Porch lighting really changes how your house looks after dark and not just in the obvious sense of “there’s light.” The color temperature you use, the fixture style, the power source, and more all determine what you really see when you approach your house at night.
Porch lighting should be brighter at your front door – about 1,000-2,000 lumens, according to HGTV – and dimmer on pathways. For those, about 300 lumens will do. When you choose fixtures, keep a few things in mind, including light pollution, power source, and the reasons why you want to light up the porch.
1. Light Pollution
Any exterior lighting that isn’t covered by an awning or part of the roof needs to cast its light downward. This is a preventive measure to avoid adding to light pollution. If the light isn’t capped and sends light upward, that can affect how easy it is to see the night sky. That might not be a big deal to you, but it is to that observatory in the mountains outside your city.
2. Why You’re Lighting Up Your Porch
Why you’re lighting up the porch is important to consider, too. Chances are you want to have exterior lighting for both visibility and security for people coming home at night so that you can see who’s at your door. You’ll want lights along any steps up to the porch and front door lights in place to illuminate whoever is at the front door so you can see them through a door viewer.
3. What Kind of Power You’ll Use
Porch lights can be hardwired into your home’s electrical system, giving them a steady power supply. But hardwiring falls short if there’s a power outage. You could get battery-powered lights, but solar lights are also available. If the porch light will be under an awning and out of direct sunlight, though, solar won’t be appropriate. Use solar for those lights that will have exposure to direct sunlight and use battery power for those under the porch roof/awning.
Premier Lighting offers online purchasing for exterior lighting, so you can order porch lights from the comfort of your home. Choose from many different styles and create a welcoming and safe porch environment.
