Did you ever notice that whenever you see a movie about the old times - there's always those old-fashioned outdoor fixtures. You know - constable walking down the baker street walks around and stops at the dimmed flickering lamp post, which doesn't give a big idea of his presence and sees the crime going on.
I wonder why they didn't put more of those on the streets. With all the modern light bulbs availble they should provide an romantic feeling long lost in the past. Don't you want to feel the same emotions as those in the past?

I wonder why with all the commercialization going aroung cities can only afford simple round-shaped fixtures? Where is the creativity. Don't tell me it's all gone, there must be creative people in the goverment.

Well, I was on a Eurotrip some years ago and walking around villages in Netherlands, Spain and Portugal, I saw a lot of different outdoor lighting types. Those were creating different emotions. For example in one village all of the outdoor lighting fixtures were decorated with rose baskets. Other village showed me fixtures with grape leaves around it. Now isn't that something?

I think we moved too much with complication in our lives and want something plain and simple, and like we say "dumb as a post", I'd say "dull as a post". Outdoor lighting fixture? What does it look like to you? Probably a stick with a lamp in it?

Well, not in other countries, especially not in the viallages. They differ from us cause blacksmiths aren't working to buy a Ferrari there and not trying to output as much production as humanly possible, they are trying to create something beautiful.

One day walking in the village near Barcelona (Spain's capital) I noticed that all the outdoor lights were distinct in this area. It seemed like each of them was created to resemble some idea. Ones were just curvy lights hanging from the side of hte house, others were lions having a light in their arms and some shown people in different situations.

It seemed to me like those lighting posts were telling a story of this village or some fictional stories that might have been going on here.

The point I try to make here is that outdoor lighting is something more than just a "dull post" that has a bulb somewhere somehow attaced. It can create mood and ideas. Would New York's lamps create a feeling like they telling a story? Maybe of the same one everytime and even so that's the story of "don't touch me".

So at least when you are decorating your own house - take some time for creativity and run wild with the ideas selecting outdoor lighting. Don't just buy something because it creates a light. Remember that sometimes you would want to spend time with your family on your terrace and enjoy it. Of course lamp wouldn't create that feeling alone, but it'll contribute to it, so make a contribution that's of value to you and your family and friends.

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John Clarke is the editor of Furnitory - a furniture magazine.