A wide variety of exterior lighting fixtures makes it easy to match your home.

A wide variety of exterior lighting fixtures makes it easy to match your home.
SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE
Think of exterior lighting fixtures like earrings. They shine. They sparkle. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors. But probably most important of all: They put their owner - in this case, the house -- in their best light, pun intended.
When Joyce and Bud Mouw built their new home in Tulare, Calif., exterior lighting wasn't something they ignored.
"It's very important," says Joyce Mouw. "I think it makes a house look beautiful. It's like putting the jewelry on a person."
Lighting fixtures attached to the outside of a home do more than just illuminate driveways, entryways and pathways. They also enhance a home's appeal.
Old models about 10 or 15 years ago typically were polished brass and had simple designs, says Melissa Layne, a lighting consultant at Central Distributing in Fresno, Calif. While you can still find some polished-brass ones today, styles and colors have changed. "People are realizing the importance of color and design," she said. "Before, exteriors were an afterthought on a home. Now, it's the first thing people see when they come to a home. They want it to reflect the color and style of the home."
With many homes built in the Spanish style or with an Old World flavor, popular fixtures include those with a black, bronze or rustic look. Most of the fixtures are made of cast aluminum.
The lights have one to three bulbs, and the glass is often clear, frosted or seedy with bubbles, or it has a slight wavy look. If you like bright lights, clear glass is the way to go.
Common places to see exterior lighting fixtures are next to garages, on pillars by the front door, and next to doors that lead to the side or back yard. Some homes have added features, such as courtyards, that also call for exterior lighting. Usually, homes will have fixtures from the same family style, using larger ones out front and smaller versions in the rear. They range in size from 20 to 36 inches in length. The fixtures also can cost $20 to $400 each, depending upon the style.
If the exterior lighting of your home can use a change, look to the architectural style of your home to give you a starting point, say Layne and Peggy Lemos, the design consultant at Anchor Lighting in Visalia, Calif.
A contemporary look
Cheryl Kwok has a very contemporary home in Clovis, Calif. With stainless steel a big theme in the home, the 41-year-old pharmacist selected stainless-steel fixtures with square lights and frosted glass.
"I got them to accent the house," Kwok says. "It needed something, or it would just look like a box."
You often have a choice of which way the light fixtures point, up or down. However, the location of the junction boxes to which the units are connected may dictate which way they go.
If the boxes are close to the eaves of the garage, the fixtures will have to point downward, Lemos says. Otherwise, they might bump against the eaves.
You'll need to consult an electrician if you want to relocate the junction boxes and for installation needs.
If you're not sure about which color to go with, match the fixtures with the roof or trim, Layne says.
On the ranch
Deanna Cox's black carriage light fixtures match the black roof of her white ranch-style home in Madera, Calif.
"I definitely wanted black, and something more of a carriage look," says Cox, a 40-year-old decorative painter. "I wanted something elegant but functional."
When you're shopping around, remember to pay attention to scale between the size of the home and the fixtures. "If you have a large home, you don't want itty-bitty lights," Layne says.
Once the fixtures are up, occasional dusting with a rag is needed. Check light bulbs one to three times a year to make sure they haven't burnt out. Also, use light bulbs the manufacturer recommends.
Mitzie Ruiz of Parlier, Calif., likes to clean her rectangular fixtures with a gentle hosing once a month and wiping inside once a year. She's had them for 12 years. Although they complement her Mediterranean home, she doesn't plan to go with clear glass again.
"Even when these are clean, they still get spots," she says.