The grand staircase was once the celebratory focal point of the gentleman’s estate, a mark of ascension and rising up above one’s limitations.

The traditional staircase was intended to inspire awe and coyly hint at the decadence that awaited its tenants and guests the next floor up, and while today’s staircase may not reach for such a lofty goal, it nonetheless deserves the attention of its earlier incarnations.

Staircase lighting is more than just a necessary safety measure, but your chance to ascend and descend in year-round ambience. From individual stair lighting-a stylish way to ensure that one doesn’t miss a step and risk a tumble-to exquisite wall sconces of every style and era, there are as many modes of stair lighting as stairways themselves.

Inlaid LED lights along the walls guide in a manner befitting the modern man, while creative fixtures lend a uniquely artistic vibe to even the most straight-and-narrow stairway design. Whatever the impression you seek to make, your stairway lighting is more than ornamentation, but the finishing touch on your household layout.

Most of us spend our days going up and down stairs of all makes and purposes, and few carry the power to stop us in our tracks. Lighting has long played a crucial part in setting the desired tone for one’s personal space, with no detail spared in the finale gesture. These top 60 best stairway lighting ideas can make all the difference between everyday architecture and an unforgettable thematic arc.

The question remains: do you wish to descend in the manner of the masses, or ascend like a modern day royal?