Private House, Schaumburg, IL

This private residence in Schaumburg, Illinois, centers on a bright two-story stairwell finished with light oak treads, white walls, and a black metal-and-wood railing. The stairwell's tall, narrow volume called for a fixture that could fill the vertical space with light and movement without overwhelming the clean, contemporary lines of the millwork.

Cascading from a round brass canopy near the ceiling is a loose scatter of faceted crystal drops, each one hung at a different length on its own thin cord so the cluster reads as a suspended constellation rather than a single dense mass. The composition is in the spirit of our Kaelix Crystal Cascade Staircase Chandelier for High Ceilings, whose crystal pendants hang from a minimalist brass canopy on individually adjustable cords, letting the cascade be arranged to fit the stairwell exactly as shown here.

Finished with black metal balusters and a natural wood handrail, the staircase carries the fixture's warm brass tone through to the hardware, tying the lighting to the rest of the home's finishes. By day the crystals catch ambient light in small flashes; by night the fixture becomes a quiet focal point that guides the eye up the full run of the stairs.