Staircase Wall Sconces
Staircase wall sconces are a practical fitting that happens to be decorative. Light thrown along a stairwell wall falls across the treads and makes the edge of each step readable, which one fixture at the top of the flight rarely manages alone. Every model listed here suits a stair wall.
How to choose staircase wall sconces
Body depth matters more on a stair than anywhere else in the house. People carry laundry and boxes up these walls and brush the fixture with a shoulder, so a shallow half-dome, a flush disc or a slim rectangle beats a wide arm with an exposed shade. Anything projecting more than about four inches will eventually be caught.
Direction is the second call. A fitting that washes down the wall puts light exactly where the nose of each tread meets the riser, which is the line you actually read as you descend. An open shade at head height as you climb sends the bulb straight into your line of sight. Wire the run to a two-way switch at the top and bottom of the flight so nobody has to cross the stairs to reach a control.
Spacing and mounting height for staircase wall sconces
Follow the rake of the stairs rather than a level line, keeping each fixture the same distance above the tread it sits over.
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Height: around 60 inches measured vertically from the nose of the tread below each fixture.
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Spacing: one fixture every third or fourth step, roughly 5 to 6 feet apart along the rake.
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Projection: under 4 inches on any wall that also carries traffic.
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Handrail: keep the body clear of the rail line and of any grab point.
How high do you mount a sconce on a stair wall?
About 60 inches above the tread directly below it, measured straight up rather than along the slope. Holding that same figure at every position makes the run climb evenly with the stairs. On a half-landing, use the standard 60 to 66 inches of a hallway.
How many does a single flight need?
Two for a typical 13 step flight, three where the stairwell is tall or the walls are dark. Even spacing matters more than the count, since one bright fixture at the top leaves the lower treads in shadow while three modest ones light the whole run.
Other pages in this family: Wall Sconces for Bedroom, Wall Sconces for Living Room, Bathroom Wall Sconces and Staircase Chandeliers. The full category is Wall Lamps.
