Slippery, At this point I see only adults using the deck. We also have a screened porch which will be the actual hang out place with seating and tables etc. The deck will be used for grilling and chilling by adults while grilling. Below the deck is gravel which extends about 5 feet beyond the deck. I like the idea of planters and benches at the edge but the deck is 30 ft. long. That many benches and planters could be expensive. Thanks for the advice... Art

You only need a handrail on the knee wall side. If you try to add a tailing on the other side it will look out of place, unless you have little kids and you worry about them climb or walk the ledge, you can put something to prevent that from happening, but it would still be easier to teach them not to go up there.

Hi what color should I stain this basement staircase handrail? I have “golden oak” through the rest of my home but she’s nice this is a basement, I wanted to go slightly darker in stain. Advice on a min wax stain? Stairs will be grey carpet and newel post painted white.

Thanks, cpartist! Your stairs are gorgeous!! I definitely can see the benefit of avoiding the S-fitting, but if you look at my drawing of my stairs, it's so few steps past the vaulted plane of the ceiling that it seems like a lot to add one on the other side. That's why I'm wondering if it's possible (and would look okay) to offset the right wall of the stairs enough to have the handrail bypass it going straight up to the second floor, and then have a 90-degree turn at the top to die into the right wall. Does that make sense?