Lighting over stairs

Proper placement & sizing of lighting over stairs. (COMPLETE GUIDE)

Lighting over stairs should be aesthetically pleasing as well as should provide proper illumination. There are mainly three options for lighting a stairway properly: a chandelier, pendant lights, and wall sconces.

There are many other options like led strip lights, flush mount stair lights to illuminate stairs but the brightness they provide is limited compared to a chandelier or a flush mount ceiling light.

Stairs in the foyer look great with hanging light fixtures while stairs going down to the basement require flush mount ceiling light fixtures.

how to illuminate foyer stairs?

Foyer stairs or stairs near hall is the place where everyone looks frequently. These are the main point of attraction when someone comes into a foyer. Hanging a chandelier or pendant light can enhance the lighting as well make the space look visually appealing as well.

A chandelier can be installed either over the stair landing as well as the empty area around the stairwell. Where to install the chandelier depends upon whether or not the stairwell has enough empty room around it or not.

Stairwell should have a minimum of 35 – 40 inches of horizontal empty space in order for a chandelier to be installed there. This much distance will help to prevent accidental touches on the chandelier and making it swing.

If the stairwell has sufficient area then the next step is to know how big of a chandelier should hang there.

How to size chandelier for stairwell

To calculate the chandelier length for stairwell from high ceiling (14 feet and above), simply divide the length of the ceiling from the floor (in inches) by 4. The result will be chandelier length in inches.

Stairwell chandeliers should have a minimum width of 20 inches as they are required to fill up the empty area around the stairwell. The length of chandelier depends upon how high the ceiling on the stairwell is.

Chandelier length for stairwell from average height ceilings

For ceilings of average height ( 9 feet – 13 feet ) to find the correct length of chandelier we divide the ceiling height (in inches) by 2 and the result is chandelier length in inches. The reason for doing this is because a high ceiling stairwell can be considered to have two distinct parts.

Below is a helpful table that shows ideal chandelier length according to ceiling height.

The above values are ideal as per design standards however, many designers use custom chandeliers that are tailored specially for a particular space. Such chandeliers can be much longer than the length of normally used chandeliers.

The practice of using custom chandeliers is also good but is not an easy DIY project.

Pro tip: Before purchasing any chandelier stick a thread or rope from the ceiling of the same length as the light fixture would be to get a good idea of how chandelier will look.

Now let’s find out what to do if the stairwell does not have an empty area around the stairs. In such case, light fixtures are hanged over stranding.

How to size chandelier for stair landing

Size of chandelier over stairlanding depends on how big the stair landing itself is as well as how high the ceiling above stair landing is. For the chandelier over stair landing height of the ceiling is measured from the stair landing not from the floor.

A good rule of thumb is to measure the length and width of the stair landing in feet and multiply the values. The result will be the width of the chandelier to be installed.

For eg. If the stair landing is 30 inches wide and 50 inches long the recommended width of the chandelier will be 10 inches as seen in the image below

height for hanging chandelier over stair landing.

According to design standards, the chandeliers should be placed 2 – 3 feet below the ceiling above the stair landing. It is only recommended to hang chandelier over the stair landing if the ceiling above the stair landing is minimum of 9 feet high.

How big should a chandelier be over stair landing?

Chandelier over stair landing should have a length of 24 – 30 inches. Such length is ideal as it will keep enough room between the stair landing and the light fixture itself.

If the ceiling is lower then prefer flush mount light options. They are ideal because chandeliers require some height in hanging which may become difficult when the ceiling is low as chandelier can com in the way while going up or down the stairs.

Pendant lights

Pendant lights are another great option for illuminating foyer stairs. They can be installed either around the stairwell as well as over stair landing. It is a good practice to hang pendant lights around the stairwell if there is enough empty space around stairs.

If there is not enough room for pendant lights to be installed around the stairwell still then pendant lights can illuminate stairs by placing them over stair landing.

