stair lightingThere are a number of different types of stair lighting systems, but the one that most homeowners use just consists of individual strip lights that can be attached to the bottoms of the stairs. They go under the slight lip at the top of the stair, meaning that they are mostly hidden from the naked eye, even when you are going up the stairs. All that you see is the warm glow illuminating your path. Below are the most common places where people you these types of lights. It is interesting to see how others have used them to change the appearance and functionality of their homes.

On Garage Stairs

The number one place where people use stair lighting systems is on the stairs that lead out to the garage. The reason for this is that more trips are made into or out of the garage in the dark than in any part of the home. When you get home and get out of your car, carrying a late-night load of groceries, you probably do not have any way to turn on the lights that are by the front door. You just have to stumble across the dark room, looking for the concrete stairs with your feet. If they have their own lighting, you can protect yourself from tripping and falling in the dark.

On the Back Porch

It can be great to sit out in your backyard on a summer night, looking at the stars as dusk falls. However, when you decide to go back inside and go to bed, the walk up the wooden steps can be rather treacherous. Unless you have remembered to turn the interior light on beforehand, you won’t be able to see. If you have turned the light on, your peaceful view of the stars will be interrupted. You need a compromise, something that will make it possible for you to see without obstructing your view and ruining the atmosphere. Strip lights are ideal because they are not overwhelming, and they show you just what you need to see.

On In-Home Stairs

Finally, you could use stair lighting on the main staircase that leads from the living area to the bedrooms. You probably will not want to go upstairs and turn on a light when it is not even dark out, but this means that it will be very dark when you turn off all of the downstairs lights and then try to make your way to bed. Stair lighting makes it so that you can see. The low-powered LED lights can then be turned off when you get upstairs, using a second switch, or they can just be left on all night long.