A lantern stands on its own, without a wall, a post or a trench for cable. These three redraw the traditional shape in modern lines and run on solar, so where one goes is a question about the evening rather than the wiring.

Three modern forms, all solar

Beam is woven rattan, 10 inches across and 14 tall, with a replaceable E27 bulb and a soft light that suits a seating corner or the edge of a patio. Skye and Chaz are stainless steel in black, one round at 7 inches and one rectangular in four sizes. All three are IP65 rated and run warm white at 3000K, with brightness set by remote.

Sizing and placing a lantern

Flanking a front door, the old ratios still hold: a single lantern at roughly one-third of the door's height, a pair at one-quarter each, centered about 66 inches above the threshold. Freestanding pieces follow the same logic, larger than instinct suggests, since fixtures read smaller outdoors than indoors. For a solar lantern there is one more rule, set it where the panel sees direct sun.

From the door to the garden

Run the warm light outward in layers. A lantern by the door handles arrival, a piece by the seating area holds the evening, and the routes between belong to pathway lights along the walk and post lights at the driveway or perimeter. Because these are solar and freestanding, they move with the season.

Choose the form first, woven, round or rectangular, then let the size follow the ratios above.