"Favourite Spaces" Series: Bringing Natural Light into Halls and Stairwells

26 February 2026

Welcome to the third instalment of our "Favourite Spaces" blog series, in which we look at interior spaces and share ideas for getting the best from the room you have. Everyone has a favourite corner at home, so here are a few of mine from my own house and the changes I've made to make the most of the space and light.

In this post I'll explain how we recreated the feeling of natural light in the hall and stairwell, two spots where daylight is hard to come by. Because there are no windows, I designed a made-to-measure hanging timber light fitting that heightens the sense of vertical space in the hall and uses soft glow bulbs to mimic natural sunlight.

A beam of spalted beech became the light fitting above the hall, with sun glow bulbs giving the hallway a pleasant sense of daylight, while a large mirror bounces that light around the stairwell and upper hall. The picture frames climb the wall and help emphasise the vertical scale as you look up the stairwell, and their reflection in the mirror adds to the horizontal scale of the room.

A second block of beech, fixed to the top of a shoe store by the front door, makes a handy plinth for keys and mail. Thanks to my Dad for the timber!

Next Week: Paint and Decoration

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