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Home Decorating Lighting Design Dilemma

Stairway lighting sizing help & suggestions

2 years ago

Our home is a center hall colonial design and we want to place a chandelier in our small hallway. For the time being we had our contractor place a small lantern light we had in the stairway but it looks way too small.

Our stairway is 6' wide and 10'2" deep (13'2" deep if you include the upstairs hallway). There is 12.5' in height from the landing to the ceiling.

I have seen several similar homes with sphere type chandeliers that are 24" round, so thinking something about that size would look appropriate but we don't want to do a sphere light. Looking for something Transitional (traditional with more contemporary/clean lines). Looked at lanterns but we already have a lantern in our entry foyer so I am looking for something a bit different.

We like the Visual Comfort Reed 2-Tier Chandelier which is 26.5" W x 37.5" L, as we like the look of a tiered chandelier. Will this light be too large for the space? I tried to use the Houzz 2D visualizer but can't seem to get the sizing 100% right but it is close. It seems to look good to me but would love opinions from others. Using the window as a guide the 26.5" width is approximately 3 window panes and the 37.5" length would go down to just slightly below the bottom of the second row of window panes.

Would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions. Thanks!

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Comments (5)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
2 years ago
IMO stairway lighting should light the stairs and I always like that type of lighting to hang so that it is visible completely in the stairway window so see what you can find that meets those criteria and make sure the bulbs are LEDs you do not want to be changing bulbs all the time.
houssaon
2 years ago
I like what you posted. At least that size and hung just a bit lower as Patricia Colwell Consulting suggested.
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Emily
2 years ago
That's a beautiful fixture and if you have the scale right it looks perfect size for that space. You may want to hang it lower so that it's more visible through the window and a little bit easier to reach when you have to clean and change a light bulb. I agree that using LEDs would be best.
piscesgirl
Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks so much for all the feedback. I agree it could go a bit lower. Thinking of extending so the bottom of the light is at least to the bottom of to the third pane from the top. That would be 43” length. Middle of window would be ~47”…so something in that range.

Unfortunately it appears this light is a fixed length, however you can have custom lengths ordered. I will have to go to my local lighting store to see what this process entails. Looks like the finish we want (brass) is on back order until early October, so god only knows how long a custom order will take. Would be nice to have before Thanksgiving!
Emily
2 years ago
Good luck ordering and getting it in before thanksgiving. Post a pic when you have it installed.

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