Designing a new patio or upgrading the patio of your home is a great way to make your home an ideal place to hold social events.  But you don’t want to go through all the work of setting up the perfect get together spot, only to be forced inside when the sun sets.  Glass lanterns provide an excellent lighting solution to keep your parties rolling deep into the nights.

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Spotlights are too bright and don’t encourage people to stay outside.  They blanket your patio with ultra bright light that is doesn’t maintain the nightlife mood.  Glass lanterns, on the other hand, fashionably illuminate your patio and encourage people to stick around and relax.  They provide enough light that people can see what they are doing and makes it safe to move around without blinding people and making them feel like there is an artificial high noon.

There are many types of glass lanterns to choose from and even more ways to configure the lanterns on your patio and throughout your yard.  Lanterns come in a wide variety of styles, but there are some popular choices that come highly recommended by home designers.  Additionally, there are some common configurations that tend to work better than others.

Types of Lanterns

Some of the most commonly recommended styles of lanterns include:

  • Standard. Standard lanterns are anything but standard.  They come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and shapes.  They often have stained glass with designs and textures.
  • Moroccan. Moroccan glass lanterns are similar to the lanterns that you would see in films depicting the classic middle east and Arabia.  They have a magical, majestic appearance to them that will give your patio and yard a mystical look.  They come in a range of colors and styles.
  • Japanese. Japanese lanterns are sophisticated and elegant at the same time.  They provide a mood setting that cannot be compared to any other type of lantern.  The Japanese style has been said to provide the perfect combination of classic grace and modern beauty.

Electric, Gas, Kerosene or Candles

There are three primary types of light sources for glass lanterns: electricity, gas flame, and candles.  They all have their distinct benefits and setbacks.  You will have to figure out what your preference is.

Electric lanterns are the most popular choice because of convenience.  They provide constant light that doesn’t require refilling, relighting, and operate will in all weather conditions.  With the flip of a switch or the turn of a dial, your lights are on throughout the evening.

However, many people prefer the power of fire to light their patios.  This gives them three options: gas, kerosene, and candles.  Gas is great because it burns clean and provides a steady, adjustable amount of light without flickering like candles.  Gas lanterns are also keep away bugs when strategically placed throughout the yard and patio.  However, some people don’t like the hissing sound of gas burning.

Kerosene burns clean and quietly, but the fuel can be quite expensive over time.  On the contrary, kerosene lanterns are very popular decorative pieces that nothing else can compare to.  Candles are another popular option.  Some consider them to be the ultimate solution to giving a classic, romantic look.

Mounting and Placement of Outdoor Lanterns

Once you have selected a style of lantern, you will have to determine how you want to place and mount your glass lanterns.  One of the most common ways of mounting lights is by attaching them to have them strung across the patio and yard.  They can be tied around trees, furniture, and other patio fixtures to provide ample lighting.  String lighting is most effective when multiple lights are strung over the area of desired lighting and kept at a relatively low light level.  Another trendy method of string lighting is the use of one or two Japanese lights with higher powered lights.

Poles are another good way to mount glass lanterns.  They can be placed further apart and you do have the dangling strings.  Power cords can be run underground and out of sight.  Lanterns can also be mounted directly to the patio railings and the sides of the house so they are out of the way while still providing maximum lighting capabilities.

Some lanterns, particularly Moroccan lanterns, are best displayed on tabletops.  You can place one on each table and they light up each area of your patio individually rather than collectively.  This can provide an optimum lighting solution for dinner parties and other social parties.

Glass lanterns can also occasionally be used as ground lighting.  It isn’t a common practice, but when done correctly, it can provide phenomenal results.  One of the best usages is to illuminate pathways and trails through larger yards and landscapes.  This gives a very impressionable and romantic, medieval appearance.

Where to Find Glass Lanterns

Glass lanterns can be relatively cheap to very expensive.  Some authentic and antique lanterns can cost hundreds of dollars and only be found at antique stores, online auctions, and estate sales.  They can provide the best, classical look and will surely be admired by most guests.

There are also cheaper types of lanterns that can be found in just about every home improvement store, major shopping center, and online.  They give a more modern look or give the impression of looking like classic glass lanterns.  These reproductions can look authentic to anyone except one with the trained eye of a professional.  Best of all, they are substantially cheaper than real, classic beauties.

Glass lanterns provide one of the best lighting solutions for patios and lawns.  If you are in the process of designing or upgrading your patio and yard, you should strongly consider one of the many different options using lanterns.  You can light your backyard so you can safely and comfortably host social parties deep into the night.  You can also set a romantic mood for an outdoor evening with your significant other.  No matter what the reason that you choose outdoor glass lanterns for your lighting needs, they are the perfect choice.

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Many years ago, families and friends would get together to celebrate a wide variety of events including holidays, family reunions, weddings and more.  Even in the times before technology and electricity, families and friends would crowd into someone’s yard, barbeque some food, eat, and socialize.  Even then, the sunset didn’t end the festivities.  Candle lanterns would allow them to keep the celebration running into the night.

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Candle lanterns are still a popular choice for homeowners who want to be able to set the mood of classic and simpler times.  With candles, guests will be brought back to the olden days when life was enjoyed day by day and there was no rush to get home.  The kids can be shuffled into the house and prepared for bed while the adults enjoy time to socialize, drink, and play some old fashioned card games.

This reality hasn’t gone away.  Countless households across the country still host similar social events every weekend. And you can be one of these hosts with your own set of candle lanterns.  And there are many different types of lanterns to choose from.

Types of Lanterns

Lanterns really take two primary forms, modern and traditional, however many people tend to choose the traditional forms when using candle lanterns because of their appeal.  Antique and replica lanterns are usually made of iron or copper with thick glass.  They are fairly heavy and very sturdy.

Installation

These types of lanterns are typically installed in one of three ways.  They can be hung from heavily gauged cables over the designated area.  They can also be mounted on walls, trees, and posts that are strategically placed around the yard and patio.  Lastly, they can be set on tables where guests will eat and socialize through the evening and night. All three provide different levels of lighting and you will have to choose which one suits your needs.

When hung from above, the provide the best lighting for wide open spaces as the candlelight is focused downward on the yard.  In medium and smaller areas, it is better to mount the candle lanterns on walls and trees.  When they are not available, posts also provide a good mounting solution.  This gives maximum light coverage in smaller areas without cluttering the area with unnecessary cables.  Furthermore, in very small areas, tabletop lanterns are the best choice.  Not only does this provide a more intimate setting, lanterns can be removed for safekeeping after every event.

Price

The differences in prices of candle lanterns range wildly on the style, age, and place where the lantern is purchased.  Some of the best prices of any category can be found online, but you can sometimes find some good deals at local hardware stores and estate auctions.  For occasional events, cheap lanterns will be suffice.  However, if you are looking to impress, authentic antique lanterns can be bought for prices upwards of hundreds of dollars per lantern.

Candle lanterns are an excellent addition to any yard.  You can bring back the glory days of social events with family and friends without letting the sunset put a damper on the festivities.  Relive the days of old, when the flickering of candlelight kept social events running through the night and not electricity.

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