35 Entryway Lighting Ideas to Brighten Your Home (2024)

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Your entryway serves as the first 'taste' of what's in store in the rest of your home, so it's important to get its style right. But more than just form, an entryway's function is important too. And one of biggest needs for an entryway's function is its lighting.

But entryway lighting doesn't need to be bland and builder-grade. Instead, it can be exciting, minimalist, down-to-earth, or whatever other style you're looking for. Keep reading to check out 35 of our favorite entryway lighting ideas.

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Use Vintage Fixtures

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To give your home a more rooted sense of style, look for vintage light fixtures you can install in your entryway. Popular design styles to look for include art deco and midcentury lighting fixtures.

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Install Globe Lights

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Glass globe lights provide the popular shape of flush or semi-flush mount ceiling lights, but with a much more vibrant and bright use of light. Plus, they look just as good when they're off as when they're on.

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Use Semi-Flush Mounted Lights

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Semi-flush mounted lights are partly mounted to the ceiling, with the lighting fixture itself hanging a few inches below it. These fixtures are perfect for entryways—they provide plenty of ambient downcast light, and they come in plenty of fun and elegant styles too.

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Make It Sculptural

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Lighting fixtures can serve as art in your home, and entryways are no exception. Install a more sculptural lighting fixture to add something special to your entryway.

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Add a Geometric Light Fixture

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For a modern look in your entryway, use a geometric light fixture like the one in the space above by Katherine Carter Design.

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Add a Table Lamp

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To add a little bit of light and a little bit of decor, add a small and stylish table lamp to your entryway.

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Add in a Wall-Mounted Sconce

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For when you only need a little light, use a small wall-mounted sconce in your entryway. These come in a number of styles to match whatever you may be looking for.

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Let It Cascade

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Cascading entryway lights, like the one above in the space designed by Pure Salt Interiors, are a great way to take advantage of extra-tall ceilings and put all that extra space to good use.

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Try Recessed Puck Lights

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To add subtle lighting fixtures, use small recessed puck lights in your entryway. This works best in entryways with plenty of existing natural light, as the light that these fixtures provide can be overly bright.

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Experiment With Candles

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For an entryway lighting solution with serious ambience, use a tapered candle (either real or battery-powered). This works really well for homes with a historic or more moody style.

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Use Natural Light

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Want your entryway to be awash in natural light? Install some skylights. Or you can fake it with the some recessed ceiling lighting that emits a gentle and cool light.

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Look for Plug-in Wall Sconces

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Want the look of a wall-mounted entryway lamp without having to deal with running the wires through your wall? Try a plug-in wall-sconce instead, and run the wire up the wall, rather than through it.

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Use Out-of-the-Way Wall Lighting

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If you want to ensure that your lighting doesn't distract from the beauty of your entryway, follow the example above from Emily Henderson and add a small wall light that sits out of the way while still providing needed ambient lighting.

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Try Unique Shapes

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For a unique entryway lighting look, pick a fixture with a funky shape. Lighting fixtures like these are a great way to mix it up in a space that otherwise feels fairly formal and put-together.

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Let Your Stained Glass Shine

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If your front door features a stained glass window, consider making it the primary source of light in your entryway, at least during daylight hours. This will ensure its beautiful craftsmanship is the center of attention in your entryway.

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Install a Few Teeny-Tiny Lights

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Who says ceiling lights need to be big? Add in the teeniest pendant lights for plenty of illumination in an eccentric and subtle way.

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Follow the Lines

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If you're using recessed lighting in a ceiling that already has a strong linear presence, make sure to install the lights along that same line, rather than intersecting it or going against it.

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Add Multiple Lights

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Who says you only need one entryway light? Why not make it two? Or three? Multiple entryway lights give an extra bit of style to your space and they bring in extra light too.

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Hang Woven Lights

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Woven pendant lights are one of the most popular lighting choices out there right now. And for good reason—these down-to-earth fixtures give off light that falls somewhere in-between ambient and direct light, and they have plenty of texture too.

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Add a Little Rustic Chic

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To add a little rustic chic style to your entryway, hang a farmhouse-style lighting fixture. Look for ones that feature exposed wood, twine, or mimic a barnyard lantern.

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Make Sure Your Lighting Matches Your Home

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Make sure the style of your entryway light matches the style of the rest of your home too. For example, follow Emily Henderson's lead in the space above and use a midcentury modern style lighting fixture alongside some similarly mid-century living room furniture and accessories.

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Use Oversized Lighting

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Oversized lighting is a great way to add strong structure and style to an entryway. Just make sure it's not so oversized that it overwhelms your space.

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Install a Chandelier

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Give your entryway plenty of elegance with a chandelier. Up its 'wow' factor by sourcing a vintage one too.

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Use Existing Lighting

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For back door entryways, there's no need to go all out on lighting (though you certainly can). Instead, ensure that the existing lighting in your kitchen or living room is placed close enough that it will be useful for entering and exiting too.

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Pair a Mirror With Your Sconces

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The mirror-sconce-entryway combo is a great one, but not just because it makes it easy to double-check your makeup before you leave. The mirror also bounces the light from the nearby sconce around, brightening up your entryway.

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Try a Sputnik-Inspired Chandelier

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The classic Sputnik-inspired chandelier is the perfect retro addition to any entryway, especially when it's paired with other geometric and modern elements.

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Go for the Basics

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The classic (and affordable) flush-mounted ceiling light is a great lighting choice for back entryways or mudrooms, where you may value function over form.

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Use Your Table and Floors

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Who says entryway lighting needs to be only on the walls or ceiling? Use floor or table lamps as an easy way to add in some DIY-free (and renter friendly) lighting.

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Try a Double Sconce

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A double wall sconce provides twice the light with the same amount of electrical hookups that a single wall scone needs. Use them to get the look of a pair of wall sconces without the work.

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Introduce Materials

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Your entryway lighting fixture is a great way to introduce certain materials into your home, like brass or nickel. Use it to set the stage for the rest of your space.

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Add a Little Ornamentation

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Molding and ornamentation around a ceiling light makes it feel ten times fancier. Add some to your entryway to give your lighting fixture an elegant touch.

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Don't Forget Décor

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Good entryway lighting is nothing without something noteworthy to light up. So make sure your entryway features some great décor, which sets the tone for the rest of your home.

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Illuminate Seating

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If your entryway includes a small bench, make sure there's lighting for it too. Use a small wall sconce or floor lamp to add some illumination.

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Blend Indoor and Outdoor

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For a cohesive look between your outdoor and indoor entryway, ensure that the two lighting fixtures have a similar or complementary style.

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Be a Square

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Add a few angles to your entryway with a square or rectangular lighting fixture. Lights like these often add a more formal feel to your space too.

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