Antique Porch Lights Add Charm and Character to Your Home

Your porch light is one of the very first things people see when they come up to your house, however many of us just have standard, boring porch lights on our homes. While you can buy a fancy new porch light at a home improvement store, a fun way to add charm and character to your home is to choose an antique porch light instead. Not only will you have a one-of-a-kind porch light, but you will be helping to preserve a piece of history as well.

Today's lighting fixtures and mass produced and often made of flimsy materials that don't hold up to the elements for long. Antique porch lights, on the other hand, were usually handmade and create with durable metals and solid construction. Because the lights were often handmade they tend to have much more character than the mass produced lights of today. Not only that, but they can stand up to the elements very well because of their sturdier construction.

Shopping for antique porch lights may at first seem like a bit of a challenge, however, they are actually quite easy to find. You can shop for antique porch lights online through antique dealers or online auctions. If you prefer to shop locally, you can often find antique porch lights at antique malls, vintage stores, thrift stores, garage sales, estate sales or live auctions. You may also want to check to see if you have any building salvage companies in your area as well since lighting will often be salvaged when older buildings are torn down.

Once you have found your perfect antique porch light it is a good idea to replace any wiring and update it so it is safe to use. You can usually buy lighting kits at a home improvement or lighting store that will allow you to rewire the light. Very old antique porch lights will probably not have been designed to use wires since they were likely lit with gas or with a candle. Often times you can still add a lighting kit to these lamps so that you can wire them into your electrical system and use regular bulbs in them. Anytime you are dealing with electricity it is a good idea to consult an electrician if you are at all unsure of what you are doing since it can pose a hazard both because of electrocution and could create a fire hazard.

Once you are sure your antique porch light is wired safely you can hang it outdoors and wait for the compliments to start rolling in. You can also decorate your porch with other antique accents to add even more character and to help your house stand out in the neighborhood.

Just be sure to buy an antique porch lamp that you love, and make sure that it comes from a reputable dealer. If the price is very high you may want to get an appraisal to ensure that you are not getting taken for a ride. This is especially true if you are buying a collecter's item or well known name in lighting since these types of lights are often reproduced and it would be horrible to overpay for a reproduction.