Now we shall discuss sizing as well as the height of pendant lights at which they should be installed.

Size of pendant lights around stairwell

Pendant lights should be long around the stairwell. Ideally, 38 – 48 inches in length. The width of pendant light however depends upon how many pendant lights one desires to hang hand around the stairwell.

Across all design standards, a combination of three pendant lights is preferred in a combination.

Pendant lights should have a width of around 13 – 15 inches if they are attached from a single unit.

If one chooses to hang only a single pendant light instead of a combination then it should be a minimum of 8 inches wide.

If more than 3 pendant lights are to be installed, then make sure the total width of the assembled pendant lights is 40 inches or less.

Sizing pendant lights over stair landing

The size of pendant lights over stair landing depends upon the dimensions of stair landing itself. Simply measure the length and width of the stair landing in feet upon multiplying the values, we get the recommended width of pendant lights.

The important thing to note here is that pendant lights have a limited width maximum of 14 – 15 inches (assembled width). If the stair landing demands a bigger and wider light fixture, then instead of pendant lights a chandelier should be used.

How to light stairs without a window?

Without windows, the stairs can look dark during days which is not ideal. To get sufficient brightness in the stairs installing recessed downlights on the ceiling above the stairs is the best option.

How many and what size downlights are required depends upon how much lighting is required.

According to International residential codes R311.7.9, R303.7, R303.8 one stairs should have a minimum illumination of 12 lumens.

But what does it mean? It simply means, if a bulb of 12 lumen brightness is placed at a distance of 1 foot above the stairs, the stairs will get 12 lumens of brightness. But,

in general use, placing a bulb this low it is not possible. We need to place a light source at the ceiling and thus light source should be more bright.

Let’s now see how bright should the light fixture be if it is placed on the ceiling above stairs.

the following relation helps to find out the minimum required brightness of light source on the ceiling above stairs.

Use this relation

X² × 12 = minimum brightness the light source should have.

(x = distance of the ceiling from the stairs)

Let’s see an example. It’s really simple. First, we need to measure how high the ceiling is above the stairs.

Suppose it is 8 feet then,

Simply putting x = 8 in the above relation we can get the recommended minimum brightness i. e. 8×8×12 = 768 lumens.

We know that light intensity decrease as we move away from the source. So in order to get 12 lumens on every stair from an 8-foot ceiling. The light source should have a brightness of 768 lumens.

light intensity follows an inverse square law with distance. Light Intensity = 1/r². We need to find the light intensity of our source at 8 feet distance from the stairs.

if for 1 foot the required lumens value is 12 so for 8 feet it is,

8² × 12 = 768 lumens bright in order to provide 12 lumens for every stair)

Where should the light source be placed?

For hall stairs we want the light source to distribute light evenly. It should be placed in the ceiling above the top stairs. The reason for that is while going down from the stairs if, the light sources were to be placed in the middle or lower parts of the ceiling above stairs, the light can cause glares.

Hanging light fixture vs flush mount lights which are better for hall stairs?

Hanging light fixtures no doubt are one the best sources of light to illuminate a stairwell. It is only when the stairs have a low ceiling or do not have enough room to accommodate a hanging light fixture, flush mount lights are used.

Both sources are sufficiently bright. From an illumination point of view, both are excellent while. A 15-watt flush mount light can provide an illumination of around 1200 lumens while a modern LED chandelier uses more wattage but the brightness they provide is far more than a flush mount light.

Ultimately depending upon the dimensions of the stairwell a flush mount light source is better for narrow and tight stairs while for big, spacey hall stairs, a chandelier will provide ample amounts of light as well as add more character to the stairs.

How to illuminate basement stairs.

While illuminating basement stairs there are two important factors to consider.

• The lighting should be sufficiently bright to illuminate stairs.

• Lighting should not cause unwanted glares while going up or down the stairs.

