Outdoor Wall Lights

The light beside a front door is the one outdoor fixture everybody sees, every day. It also sets the scale for everything else on the facade, which is why getting its size right matters more than the style you pick.

Sizing to the door

Measure the height of your front door and work from there:

• One fixture beside the door — about one third of the door height. A standard 80-inch door takes a lantern around 25 inches tall.
• A matched pair, one each side — about one quarter of the door height, so roughly 20 inches each.
• Garage doors — one third of the door height, mounted so the fixtures line up with the top of the opening.

Undersizing is the usual error. A fixture that looks generous on a shelf disappears once it is mounted on a two-storey wall.

Mounting height

Centre the fixture at 66 to 72 inches from the ground, which puts the light source at roughly eye level for most people. Over a garage, go higher — 72 to 84 inches — so the light clears the door when it lifts.

Damp or wet rated

Motion sensors

Worth fitting on a side entry, a back door or a garage — anywhere you arrive with your hands full. Keep the front door on a switch or a timer instead. A front light that flicks on and off as people pass reads as jumpy rather than welcoming.

Related

For the path leading up to the door, see bollard lights. For a covered porch ceiling, see outdoor ceiling lights.