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Lighting How To & DIY

Improve the value of your home by discovering our lighting step-by-step tips & ideas.

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Front Porch Lights: From A to Z

More than just a beacon leading to the front door, exterior lighting helps define the look of a house. With planning and a bit of math, you can put your home's best face forward.
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How to Install Outdoor String Lights

Master electrician Heath Eastman helps a homeowner give her backyard space some charm and coziness with a simple lighting upgrade.
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How to Make Mason Jar Patio Lights

These charming lanterns brighten an evening barbecue spread, and they're a cinch to make from supplies you can pick up at the home center.
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How to Install a Wall Sconce

Adding a wall-mounted light fixture in the living room, bedroom, or bathroom is a very achievable project. These pro tips and tools will shed light on the simplest way to install a wall sconce.
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How to Move a Light Fixture

Master electrician Heath Eastman helps a homeowner with an askew light fixture, centering it over their dining room table.
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Buying the Right Light Bulb: Types, Wattage, Lumens & More

Light bulbs. Everyone uses them. And there are plenty of options when it comes to what kinds of light bulbs to use in your home or apartment. Read this guide to learn how to choose the right light bulbs for your home.
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Updating a Push-Button Light Switch

You can replace an antique light switch without updating the look. Master Electrician, Heath Eastman tells you how.
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How to Make a DIY Solar Lantern

A solar lantern is the perfect way to add a little ambiance without the hassle of expensive hard-wired lighting. Follow these directions to learn how to make your own DIY solar lantern for less than $15.
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How to Control Smart Lighting

Ask This Old House home technology expert Ross Trethewey tests out some new smart lighting configurations.
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How to Insulate Around Recessed LED Fixtures

Scott Caron offers advice on how to keep your home energy-efficient when using recessed lights
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Are Smart Bulbs the Answer to Your Sleep Problems?

Artificial light has a negative impact on sleeping habits. Here's a solution that might help
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How to Switch Basement Lighting

Ask This Old House master electrician Scott Caron helps a homeowner add switching to basement lights that used to be controlled by a pull string
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How to Wire for a New Ceiling Light

Ask This Old House electrician Scott Caron installs a new switch and ceiling fixture for a homeowner
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5 Creative Design Ideas for Outdoor Lighting

Achieve a magical look in your yard with these nightscaping suggestions
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How to Install Undercabinet LED Lighting

Help make meal prep easier and add mood lighting with peel-and-stick tape lined with LEDs
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How to Add Overhead Lighting to a Bedroom

Ask This Old House master electrician Scott Caron adds dimmable overhead lighting to a dark bedroom
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How to Install Cable Lighting

Ask This Old House master electrician Scott Caron replaces a track lighting setup with cable lighting in a new baby’s nursery.
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How to Install a Motorized Light Lift

Ask This Old House master electrician Scott Caron helps a homeowner install an electric lift to move her light fixture up and down, allowing easy access to the fixture for changing lights and cleaning
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How to Install Surface-mounted Downlights

Ask This Old House master electrician Scott Caron helps a homeowner improve his living room with surface-mounted downlights
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How to Install Ultra-Thin Exterior Lighting

Ask This Old House master electrician Scott Caron installs ultra-thin, LED lights on a garage to replace a broken floodlight.
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Articulating Library Lights

Use hardworking sconces to illuminate a reading nook, sink wall, fireplace mantel, or any other place you want to brighten in style
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How to Install Under-Cabinet Lighting and Power

Electrician Scott Caron helps a homeowner upgrade her kitchen with new LED lights and electrical outlets
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How to Add a Little Mood Lighting to Your Deck

Use energy-efficient LEDs to cast a warm glow on the deck, stairs, and trees, and you can extend the party (safely) into the night
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How to Convert a Recessed Light to a Pendant

Scott Caron, master electrician for Ask This Old House, helps a homeowner convert recessed lights into stylish new pendant lights
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How to Understand the Lighting Facts Label

Scott Caron, master electrician for Ask This Old House, deciphers the information on a lightbulb label
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How to Install Fiesta String Lights

Ask This Old House master electrician Scott Caron helps a homeowner install fiesta string lights to get the party started in Texas
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How to Add an Overhead Light

Ask This Old House master electrician Scott Caron helps a homeowner install a chandelier in a dimly lit dining room
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How to Install an Antique Light Fixture

Scott Caron, master electrician for Ask This Old House, helps a homeowner install an antique light fixture in her historic St. Paul, MN, home
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How to Install an Outdoor Wall Sconce and Recessed Lights

Ask This Old House master electrician Scott Caron installs an outdoor wall sconce and recessed lights at an old church that now serves as a house
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How to Replace a Post Light

Ask This Old House master electrician Scott Caron helps a homeowner replace a lamppost light in his driveway
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How to Use LED Lighting

Electrician Scott Caron shows new technologies and applications for LED lighting.
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How to Add Automatic Lighting to a Closet

Lighting expert Scott Caron shows a homeowner how to brighten up a dark closet and never have to flip on a light switch
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How to Convert a Kerosene Lantern into a Lamp

Master electrician Scott Caron brings electricity to a lantern that used to be lit with kerosene