Home lift interior design: how a lift sits in a room, and the finishes on offer

Brochure photographs show a lift in a styled room. The more useful question is what the room looks like on an ordinary Tuesday, with the lift parked upstairs and the ceiling trim, socket and flooring edge all on show. This page covers placement, how each type reads in a room, published finishes and the building work around the lift. UK Homelifts does not sell, supply or install lifts, so we have no finish range to promote.

Where a lift usually goes

Stiltz says its lift “can even fit discreetly into small spaces or room corners. Typically, it is fitted in a hallway or living room and travels upstairs to a main bedroom or landing area.” Lifton lists hallways, living rooms, stairwells, galleried landings and cupboards.

The downstairs position fixes the upstairs one. A through-floor car rises straight up, so the spot in the living room corner becomes a spot in whatever room is directly above. A wardrobe, a soil pipe or a beam in that position can move the lift, and our installation process guide explains why a clash under the floor is the usual cause of a moved lift.

Published footprints, all from makers’ own figures:

• Stiltz Duo+: “0.55m² in surface area” (Stiltz does not say whether that includes the rails)
• Lifton DUO: 1,040 × 760 mm including the rails
• Aritco HomeLift Compact: 840 × 880 mm outside, with a fixed top height of 2,248 mm
• Cibes Cloud Plus: “fits inside just 1 m²”, with 2,400 mm minimum headroom on the top floor
• PVE30 vacuum lift: 750 mm external diameter (UK dealer Morgan Ellis gives 800 mm installation space)

Our compact lifts guide covers the smallest options in more detail.

How each lift type looks in a room

What makers publish about finishes

This is our dated check of each maker’s own website on 26 September 2026. We record what was published, in their words, and say so where nothing was.

Stiltz

“The Duo+ is finished in grey, while the Classic lifts have a neutral cream exterior with a matching beige interior lining colour.” Under “Bespoke Colours & Finishes” Stiltz says you can “Customise your Stiltz lift by choosing different colour lift car, rails and interior lining.” It does not list the colours. Its FAQ adds that the lift “can be tailored with different colors, seats, and handrails.”

Lifton

Lifton’s range page describes the design as “Minimalist, contemporary”, and a Lifton guide mentions “Light, neutral colours” and a “fully transparent surround”. We found no named colours or finish options on the range page, the DUO page or the FAQs.

Aritco

Aritco’s UK design page lists “more than 200 different colors, depending on lift model”, “solid wall panels or glass wall panels, clear or tinted”, panel finishes named pine, concrete, mahogany and oak, “up to eight different floorings”, colour LED lighting, and control panels in Traffic White, Anthracite Grey, Bronze or Gold. The HomeLift Compact page lists three standard colours (Traffic White, Jet Black, Anthracite Grey) with RAL K7 colours on request.

Cibes

The Cibes Cloud Plus page lists “7 beautiful colour combinations” and “close to 300 colours” for custom designs, is “fully glazed as a standard” with a “full 360˚ view”, and lists a lower gate option for slanted ceilings. The broader platform range is described only as “a wide range of colours, materials, door models and accessories”.

Terry Lifts

Terry’s Lifestyle Affinity page lists a “Choice of three stylish colours (black, mid-grey and white)”, “Interior and exterior paint options – over 2500 RAL colours available”, “Toughened laminated scratch-resistant glass sides and door” and mood lighting.

PVE

The maker’s PVE30 page lists Standard Black, Anodized Silver, White, Light Gray, Dark Gray and Taupe, an “Aluminum and polycarbonate cylinder structure” and optional clear polycarbonate panels. UK dealer Morgan Ellis lists “Standard: White, Navy Grey” and “Special: Taupe, Black and Light Grey”.

We could not load Stannah’s website for this check, so Stannah is not included.

Stiltz ThruCar: doors on both sides

Stiltz sells ThruCar versions of the Duo and Trio. In Stiltz’s words, the ThruCar “allows passengers to enter and exit from opposite sides of the lift”, with “two doors … configured on either side of the lift car.” Stiltz claims “There is no other domestic lift on the market that is capable of having a double entry or ThruCar configuration.” We have not tested that claim against every maker.

