I love, love, love lanterns. For years I’ve used lanterns to dress up my front porch and walkway, or grace the mantle of my outdoor fireplace. These staples of decorating find their way into lots of places in my home. Lanterns have always been used to light the pathway for guests to my front door; and I love to see the flickering lights outside my window. I am now a firm believer in battery operated candles, especially the ones with remote controls or timers – no flames mean no worries.

Lanterns come in all shapes and sizes, and I like to group them together and tier them down my steps and mix with a bounty of fall harvest and mums. Or for instant effect, set a lantern on top of an urn flanking each side of your front door, then wrap a garland of berries, grapevine or evergreen starting at the top of each lantern (tie a bow to the top of the lantern to hold the vine in place), and work your way down and around the urn, leaving the vine trailing at the bottom. For a centerpiece on my outdoor table I line up smaller lanterns down the middle of the table, so the conversation can go on long after the sun goes down; and since the candles have no flames you can throw in a few fall leaves or berries for a splash of fall color.