Lanterns

I have always appreciated the look of a lantern or two at the front door of an architecturally classic home, especially if the lantern is gas lit. My favorite look is two lanterns that flank the front door, but I also appreciate a single lantern above the door, if space and architecture do not allow for two. I love the current trend to make the lanterns slightly oversize.

Tradd Street Lanterns, from Carolina Lanterns

The angle of this picture only shows one lantern, but there is another one on the other side of this door.

I saw this home in Charleston, and thought it was a unique way to have two lanterns flanking the front door.

A classic Georgian townhome in London has a lantern above the front door. I see this quite frequently in Atlanta.

This Charleston home only has one lantern by the door; I took the picture because I liked the door, and did not notice the single lantern until writing this post.

Lanterns flank the gate of this home in Charleston.

A few years ago, I was in a showhouse in Atlanta, and noticed that they had a lantern in the family room, instead of a chandelier. I thought this was striking and so beautiful. Since then, I have seen lanterns used inside with increasing frequency. Perhaps it is a trend, but I love the look it gives a room.

Interior design by Sarah Richardson, photography by Stacey Brandford, via Design Smack (oh, how I miss this wonderful blog!). A lantern is perfect in this space.

Interior design by Michael Smith, via Cote de Texas. I think lanterns look particularly good over casual dining spaces.

Interior design by Nathan Egan, via Habitually Chic. This lantern hangs quite low, but works perfectly because it is centered over the hall table.

Interior design by Kimberly Seldon. I love this picture, but can never quite tell where in the house this is located. I imagine it is a center hall, seen from a side hallway.

Interior design by Michael Smith, via Cote de Texas. This lantern is very large in scale, and quite elaborate for a lantern.

Interior design by Michael Smith, via Cote de Texas. Michael Smith clearly loves to use lanterns in his design work!

Interior design by S. Gambrel, via Mrs. Blandings. I love this lantern, and also find it interesting that it is hung almost all the way to the ceiling. Perhaps lanterns are a good solution for ceilings that are not high enough for a large chandelier.

Another picture from the portfolio of S. Gambrel, via Mrs. Blandings. The color of these lanterns is the perfect complement to the scheme of this hall. There is something about a hall with lanterns that reminds me of the campuses of Princeton and Rice University.

Traditional Home magazine. That's it, I am going to put a lantern above my breakfast table. Isn't this an inspirational photo? I love the lantern, how it picks up on the color of the chairs. I am also enamored with the French doors and windows off the kitchen.

A home on the market in Houston, via La Dolce Vida.

From Traditional Home magazine, via Red River Interiors. I think that lanterns look beautiful in double height entries.

Traditional Home magazine, via Red River Interiors. Well, maybe a lantern looks good with a regular height entry as well!

Traditional Home, via Cote de Texas. This is one of my favorite pictures from recent months. Since I have young, messy kids, I do not think it would be practical, but I am not sure how practical it is for me, but I am saving it for my file! The lantern is the perfect lighting in this area.

It is less common to see a lantern in a formal dining room, but this one appears to be at a beach house. I can see how a lantern would be a good foil to the formality of a typical dining room. Via Red River Interiors.

Interior design by Ashley Whittaker, via Peak of Chic.

Ashley Whittaker also seems to like to use lanterns in her designs. Here is a boy's room designed by her, with a cheerful red lantern. Via Peak of Chic.

The focus of this picture is not the lantern, but it is what I focused on! Via My Notting Hill. I seem to have a weakness for green hued lanterns.

A lantern sets this room off beautifully, in a home designed by Atlanta architect Bill Baker.

Another entry with a lantern...again, over a center table. Interior design by Suzanne Kasler, from House Beautiful.

The outside lantern is clearly an enduring feature, as it is functional and classic. Do you think that interior lanterns are a trend whose time will come and go? As I am only a casual observer of design, I do not have the context to make that judgment. All I know is that it is a design feature that really captures my eye!

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