Porch Light Color Meaning – What Does Green, Blue, Red, Purple Light Mean

You’re not imagining things if you’ve driven around neighborhoods and communities and noticed that the usual, nondescript “standard light bulb” illuminating front lawns and walkways of select homes have been replaced by a rainbow of colors.

The decision to replace a standard bulb with a colored one is a relatively new phenomenon; a way of showing the world that the people living on the other side of that front door feels deeply about a specific cause or issue.

Why a color light bulb? Because professionals exploring the psychology of color say that people react subconsciously to color and what better way to send a message than by shining a colorful light that begs for attention.

We’ll showcase the four most popular bulb color picks in a house front porch: Green, blue, red and purple and touch upon additional colored light information that may be of interest to you.

Green Porch Light Meaning

Green porch light symbolism is most closely tied to movements that pay homage to our fighting forces, be they those who currently serve or veterans who once did.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“Green Light a Vet” drives are currently trendy ways to acknowledge these warriors, and whether you have a family member currently serving or one who did in the past, shine a light on these fearless heroes – especially on military holidays like Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day. Of course this comforting color can represent St. Patrick’s Day, too.

Blue Porch Light Meaning

There are two reasons to replace your porch light’s bulb with a blue one and both were introduced in 2020.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The first, World Autism Awareness, symbolizes international recognition of this condition as mandated by the United Nations.

About one in 270 people around the globe was born with an autism spectrum disorder, notes the World Health Organization.

For homeowners eager to call attention to autism, a blue light bulb reminds people to be more compassionate and empathetic to sufferers as well as to the family members and friends who support them.

The second reason you may pass a home with an illuminated blue porch light bulb has to do with National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, an effort launched in 2015 to show support for members of this profession.

Showing support is now more important than ever given the many recent controversies revolving around police officers.

Displaying a blue porch light in support of “men and women in blue” has even morphed into Project Blue Light, an effort to encourage more people to spread this important message.

What is Red Porch Light Meaning?

To trained therapists, the color red has always represented a spectrum of feelings that can range from love and beauty to rage and anger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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There’s a reason bullfighters in Latin countries wave a red cape and for broadcast journalists, wearing red practically guarantees getting noticed.

But in terms of porch light colors, red remains a signal to the world that folks living in homes displaying the color are all about supporting the American Heart Association’s mission to drive home a message of heart health.

Yes, a red light bulb is also appropriate if you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day, so keeping a red porch light on for the duration of February covers both “heart-related” issues.

What Does a Purple Porch Light Symbolize?

The color purple was chosen back in 2007 by the Domestic Violence Task Force in Washington State as a way to bring the issue of increasing domestic violence to the attention of the general public.

Homeowners displaying the color associated with royalty look upon their homes as offering opportunities to remind passersby that domestic violence isn’t an insignificant statistic.

“On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States,” according to statisticians tracking numbers for the National Statistics Domestic Violence Fact Sheet.

If this issue is personal to you — for any reason — every time you see or turn on a purple porch light, you send this powerful message: “I support you, My home is a safe place, and domestic violence is not tolerated here.”

More about Porch Light Colors

Like just about every other message being beamed to society, the use of colored light bulbs is not without controversy.

Recent “gun-control” issues triggered speculation that red light bulbs being displayed on home exteriors somehow indicated that the residence is “gun free,” and it took some undoing to separate the real reason from the urban myth.

Who benefitted from this short-lived rumor? Red light bulb manufacturers sold out! Today, heart health remains the sole reason to display a red front porch light, unless it happens to be Valentine’s Day.

Another aspect of the general porch light movement has nothing to do with colors. Folks installing bulbs capable of flashing or blinking are beginning to gain acceptance as well.

This practical signal has been promoted as a way to make finding one home in a neighborhood easier for law enforcement, firefighters or ambulances to locate so no time is wasted when dealing with emergencies.

In terms of practicality, displaying a blinking light bulb on one’s porch can literally save lives, especially in areas where house numbers are hard to read at night.

More about Porch Light Color Selections

• -If your brightly-colored light bulb is too large, it could detract from the home’s exterior aesthetic, so stick to a standard bulb size.
• -As a rule, the maximum brightness of a porch light should be no more than 70 watts or neighbors may complain about it being too bright or garish.
• -Light bulb manufacturers are responding to homeowner wishes to display colored porch lights, so they also make yellow, pink, orange and even black bulbs.
• -If given a choice, choose fluorescent over incandescent bulbs since manufacturers make both types so you won’t have trouble finding the one you prefer.

Resources
https://www.craftsandbolts.com/porch-light-colors/
https://homedecorbliss.com/color-of-porch-light-meaning/
https://www.homenish.com/porch-light-color-meaning/
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/autism-spectrum-disorders
https://ncadv.org/STATISTICS