Entryway Light Fixtures

Entryway light fixtures set the first impression, and they do it in the dark: the foyer light is the first one you switch on when you walk in at night. The choice comes down to ceiling height first and finish second.

Our luxury lighting for halls, foyers and stairwells includes tiered and tall statement chandeliers, ceiling lights for lower ceilings, and wall sconces to carry light down a passage. Most are antique brass or matte black iron, with glass that softens the light at eye level.

Choosing a foyer chandelier by ceiling height

Ceiling height decides more than width does, so measure floor to ceiling before you shop.

A two-story entry wants a tall entryway chandelier

In a double-height foyer a flat fixture floats near the ceiling and looks small from every angle. A tiered or vertical chandelier fills the volume and can be seen from both floors. Choose a drop long enough to be seen from the landing above as well as from the door, and keep at least seven feet of clearance where people walk beneath it.

A compact entryway light fixture for a standard ceiling

Under eight or nine feet, a large chandelier becomes something to duck. A ceiling light that sits close to the ceiling, or a compact fixture that clears the door swing, gives the entry presence without crowding it.

Hallway light fixtures and the long walk

A hall works best as a sequence. Two or three ceiling lights spaced evenly, or a run of wall sconces, pull you down the passage. A single fixture at one end leaves the far end in shadow and makes the hall feel longer than it is. A brass wall sconce at eye height, every eight to ten feet, lights the walls and any art on them instead of just the floor.

Foyer light fixtures and the console beneath

Most entries have a console, a mirror or a bench under the light, and the fixture should follow that piece. The usual miss is hanging the light in the geometric center of the foyer while the console sits off to one side, so neither one looks placed.

Matching entryway light fixtures to the finishes at the door

Guests meet your metals here first, so choose them on purpose. Antique brass looks warm and welcoming against wood floors and dark paint. Matte black looks cleaner and works with iron railings and black hardware. For more choice in shape and size, browse the full range of modern chandeliers and bring the finish you like back to the hall. Then repeat that metal on the console, mirror and bench in our luxury entryway furniture so the light and the furniture belong to one setting.

Check it from the front step

Look at the fixture from the doorstep after dark. A fixture that glows softly through the entry welcomes people better than one lit to daylight brightness, and a bare bulb visible from the step means the glass or shade is not doing its job.