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Lighting Education

How To Light a Stairwell: Linear Pendants, Chandeliers and Wall Lights

If you’ve ever stumbled down a stairway at night, you know how important it is to add good stairwell lighting to your home design…

Usually, a staircase is the area in your home that doesn’t get much natural light, so it’s important to make it safe with lighting. While hidden LEDs, linear step lights, and illuminated handrails are among the most practical ways to light up your stairs, you will want to combine them with beautiful, decorative lighting.

When it’s cold outside (or maybe even inside!) you need decorative ambient lighting to provide that warm, soft glow in the evenings. If you use orange or amber lights, the space will instantly feel warmer.

Although the stairwell is usually the only double-height space in your home, it often becomes ignored while decorating the house. If you only use it as a section of the house to pass through, make sure you read this short article about decorative lighting for stairwells, and how it can change the mood of your house.

Make a statement with a chandelier

Stairwells have huge potential for design. This double-height space is just perfect for making a statement with bold lighting.

Add some drama with a modern or vintage chandelier to sweep your guests off their feet. Whether you choose a contemporary style chandelier or a vintage crystal chandelier, it will be a guaranteed eye-catcher. It adds a touch of luxury to your home, making it more elegant and sophisticated.

Chandeliers are (literally) brilliant for those stairwells that lack light – choose a chandelier with 5 arms or more if your staircase doesn’t get much natural light.

Shop Vintage Chandeliers

Bianchi Vintage Murano Glass Chandeliers Pair
Bianchi Vintage Murano Glass Chandeliers Pair
£1,600
Ettienne Vintage Cage Chandelier
Ettienne Vintage Cage Chandelier
£1,650

Shop Modern Chandeliers

Cluster Mix 13 Chandelier
Cluster Mix 13 Chandelier
£4,990
Plisse Cloud Chandelier
Plisse Cloud Chandelier
£11,979
Glow Chandelier – Schwung
Glow Chandelier – Schwung
£5,550

Illuminate each level with linear pendants

Add that WOW factor to your home with stylish long drop pendant lights.

The beauty of pendant lights lies in their flexibility. They come with very long cables so you can easily adjust them to your required height. The drop from the upper floor ceiling and the lower level in a stairwell is often great, so make sure you choose a flex that looks just as stylish as the light itself.

You can hang just one large pendant light, just make sure you choose something really big and bright. However, to make sure that the light reaches each level, consider hanging series of pendant lights at different heights.

Pendant lights hung in a cluster formation look stunning from anywhere on the stairs. In other words, they give an impression of a 3D art piece in the centre of your home.

Go for clear glass pendant lights to keep it simple and stylish. We recommend the Neverending Glory collection by Lasvit, available in 5 shapes to mix and match,

Shop Pendant Lights

Neverending Glory ‘La Scala’ Pendant Light
Neverending Glory ‘La Scala’ Pendant Light
£2,100
Neverending Glory ‘Bolshoi Theatre’ Pendant Light
Neverending Glory ‘Bolshoi Theatre’ Pendant Light
£2,100
Neverending Glory ‘Prague Estate’ Pendant Light
Neverending Glory ‘Prague Estate’ Pendant Light
£2,100

Hang wall lights for a decorative effect

If like us, you’re a fan of art and design, make sure your stairwell walls are not empty!

Use this space to put up some of your favourite artwork or framed family photographs, and create your own gallery wall. We promise, a beautiful gallery wall along the staircase will make you want to climb the stairs up and down multiple times a day (and it’s a great exercise too!).

To get the best out of your gallery wall, highlight the artwork with a series of wall lights.

Place wall lights at regular intervals and make sure they offer a soft, warm glow. Go for minimal ambient wall lights – we recommend Odyssey Wall Lights.  You can also use a decorative wall light as a piece of art in itself to add to your wall art collection. We offer some beautiful decorative pieces such as the Palm Wall Light to make an elegant statement.

Shop Wall Lights

Odyssey Wall Light Medium – Schwung
Odyssey Wall Light Medium – Schwung
£345
Palm Wall Light
Palm Wall Light
£565
Rey Wall Light – Arcform
Rey Wall Light – Arcform
£495

The range of ways to illuminate stairs has grown dramatically in recent years. Although designers now like to apply multilayered lighting to stairwells, it can look a little sterile and boring. If you want to make your home more cosy, or simply give it more personality and character, go for a combination of practical downlights and decorative lighting.

Step lights, spot lights, and linear LED accents are a great way to ensure safety and prevent staircase accidents, but to make your house a home, you need multiple sources of lighting that will match your personality and style.

Shop our selection of chandeliers, pendant lights, and wall lights for a beautiful and stylish stairwell, and it will never be a boring space again.

Shop Stairwell Lighting

Neverending Glory ‘La Scala’ Pendant Light
Neverending Glory ‘La Scala’ Pendant Light
£2,100
Bow III Pendant Light
Bow III Pendant Light
£945
Cluster 5-Light Chandelier
Cluster 5-Light Chandelier
£2,257
Arborescence Pendant Light by Hervé Langlais
Arborescence Pendant Light by Hervé Langlais
£1,095
Cluster Mix 13 Chandelier
Cluster Mix 13 Chandelier
£4,990
Odyssey Wall Light Medium – Schwung
Odyssey Wall Light Medium – Schwung
£345
Palm Wall Light
Palm Wall Light
£565
Miron Double Wall Light
Miron Double Wall Light
£581
Dawn Single Wall Light
Dawn Single Wall Light
£399
Odyssey Cluster 13 Chandelier
Odyssey Cluster 13 Chandelier
£2,995
Odyssey Cluster 9 Chandelier
Odyssey Cluster 9 Chandelier
£2,156
Molecule Cluster 19 Light Chandelier
Molecule Cluster 19 Light Chandelier
£2,965
Odyssey Wall Light – Small
Odyssey Wall Light – Small
£295
Plisse Cloud Chandelier
Plisse Cloud Chandelier
£11,979
Glow Chandelier – Schwung
Glow Chandelier – Schwung
£5,550