A Southern Welcome

I have always longed for gas lanterns.

I came close once at a previous home, but the opportunity never quite materialized. When we painted the brick on our current house, the transformation was immediate. The house seemed to call for lanterns. More specifically, it called for gas lanterns.

Unfortunately, converting to gas was not a practical option. Like many homeowners, I found myself searching for the next best thing.

Once I accepted that true gas lanterns were not an option, I began looking at electric alternatives. Many of the fixtures and bulbs I came across seemed overly theatrical or contrived. They imitated the appearance of gaslight without capturing its character.

The fixture itself was only part of the equation. What interested me most was the light. I wanted something that captured the appearance of a gas flame without looking artificial or requiring constant replacement. I spent far more time researching bulbs than lanterns, looking for a balance of realism, longevity, and daytime appearance.

The bulbs I ultimately selected feature a subtle mercury-glass finish that looks attractive even when unlit. The mercury glass provides an aged yet modern take on a classic element. By day, the bulbs read as decorative accents in their own right. By night, however, they become something else entirely.

Viewed from the street, they create a remarkably convincing impression of gaslight, complete with the warm movement and character that first drew me to true gas lanterns. While they may not fool anyone standing beneath them, they capture the essence of what makes gas lanterns so appealing.

Perhaps that is why lanterns continue to endure. They offer more than illumination. Long after electricity made gas lighting unnecessary, we remain drawn to its warmth, its romance, the sense of welcome, and the dance of the light that it provides.

A welcoming home is made up of countless details, many of them small and easily overlooked. Yet some possess the ability to shape our experience of a place in ways that are difficult to explain. While these may not be authentic gas lanterns, they capture enough of that spirit to satisfy a wish I have carried for many years.

And in their own way, they offer a true Southern welcome.

-Colleen, Pheasant & Fig