like white and blue or red and green on a single cable, or a combination of different multi coloured bulbs attached to a single cable. A crude version of these bulbs was first developed by Edward Johnson in 1822 to replace the highly unsafe candles which were used in those times to light up trees and decorations by placing them on the branches next to the decorations. The risk of burning down trees, houses and people was very high, and this prompted Albert Sadecca to develop a better version of the first one called safety bulbs. This could be used for indoor and outdoor lighting purposes without any risk. However, the electricity consumption of these bulbs was very high and so it was initially only the privilege of the elite class. Soon, advances in technology led to the development of completely safe and economical bulbs, which we now know as garden fairy lights.
These lights are energy-efficient, long-lasting and safe to use both indoors and outdoors. The latest development in outdoor fairy lights is the use of LED fairy lights, which are renowned for their durability; and solar fairy lights, specially designed for cost effectiveness and reduced environmental impact.

Types of Garden Fairy Lights

1. LED Fairy Lights – LED Fairy lights are semi-conducting bulbs that have caused a massive change in the area of outdoor lighting. LED lights come in a wide range of different colors, wavelengths and patterns. These lights are stunningly bright, almost five times brighter than ordinary bulbs, and yet require a very low voltage to power them. They do not heat up as easily as ordinary bulbs and are safer to use. The fact that they are virtually unbreakable is an added bonus. LED Fairy lights use 80% less energy than ordinary incandescent bulbs, and hence are much more energy efficient and save you money.
The next time you decide to hold a party, give your home and backyard a total makeover with LED fairy lights. In fact, the latest models of lights come with built-in digital controllers allowing you to switch through several distinct lighting patterns, adding a touch of visually pleasing variety to your garden. You can adorn your trees and shrubs with one lighting pattern, your walkways with another and your garden pond with yet another. The modern versions of these lights are powered by batteries which are increasingly being preferred over the older mains electricity powered ones. With the battery operated LED bulbs you can decorate the whole place without worrying about the length of your extension cord and your guests needn’t worry about tripping over. Battery operated LED fairy lights are absolutely safe and hassle-free. This instantly decorative, yet cost effective item is sure to win the appreciation of your guests and your party will be one to be remembered for a long time.

2. Solar Fairy lights – For all those who wish to create an instant and impressive decorating effect without burning a hole in their pockets, the perfect choice would be solar fairy lights. Solar fairy lights use LED bulbs which are powered by solar cells. The solar cells are rechargeable and are placed within a solar control box which should be placed strategically during day time in an area where it receives the best possible light from the sun. Ideally, if you charge the solar fairy lights for 8 hours, it can illuminate your backyard or any outdoor area during the night for 8-12 hours. The latest versions of solar fairy lights, just like LED fairy lights, come with different flash patterns and also with the potential to beat harsh weather conditions and perform well in cloudy or rainy days and during winter. Solar fairy lights provide a lovely ambience, with lights which twinkle up the walkways, driveways, pathways or patios of your property. These lights are suited to all open areas where mains sockets and provisions for connection are hard to find. The installation process is very simple and you don’t have to pay through the nose for the electricity bill. Since they are solar powered, they use nothing but the energy from the sun.

Solar fairy lights, in comparison to other lights, are slightly dim or subdued in nature. They actually serve to enhance or accentuate the look and feel of a particular area rather than providing huge amounts of light. They come in different colors and promise to add that magical or fantasy touch to your garden. In fact, if you were able to exploit bright LED lights with a solar panel which are now available, it would be the ultimate outdoor lighting choice. Besides, in these current times of with global warming environmental issues uppermost in people’s minds, we can all do our bit to save the world. As a first step, abandon all the electricity powered stuff and celebrate your next Christmas or any other special occasion with solar fairy lights which are eco-friendly, cost-effective yet brilliantly glittering in nature.

Most modern trends in outdoor lighting show a sharp inclination toward creative and innovative methods of lighting, abandoning traditional lamps and lighting fixtures. Originality and energy efficiency rules the day and garden fairy lights, especially the solar powered ones can be considered the best choice in this group. Decorating your backyard and surroundings with these lights is a unique way of illuminating your surroundings, creating an inviting atmosphere and setting a specific mood. Couples can relax against the backdrop of a romantic ambience, children will be thrilled to play and have fun in the colorfully lit garden and friends and relatives can comfortably chat and enjoy the evening in a pleasant and sparkling atmosphere. Garden fairy lights are truly a ‘twinkling must-have’ for any occasion!

What to Look For

• Obviously the most important point to consider is just how weatherproof the lamp is. It should be constructed from aluminium, plastic, coated steel or some other material which will not rust.
• The switch, electrical cable and plug (which should be grounded) should all be sealed and specifically designed for outdoor use.
• The bulb should either be of the special waterproof type, or the unit should be provided with a weatherproof enclosure (usually made from polycarbonate) designed to surround and protect a regular bulb. Some models come with a dimmer switch which is very useful for creating the right ambience for the particular occasion.
• Ideally the shade should be washable and easy to remove.
• Finally, you don’t want a lamp which will blow over in a sudden gust of wind – a solid design with a weighted base is vital.

