5 Lantern Lighting Ideas & Design Tips

If typical chandeliers or pendants just don’t feel right for your latest lighting project, turn your attention to lanterns for a timeless focal piece with historical roots reimagined for modern settings. Before the advent of electrical lighting, when torches and candlelight were the illumination standard, lanterns were used to enclose the flame, making the light both safer and more portable. Modern lantern designs still reference the shape, style, and function of vintage candle lanterns with frames that surround the lamps. But without the need to guard a flickering flame from wind or other hazardous conditions, certain design details can be altered to add creative twists to traditional shapes and materials and make this fixture type suited to any contemporary home aesthetic.



Because lanterns are a style of hanging light, it is easy to group them with pendants and chandeliers. But a few key differences set this style of light apart from other hanging lights. Because modern design innovation is constantly updating and reframing traditional lighting shapes, the exact definition of ‘lantern’ may vary slightly from specific design professionals or lighting retailers. At Shades of Light, we distinguish lanterns from pendants and chandeliers based on the shape of the fixture, where it is placed, and the directionality of the lamps. Most importantly, lanterns will always feature a framework that encloses and surrounds the bulbs, and while certain designs can be used in other areas of the home, these lights are most typically hung in foyers, hallways, or outdoor areas.

To distinguish pendants and lanterns, consider the main function of the light. Pendant lights usually only have one bulb and the light is directed downward. They are most often used for task lighting, and have slim, streamlined silhouettes.

Conversely, lanterns usually feature a cluster of lights that work to illuminate a generalized area. While both fixtures may have frames that surround the lamp, lanterns feature a fully enclosed design while pendants have openings at the bottom of the shades to help direct the light.

Sometimes a fixture may blur the lines between these two designs— one trendy example consists of a single bulb surrounded by an oversized globe frame. In this case, the directionality of the light can help you best determine where the fixture falls on the pendant/lantern spectrum. Lanterns are best for ambient lighting and will light a whole space, while pendants are best for directional task lighting.

There can be significant overlap in the designs of chandeliers and lanterns. Both are multi-light fixtures and both can be used most effectively as ambient lighting. As a general rule, chandeliers tend to be larger with lamps positioned at the ends of multiple arms. Chandeliers are also less likely to feature the kind of fully enclosed framework that lanterns do. Because lanterns are more compact than chandeliers, they make good alternatives to larger fixtures if you want the centerpiece pizazz of a chandelier but lack the space.




While lanterns can be used in most rooms of your home, they are especially suited to placement in the foyer or entryway. This room needs lots of ambient lighting to keep walkways safe and functional and the configuration of bulbs in foyer lantern fixtures is perfect for casting that kind of light. These fixtures are also stylish statement makers and can add a dash of wow-factor at the front door that sets the tone for the rest of your home.

To choose the right size lantern for your entryway, you can reference the same rules used to determine chandelier and pendant sizing. First, measure the length and width of your room and add those two numbers together. The resulting sum is the diameter or width in inches of an appropriately sized hanging fixture. (For example, a room that is 12’x12’ needs a light that is 24” in width.) Usually one foyer lantern will suffice, but if you have a large foyer or select a small fixture, multiple lights can create a unique aesthetic. Your lantern should be hung in the center of the room, and the bottom of the fixture should fall about seven feet above the floor. If you have high ceilings, you can mount the lantern higher but it should never be hung closer than seven feet from the floor, or else you will create a safety hazard. If you have a two-story foyer or entryway, hang the bottom of your entryway lantern level with the second floor for the best visual effect.

Interior hallways without much natural light can be a bother and lighting this space can often be overlooked. Ceiling lights and sconces are typical finds in this room but hanging lanterns here is a creative and stylish alternative. Depending on the size of your hallway, one fixture may suffice, or you may consider hanging multiple hall lanterns at different points down the hallway. If you adhere to the sizing rules above, you are sure to create a look you can be proud of.

Once you have determined the best lantern size, you should also consider the wattage and illumination offered by your chosen fixture. Exact formulas for determining how much light a room needs can be complicated and consider many different factors. A simplified formula to determine the recommended incandescent wattage needed for any given room is to multiply the length and width of the room, and then multiply the answer by 1.5. The number you get is the total wattage needed for your fixture. For example, a room that is 12 feet long by 10 feet wide requires a fixture that provides 180 watts (or (12x10)x1.5=180). However, this formula assumes the use of incandescent bulbs. With recent innovations in LED technology, you can find low wattage LED bulbs that help you customize the look of your space. LED bulbs offer incandescent equivalencies at lower wattages so if you find your lantern feels too bright or too dim for the room using the above formula, swapping in LED bulbs allows you to tweak the lighting output of the fixture to your liking. The recommended color temperature for ambient lighting in hallways and foyers is 2700-3000K, often called ‘soft white’ or ‘warm white,’ and installing your fixture on dimmer switches can personalize your look even further.

