If you spend a lot of time on your patio, deck or in your backyard during warm spring and summer months, consider installing outdoor lighting fixtures on your home's exterior walls. The right lighting elements will give your outdoor space a warm, welcoming ambiance while providing much-needed illumination at night.
Decorative lighting can also help set the stage for outdoor festivities, such as summer birthday celebrations, Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day bashes, romantic soirees and even Halloween-inspired parties in the fall.
Even if you have a limited home decor budget and don't want to spend a lot of money on outdoor items, you can still get fixtures that will make a big impact. Hanging the lighting elements on a wall, rather than placing them on a table or wrapping them around a tree, will make them more secure during rainstorms, wind and other inclement weather. Sconces are convenient in that they take up minimal wall space, yet provide plenty of illumination.
Here are some outdoor wall lighting fixture ideas to use as inspiration when decorating your home:
1. Rustic Sconces
If you want to give your outdoor space a rustic, country-inspired look, consider wrought iron sconces that resemble wall-mounted lanterns. You can go for a traditional style with a plain design, or pick one featuring designs, such as metal flowers and vines, over the glass.
The sconces attach to the outdoor wall via a back plate, and work with either incandescent or LED lights, depending on your preference. In addition to wrought iron, you can also find metal lanterns with bronze finishes for a warm look.
2. Modern Sconces
For a more modern appeal, choose an outdoor wall sconce featuring a smooth, brushed-metal finish for a sleek look. You can find this type of lighting in a variety of shapes, such as square, cylindrical or spherical.
As another idea, go with contemporary-looking square glass sconces filled with LED lights in eclectic colors such as blue and green. You can give the cube-shaped fixtures a festive touch with holiday-inspired bulbs, such as red and green for Christmas or purple and orange for Halloween.
3. Elegant Sconces
If elegant outdoor lighting is more your thing, choose outdoor wall-mounted sconces resembled mini chandeliers. You can even fill them with flickering, candle-shaped LED lights to create an authentic vibe.
You can also find sconces made to look like small stone statues in shapes such as cherubs, French griffons or birds.