For room layout, a ThruCar matters when the natural way into the lift downstairs faces the opposite way from the way out upstairs, for example a lift entered from a living room and left onto a landing behind it. A single-door car in that position means reversing out or turning round inside, which is harder with a walking frame or wheelchair. Our wheelchair lifts guide covers car sizes.

Making good: where the finish is won or lost

Upstairs floor

On a through-floor lift, a lid seals the upstairs aperture when the car is downstairs. Stiltz describes a “Safety Lid Plug” that “is strong enough to stand on and you can place your original flooring on top to blend in.” Ask who cuts and fits your carpet or boards to it, and who pays.

Ceiling below

The aperture needs a trimmed, plastered and decorated edge. Stiltz’s FAQ says the aperture must be “cut out and trimmed by a qualified builder”, and Lifton says the same.

Decoration

Our installation cost guide found only two of six brands that publish a price say clearly that building works are included, and describes making good as the item most often outside a “standard installation”. The gap between installed and installed-including-building-works is typically £1,500 to £6,000. Get flooring, plastering, skirting and redecoration on both levels priced line by line.

Shaft lifts

A glazed shaft shows everything behind it, so the wall it stands against and the floor around its base are on display. Aritco’s Compact sits either recessed 50 mm into the floor or on a 50 mm ramp, and the recess needs the floor finish cut neatly round it.

Lighting and sockets

Stiltz fits “2 x 3w LED downlights” in the Duo and “4 x 3w” in the Trio, switched on when someone enters. Cibes lists a recessed LED ceiling and LED safety edges, with optional shaft and landing lights that “automatically switch off when the lift is not in use”. Aritco offers colour LED lighting.

Power is a design question too. Stiltz and Lifton say their lifts plug into a standard 13A socket, and our installation guide advises confirming “where the dedicated socket will go so it is not hidden behind furniture later”. Cibes specifies a 16A supply, and Morgan Ellis lists 230 V single-phase for PVE, so budget for an electrician and a neat cable route.

Noise

Cibes publishes “40 dB a few metres from the lift” for the Cloud Plus. Stiltz says its lift “makes less noise than most stairlifts” but gives no figure. If the lift will sit in a bedroom or a living room used for television, read how loud is a home lift before choosing a position.

Resale and removal

Stiltz and Lifton both say their lifts can be taken with you when you move and that the aperture can be reversed and sealed. Removal and floor reinstatement typically cost £1,000 to £1,500 (UK, 2026). See how a home lift is removed and does a home lift add property value.

Frequently asked questions

Can I choose the colour of a home lift?

With most makers, yes. Aritco publishes more than 200 colours, Cibes close to 300 for the Cloud Plus, and Terry over 2,500 RAL colours for the Affinity. Stiltz offers bespoke colours for the car, rails and lining without listing them. On the pages we checked on 26 September 2026, Lifton published no colour options.

What is a Stiltz ThruCar?

A ThruCar is a version of the Stiltz Duo or Trio with doors on opposite sides of the car, so you enter on one side and leave on the other. It suits rooms where the way in downstairs faces away from the way out upstairs. Stiltz says no other domestic lift offers this configuration.

Where is a through-floor lift usually installed?

Stiltz says its lift is typically fitted in a hallway or living room and travels to a main bedroom or landing. Lifton adds stairwells, galleried landings and cupboards. The upstairs position is fixed by the downstairs one, because the car rises straight through a ceiling aperture into the room directly above.

Is decorating included in a home lift quote?

Often not. Only two of the six brands that publish a price say clearly that building works are included, and making good is the item most often left outside a standard installation. Ask for plastering, flooring, skirting and redecoration on both floors to be priced separately.

Are glass home lifts noisy?

Noise comes from the drive. Cibes publishes 40 dB a few metres from its Cloud Plus screw-drive lift. Stiltz says its through-floor lift is quieter than most stairlifts but gives no figure. Ask each supplier for a published decibel figure and where it was measured.

Can a home lift be removed if I move house?

Stiltz and Lifton both say their lifts can go with you and the aperture can be reversed and sealed. Removal and floor reinstatement typically cost £1,000 to £1,500. Keeping spare flooring from the original installation makes the repair easier to match.

UK Homelifts is an independent information site. We do not sell, supply, install or service lifts and are not affiliated with any manufacturer. This page is general information, not building, structural or planning advice. Check your own home with a surveyor, your installer or building control.