Kitchens and dining rooms are classic spaces to show off stylish hanging lights. If you want to incorporate the lantern look in these rooms, many suggestions and style tips for hanging pendants and chandeliers here will apply to lanterns as well. The biggest difference between kitchen lantern lighting or lantern dining room lights and other hanging lights designed for this space is the type of illumination each fixture is capable of. Pendants bring focused task lighting—so if you want to hang a lantern over your kitchen island or sink instead of typical pendants, be sure you chose a lantern that casts light directly down onto the workspace. Some fixtures offer ambient lighting and task lighting in one, but you will find your area hard to work in if you chose a lantern that is best suited to ambient lighting only.

Living room lanterns add class and elegance to living rooms that need a chic focal point but might be overwhelmed by a traditional chandelier. Since lanterns enclose the light in a framework, they can appear more contained and streamlined than sprawling chandeliers while still creating a refined aesthetic. Lanterns chosen for this room should generally be intended to fulfill the ambient lighting needs of your living room. Use the above formulas to determine the size and height of your fixture, and be sure your light doesn’t block your view to the TV or any important architectural features. Installing your lantern on dimmers will ensure you can keep your living room comfortable and functional no matter the mood.

When choosing your living room lighting, it is important to keep in mind that ambient lighting alone is not enough illumination to successfully meet all the needs of a room. Don’t forget to layer your lighting. Mantels and wall décor are good places to aim smaller accent lights. A floor lamp with a reading light will make your favorite chair even cozier. Table lamps bring an extra layer of ambient lighting that can be easily switched on and off as needed. Your lantern should work in tandem with all these lighting layers for the best experience.

The bedroom is another often overlooked space when considering hanging lights, but mounting a lantern (or chandelier or pendant) in your bedroom is a striking choice that offers lots of customization. As with the living room, bedroom lanterns should be paired with other lighting layers (like sconces, desk lamps, and tables lamps) to create a truly well-lit space.

When hanging lanterns in bedrooms, there are two main placements that you should choose between. Most commonly, you will either center the lantern to the room as a whole or center the lantern to your bed. If you choose to center the lantern to the room, you can reference all the above tips for the best size and placement. If you choose instead to hang the lantern over your bed, you may consider a fixture that is proportional to your bed rather than to the room itself. For king- or queen-sized beds, fixtures should not exceed thirty-six inches in width. Smaller beds will look best with lanterns around twenty-four inches wide. Always ensure that your lantern does not pose a safety hazard—it should be at least seven feet from the floor, but if this placement poses a risk when climbing in and out of bed, mount it higher.

Because the lantern design was originally intended to protect firelight from the elements, lantern-style fixtures are disproportionately represented in outdoor lighting! These lights more closely resemble traditional lantern designs than some modern, indoor versions, and while there are many hanging outdoor lanterns, there are even more outdoor wall lanterns. Wall lanterns are great for framing a doorway in style and upping the curb appeal of your home, but they are also incredibly important for safety reasons. Adding outdoor lights to your house is a valuable security measure in addition to the obvious function of lighting your way to your door at night.

To make them safe for outdoor use, wall lanterns and outdoor hanging lanterns protect the light source from the elements with glass. Lights that do not fully enclose the lamp may be best suited for indoor use, or for covered areas that will not come into contact with rain or snow. Look for lanterns with wet safety ratings if the area is subject to the elements, and damp safety ratings if the area is covered and unlikely to be directly exposed to harsh weather. Shades of Light offers a wide array of outdoor lanterns suited for this task, including a range of exclusive fixtures handcrafted by local artisans in our Richmond, VA facility. These lights are designed in styles, shapes, and materials that embrace the history of this style of fixture but reimagined for modern contexts.

Once you’ve selected your perfect lantern, you can add the finishing touch by selecting the correct bulbs. Bulbs and fixtures are sold separately on shadesoflight.com (unless otherwise noted) so you can completely customize your look.