Level Up Your Staircase

Though they’re a pivotal part of many floorplans, the stairs are often an overlooked for their design potential. While they serve the obvious function of connecting the levels of your home, staircases are also a frequently under-utilized opportunity to create a visual centerpiece that ties into—or stands out from—the rest of your home.

Here are a few ideas to dress up a drab staircase and make it a focal point of your main floor. 

Painted risers, shiplap wall
If your staircase is finished with hardwood flooring, a great way to make it more visually enticing is by painting the risers (the vertical section of each stair) a different color from the tread (the horizontal part that you walk on). Choosing a classic neutral like white, beautifully done in a rustic style by Yankee Barn Homes here, or something bold like a bright color or patterned tile, can create some great contrast with your natural hardwood that makes the overall appearance much more of a design-forward centerpiece. 

Updated rails

One surefire way to quickly upgrade an average staircase is by installing new, updated balusters (the thinner rails that run up the staircase). Working in different materials from the hardwood like metal or glass can offer welcome contrast between the stairs and the handrails, and effectively bring more attention to the beauty of the wood itself.

If you’re looking for a more modern appearance, consider looking at thin, vertical black metal balusters, or to jump on board with an even more modern-day trend, consider horizontal cable or metal rails seen here by Alan Mascord Design Associates. For an updated look that isn’t so sharply minimalist, consider metal balusters with more ornate added detail like these.

Or, if you want to work with your wooden balusters, consider staining or painting them a lighter shade and staining the handrail something darker for added contrast, as shown here.

Patterned or textured runner

With hardwood stairs, adding a runner can have a myriad of benefits: aside from adding some color and/or pattern to the stairs, it can make otherwise slippery stairs safer to climb for kids, and especially for light-colored or painted wood, it can keep any dirt or unnecessary wear off of the hardwood. It’s a ready-made opportunity to explore color, pattern, or texture and tie your staircase into the style in the rest of the home—plus, with some basic tools and know-how, it can be a great weekend DIY project.

Adding something like jute or seagrass can add great texture—plus it’s incredibly durable, easy to clean, and the more sustainable option (read more about sustainable home ideas in this LL Style piece). Another great material to use for a runner is wool, which is softer and highly durable, and can be found in a huge variety of colors and patterns depending on your taste.

A beautiful vintage wool runner—like the one seen here from designer Kate Arends—brings the grounding, timeless element of vintage style and pairs great with any shade of hardwood.

 

Do you have a favorite floor style for a staircase? Tell us—and tag us—on Facebook or Instagram at @LLFlooring and use #LLStyle.