Illuminate Your Home
Here at This Old House, we love accents with purpose. These decorative metal lanterns with faceted glass panels look charming but also supply subtle illumination. Precursors to electric and gas lights, lanterns guided the way along dim paths and from carriage to front door. Modern versions still have handles for carrying or rings for hanging, as well as designs that echo centuries of use around the world, from Morocco to the English countryside. Some lanterns are meant for indoors or to be taken outside just for the duration of dinner alfresco, but others are built of weather-resistant materials to be left in the elements long-term. Here are 13 glowing options.
Clean-Lined
IKEA
Made of: Galvanized steel
Size: 6″W x 11″H
Basics: A boxy shape and rectangular cutouts for ventilation give this lantern an Arts and Crafts look. Can be left outdoors.
About $8; ikea-usa.com for stores
Verdigris Patina
Jamali Garden
Made of: Iron with an antiqued finish
Size: 4″W x 13″H
Basics: A green-gold wash and slight imperfections in the metalwork on this oval lantern impart an aged, handmade appearance.
About $22; jamaligarden.com
Architectural
Foreside Home & Garden
Made of: Iron with a patina finish
Size: 8¼”W x 24″H
Basics: Intersecting straps protect the glass, and an arched cupola top adds shape and height.
About $250 for a set of three in graduated sizes (shown: medium); foresidehomeandgarden.com for stores
Green Gazebo
Plow & Hearth
Made of: Iron with a green painted finish
Size: 6¾”W x 16¼”H
Basics: A pointed roof and muntins on the textured-glass panels mimic details on a tiny garden house. Comes with a battery-powered LED tea light.
About $35; plowhearth.com
Gold Filigree
Jamali Garden
Made of: Iron with a patina finish
Size: 5¾”W x 16″H
Basics: This Moorish-style lantern has pierced-metal side panels, rather than glass, that cast delicate filtered light.
About $20; jamaligarden.com
Renaissance Revived
Frontgate
Made of: Powder-coated brass with a green-patina finish
Size: 12¾”W x 28½”H
Basics: This Gothic-style lantern is cast from solid brass and weighs in at 23 pounds. A sturdy footed base and beveled glass add to its appeal. Can be left outdoors.
About $299; frontgate.com
Tapered Tower
Jamali Garden
Made of: Iron with a patina finish
Size: 7″W x 17″H
Basics: This slender six-sided lantern has an intricate swirl design beneath the crown.
About $24; jamaligarden.com
Tall and Stately
Jamali Garden
Made of: Painted iron with a patina finish
Size: 9¾”W x 26″H
Basics: This large lantern holds one wide pillar candle or a group of slender ones. Pierced-metal brackets embellish the glass side panels.
About $55; jamaligarden.com
Pretty Pagoda
Cyan Designs
Made of: Iron with a green painted patina finish
Size: 9″W x 17½”H
Basics: The geometric lattice that overlays the glass panels was inspired by motifs seen on ancient Buddhist temples.
About $95; wayfair.com
Minimalist
Restoration Hardware
Made of: Steel with a weathered-zinc finish
Size: 6¼”W x 15¼”H
Basics: This sleek lantern has a handle for easy portability and a finish that helps resist rust if left in a covered outdoor area.
About $65; restorationhardware.com
Incised Pattern
Jamali Garden
Made of: Iron with a patina finish
Size: 6″W x 23″H
Basics: This fixture has alternating glass and ornate pierced-metal sides, modeled after stone tracery in the architecture of India.
About $30; jamaligarden.com
