Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total Starwood Property Trust, Inc. Stockholders' Equity	Common stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Treasury Stock	(Accumulated Deficit) Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Non-Controlling Interests	Total
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 4,282,528	$ 1,961	$ 4,300,479	$ (10,642)	$ (84,719)	$ 75,449	$ 44,605	$ 4,327,133
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013		196,139,045		625,850
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Proceeds from public offering of common stock	564,695	$ 253	564,442					564,695
Proceeds from public offering of common stock (in shares)		25,300,000
Proceeds from ATM Agreement	36,172	$ 16	36,156					36,172
Proceeds from ATM Agreement (in shares)		1,512,925
Proceeds from DRIP Plan	131		131					131
Proceeds from DRIP Plan (in shares)		5,612
Equity offering costs	(1,535)		(1,535)					(1,535)
Common stock repurchased	(12,993)			$ (12,993)				$ (12,993)
Common stock repurchased (in shares)				587,900				587,900
Equity component of Convertible Senior Notes repurchase	15,568		15,568					$ 15,568
Share-based compensation	28,622	$ 13	28,609					28,622
Share-based compensation (in shares)		1,324,674
Manager incentive fee paid in stock	11,123	$ 5	11,118					11,123
Manager incentive fee paid in stock (in shares)		469,797
Net income	495,021				495,021		5,517	500,538
Dividends declared, $1.92 per share	(419,680)				(419,680)			(419,680)
Spin-off of SWAY	(1,119,243)		(1,119,243)				(1,594)	(1,120,837)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net	(19,553)					(19,553)		(19,553)
VIE non-controlling interests							141	141
Contributions from non-controlling interests							7,267	7,267
Distribution to non-controlling interests							(33,880)	(33,880)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	3,860,856	$ 2,248	3,835,725	$ (23,635)	(9,378)	55,896	22,056	3,882,912
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014		224,752,053		1,213,750
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Proceeds from public offering of common stock	326,142	$ 138	326,004					$ 326,142
Proceeds from public offering of common stock (in shares)		13,800,000
Proceeds from ATM Agreement (in shares)								0
Proceeds from DRIP Plan	286		286					$ 286
Proceeds from DRIP Plan (in shares)		12,670
Equity offering costs	(945)		(945)					(945)
Common stock repurchased	(48,746)			$ (48,746)				$ (48,746)
Common stock repurchased (in shares)				2,340,246				2,340,246
Equity component of Convertible Senior Notes repurchase	(17,727)		(17,727)					$ (17,727)
Share-based compensation	32,146	$ 17	32,129					32,146
Share-based compensation (in shares)		1,734,642
Manager incentive fee paid in stock	17,379	$ 7	17,372					17,379
Manager incentive fee paid in stock (in shares)		745,410
Net income	450,697				450,697		1,486	452,183
Dividends declared, $1.92 per share	(453,605)				(453,605)			(453,605)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net	(26,167)					(26,167)		(26,167)
VIE non-controlling interests							2,232	2,232
Contributions from non-controlling interests							6,974	6,974
Distribution to non-controlling interests							(2,121)	(2,121)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	4,140,316	$ 2,410	4,192,844	$ (72,381)	(12,286)	29,729	30,627	$ 4,170,943
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015		241,044,775		3,553,996				241,044,775
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Proceeds from public offering of common stock	448,825	$ 205	448,620					$ 448,825
Proceeds from public offering of common stock (in shares)		20,470,000
Proceeds from ATM Agreement (in shares)								0
Proceeds from DRIP Plan	405		405					$ 405
Proceeds from DRIP Plan (in shares)		19,451
Equity offering costs	(778)		(778)					(778)
Common stock repurchased	(19,723)			$ (19,723)				$ (19,723)
Common stock repurchased (in shares)				1,052,889				1,052,889
Equity component of Convertible Senior Notes repurchase	(355)		(355)					$ (355)
Share-based compensation	32,633	$ 15	32,618					32,633
Share-based compensation (in shares)		1,427,027
Manager incentive fee paid in stock	17,835	$ 9	17,826					17,835
Manager incentive fee paid in stock (in shares)		932,553
Net income	365,186				365,186		2,465	367,651
Dividends declared, $1.92 per share	(468,479)				(468,479)			(468,479)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net	6,409					6,409		6,409
VIE non-controlling interests							254	254
Contributions from non-controlling interests							11,387	11,387
Distribution to non-controlling interests							(6,934)	(6,934)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 4,522,274	$ 2,639	$ 4,691,180	$ (92,104)	$ (115,579)	$ 36,138	$ 37,799	$ 4,560,073
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016		263,893,806		4,606,885				263,893,806