It is not recommended to install hanging light fixtures like chandeliers and pendant lights to illuminate basement stairs as they can cause glares. Installing fluorescent or LED tube lights to illuminate basement stairs is also not preferred as they can also cause unwanted glares.

Basement stairs are therefore best illuminated with a big flush mount light fixture. Being flush mount, they do not take much space in the stairway, Also being high on the ceiling, the light from flush mount fixtures gets distributed evenly on the stairs underneath.

In addition to flush mount light fixtures, one can add wall sconces if there are shadows over stairs.

There are also recessed step lights but they are not ideal for countering shadows also they are less bright compared to one big and bright flush mount light.

Where to install lights for illuminating basement stairs properly?

Basement stairs without stair landing

The light source must be placed directly over the ceiling of the first stair going down because if the light source is placed somewhere else glares can be observed. For example, see the graphic illustration below,

Here the light source is placed at the ceiling above the middle stairs, as a result of which when the light is turned on, it distributes in such a way that, light falls directly over one’s eyes if someone tries to go down the stairs.

To prevent this, see another graphic where light is placed at the ceiling right before the stairway begins. Placing lights here can significantly reduce the chances of glares as light is distributed evenly throughout the stairs.

For an average size basement stairwell with at least 6 feet high ceiling, the ceiling above the first stair going down is the ideal place for installing a light source for illuminating basement stairs. By installing lights there, the glares from that light source are minimized.

Also, some basement stairs are such that even if a bright flush mount light is installed over the first stair, some areas in the lower stairs remain dark. To solve that one can add wall sconces at a height of 2 – 2. 5 feet from the stairs.

Basement stairs with stair landing

To illuminate basement stairs with a stair landing the light source should be placed at two places i.e. on the ceiling above the first stair going down and other light source should be placed at the ceiling above stair landing.

The reason for not choosing a chandelier is simply the dimension of stairwell itself. Most basement stairwells are not wide enough that a chandelier can be installed there.

How bright should light be in basement stairs?

Light needs to be placed at the ceiling and as the distance from the light source increases, the brightness also decreases. Therefore, it is important to know how much bright should the light fixture be.

According to international residential codes R311.7.9, R303.7, R303.8 for stairs illumination, basement stairs should have a minimum illumination of 12 lumens per step of stairwell. Note that it is just the minimum value.

in simple terms, if the light source is placed at 1 foot distance from the stairs then it should provide a minimum of 12 lumens but, if light fixture is placed on the ceiling then it should have a higher lumen value.

This is how we find how bright should a light source be.

If the ceiling is 9 feet high then the light source to be placed on ceiling should be (9)_² × 12.
= 9 × 9 × 12
= 972 lumens bright.

SIMPLY SQUARE THE HEIGHT OF CEILING (IN FEET) FROM THE STAIRS AND MULTIPLY IT WITH 12 TO GET THE minimum lumen requirement.

Difficult ? just remember this to find the brightness of light over basement stairs,

Measure the height of the ceiling in feet from the first stair going down the basement. Whatever comes the value, square it and multiply it with 12.

How many wall sconces for basement stairs?

In basement stairs, with every step going down, the distance of the ceiling from the stairs keeps changing therefore adding wall sconces can provide extra illumintaion where light reaches less. An LED wall sconce can provide around 500 – 600 lumens of brightness.

Therefore, adding 2 wall sconces at the dark areas around the stairwell can help illuminate basement stairs better.

The important thing to note is that wall sconces are also of many types for example swing arm wall sconces, wallchieres, flush mount wall sconces.

The swing arm wall sconces are such that the light bulb is extended at a distance with the help of a metal rod. This allows the light bulb to move in multiple directions wherever light is required. The other type of wall sconce is flush but requires large space to install on the wall.

The best type of wall sconce for basement stairs is the flush mount wall sconces. They hang flush and splashes light directly over the wall and stairs underneath.

Can track lights be used in basement stairs?

