18 Stunning Staircase Lighting Ideas to Illuminate Your Treads

If you are one of the lucky ones with a stairway in their home, designing it or upgrading it requires some thought into the staircase lighting ideas you want to use. When exploring staircase lighting, it is essential to think of the intention of your staircase lighting and the overall look you wish to give it. At the same time, you must remember to strike a good balance between aesthetics and functionality when thinking of stairs with lights.

When you have stairways at home, regardless of their dimensions, height, and presence or absence of landings, they must always be sufficiently lit. In this article, we’ve got you 18 staircase lighting ideas designed with practical lights and great design inspiration!

Are you excited to decorate your stairway? The best way is to introduce the perfect lighting that illuminates the area, improves the aesthetic, and blends well with the remaining scheme of your home interiors. We’ve got you a few bespoke stairs design with lights that will surely add oomph and elegance to the space!

1. Lighting from Below

If your staircase is curved or you wish to add curvature to it, you can draw attention to its U-shaped staircase by using subtle warm lights from below. Blend it well with the hallway lighting and use the gentle curves of the stairs to illuminate the area and ensure it is safe for people using the stairs and going under them.

Several under stair lighting ideas use recessed lights, wall-mounted lights or tiny lights illuminating the stairway. A warmer yet bright colour will add brightness to the space while ensuring it is safe.

2. Lights along the Side

If you are not a fan of under-stairs lighting ideas, use lights along the side of the stairs. These lights not just illuminate the path of the stairway but also add the wow factor to wooden, carpeted and stone stairs. In some cases, these lights also set the bar high for statement-hanging light fixtures at the top of the stairs.

3. Statement Ceiling Lights

If you love stark and showy decor, staircase lighting ideas are an excellent opportunity to showcase them. If you have a high ceiling or wish to create one, use the extra height available for ceiling-mounted statement hanging light fixtures that are sure to steal the show as one climbs the stairs.

4. Fancy Wall Lights

If you have a broader staircase, using bespoke wall lights is a great way to guide one up and down the path. However, using wall staircase lighting ideas can be tricky if you have a narrow hallway or stairs, as anything bulky will make the space look small or impede the stairway.
A great way to have fancy wall lights in this situation is to use a semi-flush design that doesn’t obstruct the path. Feel free to choose from the large number of curved, straight and spiral staircase lighting ideas that set the tone for your decor and allow you to keep your showcase your personality.

5. In-Stair Lighting

Are you confused about the best staircase lighting ideas when you have stairs with a low ceiling height? We’ve got you the perfect fix! Embedding lights within each stair focus directly on the step, increasing visibility and creating a safe path up and down the stairway.
Using wooden stairways with embedded warm and bright lights is excellent to set the mood and vibe of the space, along with that of the hall and the entrance foyer, if you have one.

6. Oversize Pendant

People living in homes with significant and heightened ceilings can conveniently opt for a prominent overhead pendant ceiling light fixture that becomes the space’s focal point when looking for bespoke staircase lighting ideas. While adding the oversized pendant lighting, ensure your foyer, passage, and hallway are well-lit.

Having separate switches for these lights gives you better control of the lighting, allowing the pendant light to stand out while other lights along the side or those from the hall guide one up and down the stairway.

Using stark white, off-white, or a soft grey stairway carpet, along with the large lighting fixture, will give your space a luxurious and classy feel.

Want to add more luxury to your staircase lighting ideas? Add a chandelier! Choose one that suits your requirement and budget and looks best in the space you have to give your stairway a never-before dreamy, fairy-tale look.

7. Multi-Layered Ceiling Fixtures

Want to get creative with staircase lighting ideas? Use ceiling-hanging lights of different shapes and sizes and suspend them at varying heights using flex cables. A monochromatic or multi-coloured approach will make your stairway uniquely luxurious. A good way to create this stairway lighting is to sync it with the rest of the interior scheme, including wall colours, tile designs and lighting in the hallway and landing.

8. Lights Will Guide You Home

If you’ve got a narrow hallway leading up to a long and winding staircase, add a row of wall lights along the path with a statement piece or brighter light at each landing. A traditional table lamp is a unique staircase lighting idea if you have a larger landing.

9. Layer Those Lights!

The primary goal of staircase lighting ideas is to improve illumination in the stairway while adding to the beauty and elegance of the space’s decor. Adding a layer of lights by using wall lights, a chandelier or statement lighting fixture at the entrance or the top of the stairs and a brightly-lit landing will create a mesmerising look of your stairway while oozing class at the same time.

