Outdoor Ceiling Lamps Light up Your Porch or Deck
Thursday, July 27th, 2006
A lot of people just stick a wall sconce next to their sliding glass door and call it sufficient deck lighting. Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t. It depends on what you’re doing outside. If you do a lot of outdoor entertaining, you may want to be able to see your guests (and the food you’re grilling) well past sunset. An outdoor ceiling lamp is a good choice for a covered porch or deck. Unlike their indoor counterparts, outdoor ceiling lamps are usually a bit sturdier, in order to stand up to the elements. They are also waterproof.
This particular lamp is made by Hinkley Lighting, and it’s model H1176, if you wanted that much information. You can buy it here for $275.
Some people buy wall sconces because they need lighting in the hallway, living room, etc. and the wall seems like a good place to stick it. Other people buy wall sconces because they love the decorative possibilities. There are tons of creative lamps out there, so don’t think you have to have plain Jane wall lighting. Check out the Mystic Wall Sconce from Fredrick Ramond. A little more interesting than the usual bland lamps you see lighting a hallway, doncha think? Of course, you will pay extra for those designer lamps. This one costs just over $650 from Lighting Direct.
Here’s a fun lamp for those of you who enjoy the falling leaves of autumn. The Justice Design outdoor wall sconce is made unique by the colorful leaf cut-outs illuminating the fixture. It would work well next to a sliding glass deck door or maybe lighting up the porch around the front door. The lamp comes in dozens of finishes, so you can find something to match the paint of your house, if you want. 
Ya know, I’m not even a big flower person, but there’s something about the Boccioli Flower Bud Sconce that makes me like it. Maybe it’s just that it’s different than your usual hallway lighting. Maybe it’s the different colors. Maybe I just have odd tastes and this lamp showcases that. It’s probably some of all three. Anyway, if you likewise dig the unusual, you can get this lamp for $575 online (actually that’s the list price, and I found some stores selling for quite a bit less–
Tired of the same old same old Christmas lights hanging around the house? Well, this winter, you can try something a little different. LED strawberries. Okay, they’re not exactly Christmas-themed, but you could use them during the summer or whenever you want a few decorations to brighten up the house. There’s no rule that says strings of lights have to be reserved for Christmas (in fact, our neighbor’s Christmas lights are up most of the year anyway…). It’ll cost you $50 to get a set of 70 LED strawberry bulbs on a strand from Inirgee.
Do you like lilies? Well, according to the manufacturer, this table lamp was inspired by the drooping flowers. It’s a little more exotic than your standard living room design. The lamp has six “flower” heads, which each take a 40 watt bulb. The whole thing measures 20.5″ high and 20.5″ in diameter (now that’s symmetry), and it weighs a hefty 16 pounds, so chances are the kids won’t knock it off the table when they’re rough-housing on the floor. The lamp can be purchased from 1StopLighting, where the price is just over $100.
If you’re looking for a modern table lamp, this trendy “Holtkotter” lamp may fit the bill. I have no idea what Holtkotter means, but maybe a German visitor will chance by and let us know. The lamp is designed by Asmuth Leuchten and can be purchased from HomeClick.com. You may have to scrounge deeply into the couch cushions, though, because this light will cost you $570. It measures 19.75″ high, 13.75″ long, and 8″ wide.
It can be hard to find a neat looking floor lamp. No matter where I shop for lighting, the floor lamps all start to look similar after a while. Stand, tall pole, lamp: end of story.