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 Luxury Diamond Crystal Chandelier, 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 provides a clean, neutral backdrop for the Tremezzo's stainless steel frame and diamond-cut crystals, each hung to catch light independently. 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.