These rules are just a starting point for the average homeowner. Most people tend to buy undersized outdoor lights. Get some cardboard, cut it to different sizes, stick them to the house with some blue tape and decide what size looks best. Take photos as you try the different sizes and then compare them on a larger computer screen. The right size, for your house, should become more obvious.

@chispa Good idea. TY

general rule. yes.

How much light do you NEED. I suggest a down light, just to light the space, no need to glow up the whole neighborhood. consider dark sky lighting.

Please consider standing at the door waiting for someone to greet you.

don't want to look into a bare bulb in the dark of night.

I need a lot mor einfo and pictures of your house. Outdoor lighting is in most cases a must certainly do not need to be on all night but do need to function for sure. So post pics here and info in a comment DO NOT start another post .

@Patricia Colwell Consulting here are photos. The current lights are 22” with the ”tail.”

I am drawn to the Kichler Capanna available in 10”, 13”, and 16”. The taller the fixture, the wider which seems chunky.

@chispa I drove around to look at sizes and you aren't kidding about too small.

I’d like to add a light to the far right side of the house Any suggestions how to do that? My hubby thinks a lamp post would look out of place

I bought what I thought were super large lights for the front of my house. When they were hung they looked barely big enough. I guess because when they’re outside, the eye measures them against the Great Outdoors.

So yes, that rule of thumb is correct.

Looking at your photos, you want to find lights that have the electrical box at the top and are longer than what you have now. A longer and thinner design would fit your space best. You definitely don't want the top part of the new lights to sit any higher than what you have now. Ideally all the electrical boxes would have been placed a bit lower to give you more flexibility on the size/design of the lights.

You can also use different sizes from the same collection. A larger light and the front door and a size down at the garage. The collection I bought had 4 different sizes (3 sconces and 1 pendant) and I used all the sizes! Front door got the largest, garage the next size down, garage man door the next size down from that and front door covered porch got the pendant.