Bringing functionality in line with decorative beauty for our homes makes homesteading all the more satisfying!
Looking for alternative ways to light our home is something that’s always in the back of my mind.
Working with natural sunlight is obviously the most effective and economical way to facilitate light, but there are just times when you need other sources of light.
Here at the Tribe, we utilize several different forms of light besides electric, including candles, lanterns and solar lighting.
Above and below, you’ll see some decorative lanterns that I found at Hobby Lobby. Granted, they are just decorative, but I would like to use them occasionally for light, especially during the holidays.
Gradually working towards changing habits in our home and lifestyle can not only save energy dollars, but make us a little more self-sustaining every day.
(I was a bit surprised at how quickly they got hot, so be very careful and present when using these or anything with candles.)
Lanterns are another great way to provide light! This lamp was my first official lantern purchase and I bought three of them. I’m experimenting with different kinds of oil in them, to see what burns longest, brightest, etc.
In an attempt to burn something sustainable, I’ve tried canola oil as well as olive oil. The canola hasn’t worked out well for me but olive oil burns pretty well. Yet, I can’t grow either one in my area. I know that lamp oil is always an option, I just wanted to try natural options first. I will be picking up some lamp oil on my next trip to Lehman’s.
Lehman’s has a great selection of lamps and lanterns, including those that burn kerosene, lamp oil and olive oil.
Solar options have worked well for me as a passive source of light. In Ohio, we have many more cloudy days than sunny ones, especially in the winter months. Solar lights work sufficiently enough here, but keeping your expectations low seems to work best for us Buckeyes.
I purchased this floor solar lamp last year from Amazon and have been very pleased with it. It sits by the back door, gathering sun all day. It serves as a “night light” for the downstairs.
I’ve moved it around and used it at the dining room table once in a while as well, but it works best on the floor. It was a good purchase. Even if the power goes out, it never does.
Candles are also a great investment for lighting options! One of these days, I’ll make my own candles….maybe 2012.
I always keep my eyes open for deals on candles, especially jarred and soy candles. Getting in the habit of using them takes a little doing.
Generations of humanity have used candles for their lighting needs!
Candles, however, are something like having small children around. They need to be watched carefully and not left alone. Yet, they are a good thing.
I like to light candles for dinnertime, although the dimmer light can take some getting used to. Sometimes the kids (or husband) will complain that it’s not light enough and I understand. Like learning to try different foods, we have to try new things.
Relearning how much light we really need any given moment takes time as well. Give you and your family time to re-adjust to different lighting situations as you experiment with lighting options.
I think with time, you’ll find the “kinder and gentler” light more soothing than 100 watts of bright light in your eyes!
The Morristribe dinner table
While I haven’t made this purchase yet, a hanging oil lamp is in my sights. This is also available at Lehman’s for under $25! What a great Christmas gift idea for someone.
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Now it’s YOUR turn….how do you light your home? What are your lighting goals to be more self-sustaining?
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About kmorris
Love the hanging oil lamp!!! Will be telling hubby about it!
That hanging oil lamp is gorgeous! Hmmm…Christmas present idea (for me).
We haven’t really done a whole lot in the way of alternative lighting yet. We’d really like to get into solar but not with possibly moving in the near future. In our forever home, though. The kids and I did make candles for the first time early this year and had a lot of fun with that. These were the dipped kind and we made them with locally-sourced beeswax and lead-free wicks. The plan was to eat dinner by candlelight but we haven’t done it very often yet. I also experimented with making small candles in recycled baby food jars to keep in emergency bags…that worked out well.
loved this article. we actually just recently talked about ways to use less of this, that and the other….thanks to your articles. you have us thinking even more these days. just this weekend we lost power for 2 days due to that freak snow storm. We used lots of candles to light the house. My son thought it was the best night of his life! trying to cook on an outdoor fire is difficult in the wind and snow…but enough umbrellas and using the house as a wind shield helped. power is such a wonderful luxury, but at the same time we made it through the 36 hours just fine. the solar lamp you have, i actually looked at similar ones on amazon as a form of light source at night. is it bright enough to have about 3 or 4 in a medium/large living room and be able to see comfortably? i’d rather stay away from oil lamps and use things we can completely do on our own. candles are an option as we can use bees wax, but solar can be a convenience. i just started making Christmas lists for my in-laws, as they are not so much into sustainability. thanks for your great thoughts and insights!
i have wanted to start using oil lamps for awhile and you inspired me to actually do it! i bought my first one yesterday with you in mind!
I’m working ahead on next week, since I’ll be out of the office and have chosen this post as one of my favorites from last week’s Blogging Bee. I’ll be linking over next week. Looks like you forgot to add a link to this post that it’s part of the Bee, though – I’d love to have you add it! Thanks for participating!