Not all home improvement projects are created equally. While electricity can be scary to the layman, replacing a light fixture is one of the easiest home improvements you can do. Assuming that the wiring is all up to code, all you have to do is cut the power to the light fixture. Unscrew the fixture. Loosen the wires. Replace with new fixture. Turn on the power. You have a whole new look for your room in about 10 minutes. Of course if you do need to replace wiring or something looks odd to you when you take the old fixture out, call a professional. Why take chances with bad wiring?
Outdoor lighting fixtures are a particularly easy win for home improvement. Even if you are a renter, check with your landlord, you might be able to replace the porch or patio light with something that suits your style better. So often outdoor wall lights are not picked for any aesthetic reasons — instead they are the generic light fixtures; the ones that were on sale at the time. Do yourself a favor and replace them!
Outdoor sconces are my favorite outdoor lighting. They are simple to install and the bulbs are easy to change when you need to. If you go with an outdoor sconce you are going to have a huge variety to choose from. For such a simple design — a socket with a shade in front — the variety is staggering. There are sconces for every style: Mission; Craftsman; Adobe; Carriage; Cape Cod, you name it. So you will have no trouble finding your outdoor wall sconce.
There are many other types of outdoor lights, of course. You could choose an outdoor lanterns style. These are often a carriage house style of lighting. More rustic designs look great with lanterns. If you have a weekend cabin, I bet you used lantern lighting for the exterior. There are lamp posts for street or driveway lighting. If you have a large yard or you live in a rural area, a lamp post might be a good safety feature for you. Don’t forget the blunt safety of flood lights. If you need powerful, pervasive lighting, think flood lights.
As you can see the world of lighting fixtures is vast. You can spend weeks wandering through the aisles of your average home improvement store trying to decide on light fixtures! As with all design work, think about your space; think about your pocketbook, and think about the overall look of your home. If you take those into consideration you will not go wrong choosing your outdoor lighting.