Whichever style you choose to fit in with your current decor, outdoor table lamps offer an attractive and practical solution for illuminating your terrace or patio.

There are many different styles available, including ones mounted on posts which you can site in your garden or backyard; traditional lantern models designed to be fixed to a wall, hanging lights and free-standing pillar models.

Those manufactured from plastic may be less susceptible to weathering than some metal models at the cheaper end of the market. It’s also a good idea to make sure that your chosen lights are well sealed against the elements. There are reports of low cost models not providing a sound waterproof seal for the battery compartment, which can result in the contacts becoming corroded and the unit failing to work.

If you’re looking for a very pleasing, traditional candle effect for your decorative outdoor lighting project, then solar powered LED candle lights offer a reasonably priced option which is safe and maintenance-free.

However, there are some things you need to take into consideration if you’re planning on using CFLs outside. The most important is temperature. CFL lights will not work efficiently in low temperatures, and can even fail to function at all. Particularly high temperatures may cause low light output and reduce the lifespan of the lamp. The recommended air temperature range is between 20 and 140 degrees farenheit (-6 to 60 degress centigrade). So if air temperatures of less than 20 degress F, including wind chill, are common in your location, CFLs may not be a good choice.

Another consideration is that compact fluorescent lamps are not good at providing a concentrated spotlight-type beam of light. Though they provide good general illumination which will be useful for most applications, incandescent or halogen lights are better if a single point light source is required.

There is no doubt that CFL lamps will become more and more popular – partly by consumer choice and partly due to government legislation – and as a result puchase costs will come down, making them an even more attractive proposition.

Wattage Equivalency Table

Ribbon and Rope Lights

One of the most popular is the ribbon or rope type, which consists of a flexible strip of different colored LED lights encased in weatherproof plastic. You can normally change the speed at which the lights change and most controllers have different presets which you can select, in pretty much the same way as a set of Christmas tree lights.

Solar-powered Color Changing Post Lights

You can easily find a set of 8 or so good quality stainless steel LED post lights for well under $100. Most plastic models will be even cheaper. This type uses a rechargeable battery which is charged by sunlight during the day and will provide enough power to run the lights throughout the night. They’re great for backyard accent lighting or illuminating paths. It’s probably a good idea to choose a model which allows you to switch to a non-changing white light for when you need some steady illumination. They’re a breeze to install since they require no wiring at all, just assemble them and stick them in the ground. As with all solar-powered lights, you will need to install these in an area which gets a reasonable amount of direct sunlight or the batteries won’t charge properly.

Color Changing Floating Globe Lights

These interesting decorative lights have a variety of applications, as you can place them on surfaces such as walls or tables, attach them to posts, or float them on your pond or swimming pool. They are solar-powered, and therefore self-contained, easy to install and maintenance free. They will switch themselves on automatically at dusk and cycle through a range of colors, at dawn they will turn off and recharge themselves ready for the next night.

Submersible Lights

For obvious reasons, most lights of this type use replaceable batteries as they cannot be efficiently powered using solar energy. Still, it’s easy to use them with rechargeable batteries and you can expect them to light for around 15 hours before you need to cgange the battery. Great for parties, these lights can be submerged in ponds, swimming pools or even fish tanks.

Decorative Solar-Powered Lights

Looking for a solar-powered color changing turtle!? Believe it or not, there are an enormous number of color changing lighting designs which you can use in your garden or backyard. We’ve seen everything from imitation rocks to butterflies, fairies, dragonflies and flowers. Any of which can add a really unusual touch to your property.

They are also designed to only activate when the object emitting heat – i.e. a person – is moving reasonably quickly, this is so something like a warm stationary car won’t trigger the light, and in fact the light will switch off again if the person stands still for a while.

Motion sensor lights are quite easy to install and come in a variety of forms to suit your particular application. They can be wall or post mounted and come with single or multiple lights which can use LED or halogen bulbs; with LED lights producing much less light than halogen ones. Obviously the main consideration when installing the lights is the coverage of the sensor.

The sensor itself is adjustable on just about all models, so you can angle it to achieve the best effect, but you will need to pay attention to the maximum distance at which the sensor will reliably detect motion. A good quality model should work out to about 50 – 75 feet and cover an arc of around 200 degrees; it’s a good idea to choose a model which will allow you to adjust the detection range or sensitivity.

You may well find that for good coverage of your motion sensor outdoor lighting you will need to install several units, but with good quality models available for under $40, this isn’t a very expensive proposition.

Since they require no wiring, installation is a simple matter of fixing the cap light to the top of the post with some screws, and should take no more than a few minutes to complete. Most lights are designed to fit standard 4″ x 4″ posts, though some come with adapters for smaller posts. It should be noted that the amount of light produced by most models is quite low – these lights are not intended to provide a lot of illumination, but are meant to provide decoration and serve as a useful marker.

Since solar powered post cap lights obviously require sunshine to recharge the battery, it’s important to locate them in an area where thet will receive a reasonable amount of sunlight. Positioning them in very shady areas is not a good idea.

Fortunately this type of lighting won’t break the bank, with models available for under $10. One thing to be aware of is that very cheap ones may not be completely weather-proof; if water enters the unit condensation may form, reducing the light’s efficiency.