Is it possible to find a person who has never at least once in his life in complete darkness go up or down the stairs? Even if you succeed safely, without bruises and abrasions, to overcome all the steps, the fear of dark space will remain for a long time. That is why it is so important to properly organize the lighting of the stairs.
The main task is to make the movement around the house safe and comfortable. The aesthetic side is no less important, because the illumination of walls, stairs and railings will help to harmoniously fit the product into the interior and favorably distinguish it from the rest of the details of the premises.
What to consider when arranging staircase lighting
To properly illuminate the stairs, you need to take into account many nuances. Let's take a closer look at some of them.
Lighting methods are somewhat different depending on where the staircase is located: on the street or inside the house.
External stairs can be illuminated both by general light sources for the entire yard, and by local ones. As a rule, these are powerful street lamps: lanterns and small spotlights, the electrical wiring of which has reinforced insulation, resistance to frost and temperature extremes.
The step luminaire can be mounted on the wall of the building, a suspension cable or a special support. Electricity is supplied by a cable running at a height or underground. If the lighting performs a decorative function, then ground street lamps can be used to illuminate the stairs.
Lighting stairs in the house - artificial and natural light sources
If the room has a window or a stained-glass window that lets in a lot of light, it will be enough to install a few light bulbs on the entire flight of stairs. Thus, artificial light will provide illumination during the day, and lamps will not let you get lost at night or in cloudy weather.
In the basement or attic, the presence of a window opening is quite rare. In cases where there is no natural light or it is not enough, you need to think about a source of diffused light - a chandelier for the stairs will provide illumination of the march at any time of the day.
Stair construction. The lighting of a simple single-flight staircase and, for example, a spiral one, should be approached differently. In the first case, it is enough to install automatic lamps at the beginning and end of the march. Working with a spiral design requires a more detailed approach. An excellent solution can be the illumination of the steps of the stairs - you will see everything that is under your feet, and you will not stumble.
The longer the rise, the larger the area to be illuminated and the brighter the light must be so that the walking person can feel comfortable. Therefore, for long marches, a diffused light source is preferable. For short stairs, spotlights can be used - in this case, the requirements are minimal.
What are the sources of light - types and methods of lighting stairs
The light on the stairs can be direct, diffused, reflected and combined. Using all the options, you need to achieve uniform lighting that will illuminate the flight of stairs along the entire length and will not blind your eyes.
There are general, local (point) and decorative light sources. When choosing one or another lamp for stairs, be sure to pay attention to the level of illumination in the room, the brightness and direction of the light.
General lighting fixtures - long chandeliers for stairs
To illuminate the stairs in several spans, general lighting fixtures are installed. With their help, you can achieve a soft uniform light, which, unlike directional, does not irritate the eyes.
The original decoration of the flight of stairs and the room as a whole can be long chandeliers for stairs, which not only illuminate the room with high quality, but also add sophistication to the interior. Multi-tiered chandeliers for flights of stairs look even more respectable. .
Cast iron stairs and railings with forged elements will go well with a forged chandelier made of a metal frame made of brass or bronze.
Local lighting - stair lights
In addition to the main lighting devices, local lamps should be provided, the task of which is to illuminate the steps in more detail. To do this, you need to use sources of artificial lighting, mounted on the walls a little higher than a person’s height, so as not to blind your eyes, or flashlights built into the wall at knee level. If necessary, they can be equipped with lampshades or diffusers.
Various table lamps and floor lamps can be used as fixtures. The most commonly used sconces, which give the atmosphere coziness and favorably emphasize the beauty of the product. The entrance to the stairs can be decorated with high floor lamps, and the same ones, but smaller, can be installed on intermediate platforms.
If the interior of the house is decorated in high-tech style, then most often spotlights are used to illuminate the stairs, located above the steps, or built into them. However, you will need a large number of lamps to provide sufficient light levels, especially if the march is very long. It does not always look aesthetically pleasing and is not profitable from a financial point of view. An alternative would be LED step lighting, which gives a softer light and is not conspicuous.
Sometimes it becomes necessary to additionally illuminate the entrance and exit of the lift or railing. In this case, the source of directional light is located at the beginning and end of the stairs, and if the march is long, then along it. If necessary, the railing can be equipped with flexible luminescent cords.
No matter how the point light sources are located, they should not dazzle a person.
decorative lighting
Decorative lighting depends on the style in which the staircase to the second floor is made. It is better to highlight a wooden structure with a yellowish light, which will give the wood a pleasant shade. Metal products are usually illuminated with bright white light, which creates reflections on the surface of the metal.
Decorative lighting can be formed not only with the help of lamps: various glass surfaces, doors or partitions can be a source of second light. The light reflected from them is able to create the effect of transparent space. It is pleasant to perceive, as it is similar to natural daylight.
When choosing a light source, you must consider the finish of the staircase itself. For example, white surfaces visually enlarge the space, making it lighter. Natural lighting is more suitable here, or lamps with light close to natural.
If the decoration of the stairs is dominated by warm colors that create an atmosphere of comfort, use diffused lighting. For products made in dark and cold colors, the most intense illumination is needed not only at night, but also in the daytime.
Illumination of stairs with LED strip - lamps and profile for steps
If you are looking for interesting solutions, then LED step lighting is just what you need. The use of this method of lighting allows not only to make the interior of the staircase original, but also provides it with an additional source of light.
The most popular lighting stairs with LED strip. This solution is attractive due to its relative cheapness and ease of implementation. You will need to replace the LED strip only after 10 years, during which, due to the low consumption of electricity, you save money and enjoy the beautiful view.
LED lamps are very convenient, because with the help of a remote control you can adjust the intensity of light and even its color. The LED strip is powered by 12 V, which makes it safe.
To prevent the tape from spoiling, it is inserted into a special profile for illuminating the steps, which protects it from water and dirt.
Staircase and landing lighting
When planning a lighting system, it is necessary to think over the lighting of flights of stairs. Lamps for the stairs should be placed in such a way that their light does not blind those walking along the march. Most often, lamps are used, located high on the walls or on the ceiling. If the stylistic decision requires a low arrangement of lamps, then care must be taken that their light is diffused.
As a rule, lamps are installed on the staircase, which illuminate a large section of the staircase and at the same time, due to their location, focus attention on the site.
Automatic stair lighting - automatic stair lighting
If the stairs are used from time to time, then there is no need for constant lighting. This is especially true for service structures. In order to save energy, a staircase lighting machine is used, which is installed on the first and last steps or on each, as shown in the video.
Some machines are equipped with a motion sensor, which turn on lighting devices if a moving object appears in its coverage area. The light on the landing turns off automatically after a certain adjustable period of time, after the movement stops.
Other stair light switches are equipped with acoustic sensors and switch on the light when there is footstep noise in the sensor area.
Both types of machines are equipped with light level sensors, due to which the lamps turn on only when the available lighting is not enough.
With the help of these devices, it is possible to automatically illuminate the stairs not only with classic lamps, but also with LED strips. You can set the machine so that the steps light up gradually and also gradually go out as the person moves up the stairs.
Automatic lamps and a modern lighting control system have undeniable advantages:
- energy savings due to the fact that the lamps work only when a person climbs the stairs;
- You don't have to look for the switch in the dark;
- comprehensive lighting customization;
- spectacular look.