10. Watch Your Every Step

If you have open or closed wooden stairs or glass stairs, adding a thin strip of light to every stair illuminates each step and creates a warm and welcoming appearance with the wood. Create a sense of ‘wow with this easy-to-install staircase lighting idea.

11. Lights for Textural Effects

Love to play with colours and textures? Explore and try staircase lighting ideas that complement these different textures and variations. To maximise the effects of the lighting, use concealed warm LED lights that highlight the step subtly and showcase the warmth of the textures and materials used.

12. Cascading Lights

Love all things blingy? Bring home all the glitz and glamour with this staircase lighting idea that uses cascading lights hanging from the ceiling like a waterfall. Use warm white contour LED light on each thread to add drama to your staircase while highlighting some exclusive materials used along the path.

13. Illuminating Every Floor

It is often challenging to find staircase lighting ideas that light up a long stairway with multiple landings aesthetically. The key to illuminating these stairways and adding a touch of opulence and luxury is to use several types of lighting fixtures to illuminate every floor adequately.

Stair light design on every floor lets you get creative and create a warm ambience each time.

14. Rustic Lanterns for an Exotic Feel

If you love conventional elegance yet wish to give your home and stairway an exotic feel, add ethnically-inspired rustic lanterns to your staircase lighting ideas. These lanterns are bright enough to illuminate the stairway; depending upon their theme and design, they create a stunning stairway space.

15. Recessed Wall Lighting Design

An ongoing trend is to use the stairway wall to create a recessed area that is designed and illuminated to create attractive and bespoke design features along the sides of the stairway. Feel free to use a combination of staircase lighting ideas to give your staircase a stylish, sophisticated and minimalist look.

16. Avenue for Natural Light

Not all staircase lighting ideas require artificial lights. For example, adding a window to your stairway or at the landings brings in some natural sunlight and moonlight, illuminating the stairway and the landing.

You can also add small wall-mounted lights to add to this natural light. Additionally, adding lights along the walls of the stairs or ceiling light fixtures will ensure the staircase is illuminated even at night.

17. Open to the Sky

Another staircase lighting idea that uses the freshness and beauty of natural light! If you are wondering how to use the rustic stairs made from metal and wood in your house, opting for an open-to-the-sky ceiling covered by glass allows maximum natural light to enter your stairway. If you feel the need, add lighting at every stair and landing to illuminate the path for safety.

18. Add an Ethnic Touch

If you have the ceiling advantage and wish to create a captivating look for your staircase, use ethnic wallpapers and textures and combine them with simple wall lighting to create magnificent decor for your staircase. It may be a good idea to use warmer lights for this staircase lighting idea.

Final Words

From high-ceiling chandeliers to wall-mounted and recessed wall stair designs, feel free to play along with the colours, textures and brightness of light fixtures.

While you explore staircase lighting ideas, ensure the circulation is safe, and the lighting illuminates the path of the staircase at all points. Find more staircase design ideas and decor inspirations for your home on Home Lane!

FAQs

1. What is the best lighting for the stairwell?

The best staircase lighting ideas are either hanging it from the ceiling or wall mounted on the sides. Depending upon the type of lighting one needs, there can be a bright light at a low level or recessed wall light by the steps.

Recessed wall-mounted lights are a popular choice for stair light design that keeps the stairs lit, guides you up the stairs and is subtle enough to flush with the interiors to give you a stunning vibe.

2. How do you brighten a stairwell?

Hallways and stairways are challenging to decorate, especially if they are narrow or dark. Here are a few simple ways to add elegance to your bright staircase lighting ideas at home:

• A coat of fresh paint using a lighter colour combined with darker woodwork
• Large format tiles in white
• Add mirrors and artwork that give an illusion of space
• Lighting on the railings and the individual stairs
• Glass panels for the stairs
• Stairway accessories

3. How do I light the landing of my stairs?

Lighting is an effective way to transform a dull stairway into one that is bright and classy. The landing of your stairs is usually the midpoint where the stairs change direction and can be a dark space or a tripping hazard.

To ensure your stairs are safe and utilise the area on the landing, here are some classy staircase lighting ideas:

• Chandeliers for high-ceiling landings
• Recessed lighting with a standard bulb is ideal for keeping low-ceiling landings well-lit
• Putting a window or a skylight feature at the landing of your stairs can solve your lighting problem and add a unique feature to your stairway decor.
• If you live in a rental and house wiring is not an option, use tall floor lamps to illuminate the stairway landing.

4. How big should the stairway light be?

The size of your stairway light will depend mainly upon the ceiling height, width, size and number of landings, the type of lighting style and your overall interior requirement.