The main problems with using track lights in the basement are the glares and uneven distribution of light. While going up from the basement if someone happens to look up then the track lights can cause glares.

Track lights compared to a flush mount light fixture requires more space to install.

Hence instead of track lights only one big and bright flush mount light fixture is preferred for most basement stairs.

Additional information

Color temperature of lights for basement stairway.

According to lighting experts, day-light color temperature (4000k- 6000k) is ideal for the basement as well as hall stairways. The reason being this color temperature is ideal for doing tasks that require focus and attention.

Climbing upstairs as well as going down requires an accurate perception of individual stairs. The warmer color temperatures, less than 4000 k makes the place cozy and relaxing which may sometimes affect the accurate perception of stairs.

The color temperature of light greater than 6000 k makes the place too vivid and attentive. It may be ideal for commercial spaces but not for residential ones.

Which bulb to choose for illuminating stairway?

While illuminating stairway lights used should be fairly bright which depends on the type of bulb used. Below is a table that compares the different types of light bulbs to how much wattage they consume to provide a particular value of illumination.

From the table, it is clear that LED bulbs are the most bright and more energy-efficient compared to incandescent bulbs as well as fluorescent bulbs. Also, another factor to consider while choosing a light bulb is the working time expectancy of the bulbs.

LED bulbs can run for 50000 hours while fluorescent bulbs run for 15000 hours whereas incandescent bulbs can run upto 2000 hours.

Again LED bulbs dominate both CFL and incandescent bulbs in terms of their working time expectancy.

Some other light options for stairway

LED STRIP LIGHTS

These lights are ideal to add an accent to every stair. The installation of these lights is also very simple. A strip of LED light is sticked directly with the stair and upon turning on, the LEDs illuminates the stair to some extent.

How bright are LED strip lights?

Instead of measuring the brightness of 1 led in the strip, the combined brightness all LEDs in 1 foot length of the strip is measured. 1 foot or 12 inches strip of LED provides an illumination of around 400 – 450 lumens.

LED strip lights are of many types like flexible, silicone, rigid strip lights, etc. The flexible led strip lights usually have an adhesive at the back thus can be mounted anywhere. The silicone strip lights are bendable. They can be used to provide accent light to round as well as spherical surfaces.

The other type is the rigid strip light which as the name suggests is not bendable.

Since stairs have a straight shape, any type of led strip light can be used to provide lighting to steps. The most widely used, however, is the flexible led strip light.

RECESSED STAIR LIGHTS

These lights are great options to illuminate outdoor stairs. A recessed light is installed within the wall near the stair and thus illuminates the step. Every step requires an individual Light unit hence it is preferred only at those places where stairs are less in number.

A single 3 watt recessed stair light can provide illumination of around 300 – 400 lumens over the stairs. If used indoors they can make the steps look too bright hence they are ideal for outdoor use only.

Stairway lighting ideas – 17 stylish ways to light up your staircase

If you're looking to brighten up a dark staircase, our stellar stairway lighting ideas will not only illuminate your stairs but will make them a focal point.

Your staircase lighting needs to be bright so that you and your family can use the stairs safely. Also hallway stairs are on an incline in probably the narrowest spot in your home meaning a lot of lighting ideas just won’t work in the space.

Jamie Moxey, Design Consultant at Dusk Lighting says, 'A stairway has the potential to become a beautiful focal feature as you enter a house. And lighting is one of the methods you can use to achieve this.'

'Lighting does not serve a purely practical function in the home, it can easily add striking design features and focal points for desired spaces. Therefore, it is worth considering if you can use your stairway lighting to enhance the overall look of the entryway.'

So without further ado, we show you how to light up your staircase ideas both practically and stylishly.

Stairway lighting ideas

(Image credit: Future PLC/Brent Darby)

Stairwells offer a great opportunity for something a bit more ‘showy’ when it comes to lighting. Make use of the extra height and space by choosing a multi-drop pendant or waterfall chandelier that will add wow in an entrance hall but add visual interest on levels going upstairs too.

