Stair lighting that turns on when you approach and turns off by itself – that's the whole idea for most people. You walk downstairs at night without first looking for a switch, and you also won't forget to leave it on.
There are two ways to achieve this, and one way that is often sought but rarely satisfies.
Method 1: a fixture with a built-in sensor
The simplest route. The Steno steplight has a built-in motion sensor: it reacts to motion within 8 meters and switches off again after about 30 seconds. No loose components, no extra wiring, and nothing you need to set up.
What you need to know: each fixture switches on its own sensor. So, on a staircase with five of these steplights, they don't all turn on at once, but one by one as you walk. Some people find that beautiful – the light moves with you. Others want the entire staircase to light up at once, and then this is not the solution.
The Steno is 1.5W, has a CCT switch for the light color, a cut-out size of 52 mm, and an recess depth of 34 mm. It is available in white and black versions.
Method 2: one sensor for the entire staircase
If you want everything to turn on at once, place one motion sensor in the power supply, before the first module. All light points are then connected to that single sensor and switch as a group.
This works with the entire Trevo system, and it's also how you can work with two sensors – one at the top and one at the bottom – so the stairs light up regardless of which direction you come from. The sensor is placed between the mains voltage and the fixtures; an electrician can install it in fifteen minutes.
Advantage: you choose the sensitivity and the follow-up time yourself, and you can add a twilight switch so that it does nothing during the day. Disadvantage: it's an extra component.
What about wireless stair lighting then?
Here we have to be honest: we don't carry it, and that's a conscious choice.
Wireless stair lighting runs on batteries. That sounds attractive because you don't have to wire anything, but a staircase is precisely a place you don't want to access for years. Seven light points mean seven sets of batteries that run out every few months, always at a different height, and always when it's dark. The light output is also lower, because a battery has to be economical.
If there is no possibility to wire – for example, in a rental home where you are not allowed to drill – then wireless is a realistic option, and there are brands that do it well. If you can wire, then 230 volts is almost always the better choice.
Smart stair lighting
By smart, people usually mean two different things.
If it's about color, then the Trevo Smart basic part is what you're looking for: 3W with RGBW, so in addition to white light, also a color. The same eight attachments fit on it, so you can combine it with regular Trevo modules on the same staircase.
If it's about control via an app or voice, then the smart part is not in the fixture but in the switch. You put a smart switch or module in the group, and the entire staircase becomes controllable with it – regardless of which fixtures are connected. This is usually cheaper and more reliable than fixtures that each maintain their own connection.
What we would do
For a regular home staircase: Trevo modules with one motion sensor in the power supply, and a twilight switch so that it stays off during the day. That's a one-time job and then nothing for thirty years.
For a single spot – a landing, a step, a cellar door – where wiring to a sensor is too much hassle: the Steno, because it takes care of itself.