Trending Now: The Most Popular New Stairways on Houzz
Placement, railings, newel posts and other accessories play important roles in readers’ favorite new stairway designs
Becky Harris
April 24, 2017
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
Sometimes we forget that staircases can make a big design statement. And when I look through the most popular staircases added to Houzz in the first quarter of 2017 — as measured by the number of people who saved them to their ideabooks from January through March — the wide range of styles found in Houzzer favorites never ceases to amaze me. Looks from maximalist curved stairs with intricate wrought-iron railings to the barest of contemporary floating stairs made the cut, as well as all kinds of styles in between.
1. Make a Statement With a Runner
With its handsome wooden handrails, curved newel posts and white balusters, this staircase is traditional and crisp. But a dynamic geometric runner sets a more transitional tone. Runners are great for reducing wear and tear on wooden treads, and they are a prime opportunity to switch up a staircase’s look with color and pattern.
With its handsome wooden handrails, curved newel posts and white balusters, this staircase is traditional and crisp. But a dynamic geometric runner sets a more transitional tone. Runners are great for reducing wear and tear on wooden treads, and they are a prime opportunity to switch up a staircase’s look with color and pattern.
2. Consider Feng Shui
I am no feng shui expert, but I dabble and have interviewed feng shui experts. Here’s a quick and dirty explanation of the relationship between stairs and the front door.
Regardless of feng shui, this is a pleasing layout. Perhaps it’s the staircase’s placement — turned and tucked to the right side of the door. Or perhaps it’s the modern farmhouse combination of white shiplap, bleached floors and iron railings that struck a chord with Houzzers. Whatever the case, you can feel the good chi.
I am no feng shui expert, but I dabble and have interviewed feng shui experts. Here’s a quick and dirty explanation of the relationship between stairs and the front door.
- Good energy, or chi, comes in the house through the front door and into the foyer, where it disperses to the rest of the house. But when there is a staircase right in front of the door, all that chi rushes up the stairs and messes up its flow, starving other parts of the house that need its nourishment.
- When the stairs line up with the front door, wealth flows down the stairs and out the door.
Regardless of feng shui, this is a pleasing layout. Perhaps it’s the staircase’s placement — turned and tucked to the right side of the door. Or perhaps it’s the modern farmhouse combination of white shiplap, bleached floors and iron railings that struck a chord with Houzzers. Whatever the case, you can feel the good chi.
This foyer layout is similar to the one above but shows how it works within an open floor plan. Here, the view goes from the front door across the living room and straight out to the backyard, rather than up a staircase. The stairs have a nice presence that doesn’t dominate the space and that lets the chi flow.
Decorate With Intention: A Crash Course in Feng Shui
Decorate With Intention: A Crash Course in Feng Shui
3. Hang Art
Whether it’s for a gallery of family portraits all the way up or some thoughtfully placed abstracts, staircases offer a good display area. Art also can help stop the chi from going where it shouldn’t when you have a less-than-ideal staircase-front door feng shui situation.
Whether it’s for a gallery of family portraits all the way up or some thoughtfully placed abstracts, staircases offer a good display area. Art also can help stop the chi from going where it shouldn’t when you have a less-than-ideal staircase-front door feng shui situation.
4. Go Backless
For some, removing the risers is vertigo-inducing; for others, it adds excitement to the ascent. A metal stringer shows off the structure of the staircase, making it an important architectural feature. The dark metal stringer and railings provide a nice contrast to the light wood of the treads.
For some, removing the risers is vertigo-inducing; for others, it adds excitement to the ascent. A metal stringer shows off the structure of the staircase, making it an important architectural feature. The dark metal stringer and railings provide a nice contrast to the light wood of the treads.
5. Let the Stairs Float
If the previous photo made you dizzy, this look is not for you. But it sure was a look admired by many Houzzers, who loved the way the stairs seem to defy gravity. A glass railing heightens this effect, a stone accent wall adds dimension, and the lighting scheme makes this stunning staircase even more dramatic at night.
If the previous photo made you dizzy, this look is not for you. But it sure was a look admired by many Houzzers, who loved the way the stairs seem to defy gravity. A glass railing heightens this effect, a stone accent wall adds dimension, and the lighting scheme makes this stunning staircase even more dramatic at night.
6. Maximize the Space Below
Closets, bars, office niches and small bathrooms are a few of the ways clever designers make the most of the often-wasted space beneath the stairs. But this charming fort was the winner when it came to under-stair uses this year so far.
Closets, bars, office niches and small bathrooms are a few of the ways clever designers make the most of the often-wasted space beneath the stairs. But this charming fort was the winner when it came to under-stair uses this year so far.
7. Take Advantage of the Risers
Risers can be a design opportunity. Here, patterned tiles are in keeping with the Mediterranean architecture, but restricting the color palette to black, white and gray is an update on the style that packs a graphic punch.
Risers can be a design opportunity. Here, patterned tiles are in keeping with the Mediterranean architecture, but restricting the color palette to black, white and gray is an update on the style that packs a graphic punch.
8. Make a Grand Entrance
If you dream of making dramatic down-the-stairs entrances to parties, or being carried up them by Rhett Butler, then by all means, add the grand staircase you’ve envisioned. This one’s graceful curve is just beckoning for a ballgown or a tux with tails.
If you dream of making dramatic down-the-stairs entrances to parties, or being carried up them by Rhett Butler, then by all means, add the grand staircase you’ve envisioned. This one’s graceful curve is just beckoning for a ballgown or a tux with tails.
This staircase not only offers up the grand entrance moment, but even better, it also offers up a “whee!” moment, for that is a curved slide running next to it. Be sure to check out the view from the top.
Share: Have you given much thought to the look of your stairs, or is your attitude more like Thomas Jefferson’s — they are purely utilitarian and get you from one floor to the next just fine, thank you very much? If you’re enjoying one-floor living but someone forced you to choose a stair style, is there anything here that floats your boat? Please share with us in the Comments.
More
Key Measurements for a Heavenly Stairway
Find guides to stairway design in the Houzz articles archive
Other Resources on Houzz
See the latest staircase photos
Find pros near you
Browse products in the Shop section
More
Key Measurements for a Heavenly Stairway
Find guides to stairway design in the Houzz articles archive
Other Resources on Houzz
See the latest staircase photos
Find pros near you
Browse products in the Shop section
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I like the last picture. This stair is a little different in that it has no wall to the side of it. It is open and bright on both sides, while coming down to into a living space rather than to the side of one.
I love all these ideas. We recently redid our stairs by staining them and painted risers and it turned out beautifully! You can see the results here
https://happyhautehome.com/2017/02/13/re-staining-stairs-railings-and-painting-stair-risers-white/?iframe=true&theme_preview=true