Charles Dickens noted, "There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast.
" Dickens could have been referring to outdoor post lanterns, a staple on the murky streets of London in his day.
In the Victorian era, gas lanterns were the staple, with a traditional Hexagonal shape and forged in bronze or copper.
In modern times, many lanterns are still made of copper or brass, some with lacquer coating, or you can get the same look in a cost-effective, powder coated, lightweight aluminum, for a hard-wearing finish.
The good news is that the styles today are much more varied than they were in the days of David Copperfield.
While old world styles are still very popular, modern designs have taken significant creative leaps, accommodating every home and garden scenario.
Oriental, nautical, arts & craft and traditional are just a few of the types of outdoor post lanterns available online, with glass styles offered in a variety of colors, finishes and thicknesses.
Generally, your lamp will range from 1 to 2 feet in height, with a post starting at lengths of 3 to 4 feet and longer.
Posts and lamps can be purchased separately on many online websites, with vivid color photographs and intricate detailing to make decision-making, ordering and shipping easy.
When considering outdoor post lanterns for your home, the first thing you want to ask yourself is, what are you lighting? This will help determine the size of your outdoor post lanterns and whether you want the beams to face up, down or spread out for maximum lighting coverage.
It will also help narrow your choices if you are trying to match other lighting or home design features such as fences, outdoor furniture, or nearby structures.
Often, outdoor post lanterns are desired for aesthetic purposes or accent lighting.
If so, you may want to make sure it highlights focal points in your landscaping, providing a dramatic touch to outdoor seating areas, fountains or even statues.
If the goal is to imitate moonlight or you want an ambient glow, you may choose a fixture with muted windowpanes or opaque panels.
Solar lights are excellent choices for this type of lighting, as they offer a more natural glow, are inexpensive to maintain, and friendly to the environment.
Sensors on the light figures turn on at dusk and off at dawn, but in order for them to recharge correctly, they must be placed in an area that will get a lot of sunlight for most effective use.
Conversely, if you are lighting a large area, you may consider a street lantern, with two or more individual fixtures for broad lighting and maximum security.
You can easily convert your outdoor post lamp into a motion-detector light that will alert you to visitors, both welcomed and unwelcomed.
Installation of outdoor post lanterns is easier than you think, and can be done without the need for mixing a messy bag of concrete.
Just make sure about 12" to 18" of the post is below the ground when you bury it and that you've placed rock around it to promote drainage away from the metal post to prevent rusting.
For placement in colder areas, the bottom of the post should be deeper than the frost line so it remains stable during freezing.
Allow a wide circle around the post with plenty of gravel.
Make sure to plumb the post, and tamp generously.
Before installation, check for the location of underground utilities to avoid an unfortunate incident! Outdoor post lanterns provide the function of modern lighting with attractive craftsmanship in a variety of styles.
Dickens would be envious!