8 staircase lighting ideas to illuminate your path

Consider incorporating some of our staircase lighting ideas into your home this season. As the number one refurbishment decor decision making waves throughout the interior design stratosphere, we guarantee you’ll love what we inspire you to do with the place.

Not only does lighting your stairs maximise your safety, but it also lets you ascend and descend them like you’re in a Hollywood film, with all eyes on your arrival and departure.

You can also read our blog ‘staircase carpet ideas fit for a runway‘ for some alternative design inspiration!

Warm staircase lighting ideas

These homeowners have opted for a rectangular LED wall sconce on each of their stairs. Not only does it create a striking effect, but the raised design means more of the stair is illuminated.

When coupled with the horizontal wood-panelled walls, the result is a contemporary, symmetrical, and softly lit stairway. This design is both warm and easy to install, which makes it a great choice for those with stairs they’re looking to enhance. Instead of a full refurbishment, these lights can be added to any original feature.

Don’t like the shape? There are hundreds of variants to choose from. Just take your pick!

Why not hire one of our professionals to help you get the look?

Consider two ways to illuminate your stairs

There are several ways to light your path. Why choose one when you can choose several?

The steps themselves are designed for the widened curved staircase they’re built into. Lipped at the top, LED strip lights are installed under each overhang to illuminate the step below, making the staircase a safe and easy design to traverse. 

The twin wall lights with overhanging bulbs are placed on the plain panelled wall to make sure they stand out, while the adjacent wall is decorated with mottled panels for a clash of texture and interest.

We really love the finished effect, which combines modern and industrial decor for maximum impact.

Clean and bright stairway lighting ideas

No, this isn’t the staircase from ‘that scene in Grease.’ Beauty-school drop-outs aren’t about to dance and sing for you with foils in their hair.

Despite the bright and white nature of this staircase, it incorporates some key elements that are worth considering.

First, the strip lights beneath each step’s overhang add delicate hues and contrasting patches of light and shade to this immaculate stairway. Second, the strip lights that run from every other step up the wall give the entire staircase an almost otherworldly feel.

Why not read our Staircase ideas: Stunning railings, bannisters, and stairs for some extra inspiration?

Striking interior stairway lighting ideas

This minimalist ‘floating’ staircase is both elegant and stylish.

Inset wall lights placed at tread level are installed every other step, which leads the eye upwards as it casts a gentle luminescence in this unassuming hallway.

The glass handrail with wooden balustrades is a nice touch, allowing the viewer to see through it towards the lighting feature. In the evening, the glow from the inset lights will hit the glass and create a warm and tranquil highlight.

A simple yet effective design, consider this look for smaller or minimalist properties.

Carefully consider your ceiling lighting

Before you choose the lights that will adorn the ceilings above your stairs, consider whether they’re for decoration or function.

If you’re looking for a statement piece like this mini chandelier, then keep it simple and elegant. You don’t want to overdo it with your lighting as you risk clashing styles and overwhelming the space.

The key is to create a clean transition from one area to another without creating lighting discrepancies within your home. A well placed hanging light is perfect for stairs that curve like this. However, for straighter designs or those with mid-level ceilings in the way, you might want to opt for a more practical solution.

Read our electrician hourly rate guide to help you price up your staircase lighting installation project.

Basement staircase lighting ideas

Consider playing with darker colours and textures for your basement. You don’t want to give off a ‘serial killer’ dungeon vibe. However, making it super bright and busy might detract from the muted features of your cellar. For example, a stone or open bricked wall like this one adds edge and character.

Shorter strip lights beneath your step lips tones down the brightness and creates a runner of light, which is a nice effect if you’re looking to keep your stair illumination unassuming and practical.

One thing is for sure: basements are dark! So, making sure your stairs are safe and properly lit is important to avoid accidents.

Why not hire one of our professionals to help you get the look?

Outdoor stair lighting ideas

When it comes to deck lighting ideas and designs, there are various ways to achieve garden glory.

We always recommend choosing some inset stair lights – be it strip, sconce or floor – to illuminate the steps (safety first!) However, when it comes to choosing colour, style and number, it’s a matter of preference.

Your garden lighting needs to weather potential storms. So, opt for LED, waterproof or housed lights to make sure you’re not caught in an electrical nightmare.

Why not read our decking ideas: inspiring your garden decking project for more inspiration on turning your garden into a stylish haven?

Exterior staircase lighting ideas

Are you sick of seeing muted designs and elegant lighting solutions? If you’re a wild type with a penchant for colour, then we have the perfect solution for you.

Neon strip lights! Yep, you heard it here first. Checkatrade is suggesting you install some neon strip lights in your home to shake things up.

Of course, there are only a few kinds of homes that can pull off some sexy neon lighting. For example, Retro, Contemporary, Hollywood Regency, Industrial and Eclectic are all great candidates.

It’s probably worth noting that less is more. A few signs and some strip lighting is all you need to make neon work for you and your space.

Like what you see? There’s more where this came from. Check out Checkatrade’s blog for more tips, ideas, how-tos, and inspiration.