Lanterns were originally intended to illuminate a broad area or guide you through a path. They were also used as a signaling device to call for help or sending messages over large distances. Think about Pirate movies where ships send messages to each other with the help of a lantern. Nowadays exterior lanterns are not used anymore for those purposes and people have other requirements what they are looking for in an exterior lantern. They highly appreciate the aesthetic look of the lantern and they want it to hang on their ceiling, on their wall, use it on their table or place them on the ground. Because lanterns were globally used, there are many different designs influences by different cultures. A Chinese lantern will look different from an Englisch nautical lantern or a Japanese pagoda lantern.
Nowadays you can find any exterior lantern to your likings, exterior lanterns are very popular because they breath ambiance and really add something to your indoor or exterior design. They are available in all sizes, shapes and designs which makes it a difficult decision which one to buy. Let's have a look at your options.
Chinese Lantern
In the years customs change and this is certainly true in China. Chinese lanterns are used mainly to celebrate anniversaries and holidays like Chinese new year and other important celebrations. They were also used to drive out the evil spirits and bring good luck. Some of the lanterns were made in a way that they act as an air balloon. The tea light inside the lantern heats up the air inside which makes the lantern go up. Seeing hundreds of balloons go up is truly an amazing sight.
Your basic Chinese exterior garden lantern is made out of plastic or paper and they have a small thee light in side of them. They are very versatile in color although the most popular ones are white and red. If you want to create an oriental look in your garden than Chinese lanterns are a great option although you can not leave them outside when it is raining outside.
Moroccan lantern
If you want to create a mystic look on your patio or garden than Moroccan lanterns are they way to go. They are characterized by the amazing light effects they create on their environment. They are made out of brass with cutouts in them and are decorated with walls of glass often made out of different colors. They were originally made for the rich and used to showcase their home or in their private Hammam. They come in many sizes, shapes and colors and if they are handmade than every design is truly unique. You can get small table lanterns which you can use as a table lamp, but you can also get Moroccan exterior wall lanterns or exterior hanging lanterns. Basically the bigger the lanterns, the bigger the price. Don't forget to check the quality because some lanterns are made out of cheaper materials and will cost you considerable less. Off course this is ok if you don't care, but you can not compare them with the original ones.
As I said, every culture has it's own influence and you can really notice this with pagoda lanterns. Pagoda means large stone tower and you can see them very often when you travel in countries like China, Thailand, Japan and other countries with Buddhism as a (partial) religion. They are build to drive away evil spirits and bring good luck to the inhabitants of a village. The large towers were extremely suited for lighting and that is why they lit torches inside of the pagoda which almost served as some kind of lighthouse.
A Buddhist would also place a small pagoda in its own garden to protect it's family and bring good luck. This habit has passed to the Western world and now we like to use them as garden decorative item. You can get them in all sizes and although the authentic ones were made out of cement, you can now get them in more durable materials like granite or even metal.
Exterior Hanging Lantern
If you are looking for a beautiful lantern to hang on your ceiling of your home or patio than Moroccan lanterns will really add something unique. But off course there are many other options available which are less mystic and more rustic. Rustic lanterns are made out of strong materials, mostly metal and decorated with white glass. Most lanterns have the possibility to both hang them or use them on the ground. You can decide to hang a bulb inside of it if you want to hang it or use candles if you want to place it on the ground.
Exterior lantern light is a very popular way to illuminate your home exterior because it adds a lot of ambiance besides that it illuminates your patio. Your options are almost endless and the ones mentioned here are only a few examples. If you want another example than visit this site about copper candle lanterns.
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