One of the easiest ways to freshen up a home’s exterior is to replace dated, tired outdoor light fixtures. This is true whether you are staging your home to sell, or you’ve been chomping at the bit to update those builder-grade fixtures that came with your home.
When it was time to replace ours, I quickly realized that there’s a lot to consider when selecting outdoor light fixtures. I’m excited to share what I learned throughout the process.
I’ve tolerated these builder-grade lights for over eight years, because I just couldn’t justify replacing perfectly functioning (albeit unattractive) fixtures. This fall, however, I finally convinced my dear husband that it’s time for a front entrance makeover.
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When the task of upgrading exterior light fixtures finally made it to the front burner of our Home Improvement List, I set out on my quest to find the perfect replacement fixtures. I’m really happy with the choice we made!
Here’s a close up photo of the old and new fixture:
Quite an improvement, don’t you think?
So what considerations should you keep in mind when shopping for the wall-mounted outdoor lights? Here’s what I learned.
How to Choose the Right Outdoor Light Fixtures
Light Fixture Size
The most common mistake people make is to select lights that are undersized. Don’t assume that the builder-installed fixture is the correct size for you home, since they often install smaller fixtures in order to cut costs.
A good rule of thumb for the front door area is to select a fixture that is 1/3 the height of the door if there is only one light, and 1/4 the height of the door if there is a set of lights flanking the door.
Light Fixture Style & Color
When it comes to selecting a color/style of fixture, take cues from your home’s architectural features and color palette. No matter how much you are personally drawn to a particular style of light, it must be consistent with the style of your home (e.g., coastal-inspired fixtures belong on a coastal home).
For example, I selected oil-rubbed bronze fixtures since they relate to the finish of our door hardware, as well as the copper roof that is adjacent to the front door. The simple, classic lines of the new fixture are also consistent with our home’s transitional style.
Light Fixture Illumination
You should also consider the degree of illumination produced by the fixture(s).
When making your selection, pay attention to the number and wattage of light bulbs that the fixture requires, as well as the type of glass (clear vs. opaque vs. seeded) it features. All of these features will determine how much light is produced by the fixture.
Mounting Height of Your Light Fixture
Finally, keep in mind that the ideal vertical placement should be slightly above eye level and below the top of your front door.
If your junction box (i.e., the location where the light is installed to the wall) is located high on the wall, then you will want to select a fixture in which the fixture body falls below the junction box.
The Best Places to Buy Outdoor Lights
We’ve updated the outdoor lights in each all four of the homes we’ve lived in (following the steps for replacing an outdoor light outlined in this post).
I’ve become somewhat of an expert on scoping out the best places to buy exterior lights. My favorite sources for exterior lighting are all online.
They include:
new lights from Build with Ferguson 
new lights from Amazon
These online stores have a vast selection of on trend lighting compared to what you will find in your local Big Box home improvement store and they typically offer free shipping.
Is replacing outdoor light fixtures on your home improvement “to do” list this year? I hope you found these tips helpful!
Kathy says
I am in the process of looking for new lights. Can you tell me where the light was purchased from.
Thanks
Natalie Gallagher says
Hi Kathy! Yep, you can actually purchase the lights at Amazon (Click here to use my affiliate link)