2. Start with a well-lit hallway

(Image credit: Original BTC)

Hallway lighting ideas and stairway lighting ideas differ to other areas of the home. Hallways tend to have few or no windows, so often there isn’t much natural light. And the size of the hallway can make it tricky to light too, if it’s small and poky or long and narrow.

An overhead pendant is a good starting point. It will provide general background light for the hall and light the foot of the staircase, giving the space a focal point. A large single pendant will work in a spacious, square-shaped hallway. Or try two smaller pendants if the space is long and narrow.

3. Light up your hallway and staircase

(Image credit: Pooky)

If you've got a fairly open hallway with a winding staircase, why not light the two areas with a pendant scheme? Pooky's Stella pendant lights , from £190, come in two different sizes, so pick one of each to create a statement cluster arrangement.

Pooky’s founder Rohan Blacker explains, 'No one dwells here so you can be daring with size and colour without disrupting the space beyond. Chandeliers or clusters of pendants are a nice way to add statement and grandeur to a hallway or base of a staircase.'

4. Have fun with fancy wall lights

(Image credit: Sweetpea & Willow)

Wall lights can be tricky in a narrow hallway or staircase as anything too bulky could impede the journey through the entrance or up the stairs. Choose a semi-flush design rather than a wall light with a sconce so that it doesn’t cause an obstacle.

Pooky ’s founder Rohan Blacker explains more. 'The hallway is often the entry point to set the tone for the rest of your décor; the big reveal. So allow your personality to show with fun or unique lighting. Of course, whilst you should keep perspective in mind, you can afford to be quite bold in this space.'

5. Fit in-stair lighting

(Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole)

If you have a low ceiling height on your staircase, you could light up the stairs themselves instead to safely guide you up. Choose in-built low level lighting like in this wooden stairway.

'The best options for a practical consideration would be recessed low level lighting, which is often used on the stairs to focus light directly on the step and increase visibility,' says James Moxey, Design Consultant at Dusk Lighting .

6. Add wow with an oversized pendant

(Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole)

In a high-ceilinged hallway, opt for a large overhead pendant to give the space a focal point. Make sure that hall and stairway lights are controlled separately so you can switch them on and off whether upstairs or down.

Ensure that switches are positioned near doorways and at each level of the stairway so you won’t have to walk up or downstairs in darkness.

The stark white of this hallway and stairs is broken up by the soft grey stairway carpet and black picture frames on the wall.

7. Add layers of light

(Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore)

Boost lighting levels by working in extra layers of light in key places. Additional wall lights or a lamp near the foot of a staircase will cast extra light going upstairs, which can be useful in a dimly-lit entrance like the grey hallway shown above. Do the same on landings too. Just be sure that any cables and flexes are secured so that there’s no trip hazard.

8. Line up lights in a corridor

(Image credit: Davey Lighting)

For a long narrow hallway, upstairs landing or staircase, try adding a row of wall lights. They’ll provide even and consistent lighting and will draw the eye along the space. Position in a strategic place, such as over a console table or near a coat rack. The traditional style lamps shown above complement the stair runner.

9. Add impact in a stairwell

(Image credit: Fritz Fryer)

Choose a light fitting that suits the scale of your space. This smoky glass pendant sits perfectly above this low ceiling staircase with an L shape. Its stylish design picks up the slimline, metal detail bannister and adds a slick focal point.

10. Install a wall sconce on a landing

(Image credit: B&Q)

Create a guiding light on a small hallway or staircase landing with a bright wall sconce. This wall light from B&Q , £25, is extra bright due to the exposed LED bulb which is will adequately light the way. Pair with a decorative filament bulb to create a contemporary industrial look.

11. Finish off with a 'wow' chandelier upstairs

(Image credit: Future PLC/Rachael Smith)

Make a dramatic impact with a chandelier situated directly above a staircase as shown in the landing idea above. If you have multiple floors, with a winding staircase, an elegant chandelier will look stunning in a central atrium down to a white hallway.

Look up and you'll see its glimmering crystals. Look down from the top stairs and you'll see the bottom landings lit with its glow.

12. Light the staircase from underneath

(Image credit: John Cullen Lighting)

If you have a modern staircase with open backs, why not light the steps from underneath. These multi functional stair strip lights from John Cullen Lighting sit under each stair tread and uplight the wall in the courtyard beyond, creating a slick, modern finish to this minimalist stairway.

13. Guide guests upstairs with atmospheric wall lighting

(Image credit: Pooky)

Looking for wall sconces with a little more pizazz? These gold aluminium round Helix wall lights from Pooky, in a brushed finish are backlit to create a subtle, moody atmosphere, when lit up in the evening. Dependent on your hallway colour scheme, you could feature a striking stairway wall idea using wallpaper with them to really make then pack a punch.

Pooky's Founder, Rohan Blacker says, 'There's something slightly galactic or even ethereal about these wall sconces. The embedded, non-dimmable LED components shine back on the wall to create a lovely gentle glow that will add lovely warm dimension.'

14. Low level recessed wall lights

(Image credit: Lighting Direct)

Choose recessed lighting along the wall to light the way, like these Astro Leros Trimless LED Wall Light , £62 from Dusk Lighting. The recessed wall luminaire offers a special form of indirect lighting, giving the impression that the light comes from inside the wall itself.

15. Go for a dramatic light installation

(Image credit: Boco do Lobo)

Create the ultimate statement at a staircase by installing a floor to ceiling light installation that hangs from the top of the stairs to the very bottom. During the day this celestial lighting design looks like art. Once on at night, it turns into a stunning, ethereal way to light up the stairway. This is a winning open plan living room idea.

16. Light up a small landing with industrial feature lights

(Image credit: Nest)

In a small modern home, it's worth playing with lighting to double up as art. In this industrial style open plan space, the staircase is lit with Buster and Punch caged wall light , £431. With exposed filament bulbs and marble effect backing, this wall light adds drama, picking up the metal finishes of the staircase railing.

17. Use fairy lights to light the way

(Image credit: Lights 4 Fun)

During the festive season (and beyond), a simple but effective bannister idea is to string fairy lights around the staircase spindles. They'll look stunning both during the day and at night, and will add a welcome twinkle to your hallway too.

Here's a great fairy light idea: if you have more than one staircase, you could continue up the next flight of stairs – perfect for guests when they pop to the loo in the middle of the night.

How do you light up a staircase?

There are lots of ways to light up a staircase. If you have an open staircase, you could opt for a pendant light on the landing. Light can reach down the flight of stairs and can have just the same effect as wall lights when chosen just right.

As staircases often have a lack of natural light, you could create an efficient lighting scheme on the landing to remedy this issue. Multiple pendant lights, either installed individually above the staircase or as part of one cluster design, is a modern look that will complement any contemporary home decor.

Suited to a more traditional style of home, a chandelier can be installed in an open hallway and also on the landing for a coordinated look that can expertly light up your staircase with a lavish touch.

Xander Shreenan, interior designer at home décor brand Dowsing & Reynolds says, 'Most staircases have walls facing each other so using wall-mounted lighting is great for creating a softer ambience in the space. Up and down lighting will emphasise the length of the walls and create a sense of grandeur.'

'Step lighting is a great way to enhance the architecture of your home whilst also making the stairs safer.'

'Your stairway is a great place to add a statement lighting piece. Although not your typical ‘room’, hanging a beautiful chandelier or pendant that speaks to your individuality can make all the difference to how you feel when you walk up and down the stairs each day.'

Where should lights be placed on a stairwell?

One of the most popular is hanging a ceiling light to keep your stairs well lit.

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