Here are the stairs from a different angle. You can see right out the back from the front door.

I would do wood if you're doing wainscoting.

I prefer iron. Unless your house is going to be really super traditional, wood railings to me feel a little dated.

Depends on the style you are going for in the house! The iron is more modern in my opinion, and I personally prefer it.

I like this example because it feels fresh and modern but still has traditional characteristics. :)

That’s funny you posted that picture. It’s very close to the front door color, floor color and light in the entry. I’m torn up about it because we are trending modern but then we went and put in (very simple) wainscot just in the entry area.

I vote for the iron railing - it's beautiful!

White , more classic. Sorry, but the iron railing trend has had it’s day. The one pictured is very attractive, but with your wainscoting definitely the white.

Btw, what are you doing in the space under? Just curious, I have a very similar staircase.

The front door will be painted very close to this color (French beret), which is why we selected black lights. I actually like the newel posts in this picture but I do like the iron railings more overall. It’s a very open space and the finishes are more simple/modern than traditional.

The tallest one is 24” deep, just a pole/small shelf...I had them create a small niche for the other side to hold my cookbooks on 3 shelves (open to the kitchen). The other two are 36” deep: both pullouts, one will have hooks for backpacks/jackets and the bottom will be space for gym bags; the other will have a shelf to hold kids shoes.

I'd say wood.

You can combine the materials. Here are some ideas.

If you have wainscotting, then yes, I think wood.

Iron with proper styling can work beautifully.

The key would be keep balusters very simple and railing simple too.

This is a written version of the commentary in my head...lol

The metal one looks insubstantial to me...and with the wainscot looks a little busy...I like the aspect of the handrail matching the steps and the simplicity of the wood upright just the right balance of modern and traditional...plus there far less railing here than in any of the inspiration pics...

hahaha oh the back and forth in our heads. I think iron would look best! I agree that it looks for modern and updated. What is the overall style of your home?

It is unclear about the cubbies under the stairs..if they are in view or facing the door ....but using it that way may conflict
/distract from the clean modern effect you are after in the staircase...

The cubbies don’t face the door-they are down the hall towards laundry and kitchen. They will be the same color as the wall and finished the same as my kitchen cabinets. I’ll see if I can get a picture from the front door tomorrow. I’m honestly leaning towards the iron rail partly because that was what was there originally from the 60s. The house is more contemporary than traditional, but does have traditional elements. I didn’t go trendy with tile or colors. The main goal is to not take away from the view.

May I suggest metal spindles with a wooden hand rail. We have that in our new transitional style house that has white wood paneling at the stairs and we are very pleased.

I’d love to see a picture kapiticoast!

Nice

Hopefully I will be successful posting a photo! As you will see, our stairs are dark wood but I feel that yours would be lovely in white and with plain spindles without the knuckles.

Take away from what view?....??

I just saw this thread and laughed to myself as I had the same two pictures I was depending with as well when we did our rail and I ended up with a happy medium since I just couldn't decide. For me it was the best of both worlds. Good luck with yours!

Whether you do iron, wood or a combination of both, I would use straight spindles with no ornamentation or indentations on them. Simpler lines stay current longer.

I’ll send a pic of the whole view tomorrow.

I’ve posted this video on another post somewhere. It’s of the room from basically the bottom of the stairs...so we’re trying to make the focus of the room the windows and the view beyond. The slider in the video is what you see straight ahead from the front door.

The metal spindles with the wooden hand rails would be best of both worlds I think!

Both look good, however the iron will definitely go out of style. Wood never goes out.

After looking at your youtube video, I think your home looks a whole lot more modern than traditional so I found this stair railing and metal look that upgrades you to a more modern look that would bring real interest to your space.

No style lasts forever, but this could create a vibe that would be really cool with your interesting home.

Ah ha!...with these new facts I agree on your first preference ...the simple minimalist metal example...it will not draw the eye or distract from the view....I might even consider painting the metal in a light color that matches the walls more closely....to help it disappear even more....since your goal is not to make the fairly small staircase a focal point or to draw the attention there...it makes a uniquely minimalist statement in the process

Neither wood nor iron is "dated" (how I have come to dislike that word!) They are just different styles. The wood with straight balusters is a simple traditional style, very much associated with a Craftsman, Bungalow or Foursquare home. Iron railings are used a lot in more Mediterranean styles (Spanish colonial, for example) or Modern homes, but have also been used in Colonial Revival homes as well. I much prefer the wood railing, especially with the wainscot, but either could work, and it is just a matter of which you like better.

I have to disagree that an iron railing is somehow trendy or will become dated. Iron railings have been around for centuries and always will be. One thing that can't be disputed, is that iron railings (in the simple, unembellished style favored by theOP) are much less visually bulky than wood, and are therefore the best choice for optimizing her view. Not to mention that it will look incredible with her light, modern aesthetic and complement the wainscoting without matching it.

We briefly considered glass, but I think glass is too modern (and wouldn’t work with having two boys in the house). I feel like the minimalist metal railing is similar to what was installed originally in the house, but in a more updated style. I added the wainscot because it’s a narrow hallway that those boys will be dragging backpacks through, kicking off shoes etc. I’d like the paint to be more ‘clean up friendly’ and so I thought wainscot would be okay. This is the only place we’ll have it installed. The floors will be warm, medium toned engineered wood. And the kitchen has shaker doors so it won’t look as stark as it does with just drywall and concrete floors.

Your photo with simple wainscot and straight wrought iron rails curved only at the bottom step would be my choice.

These are the wood and iron railings we put in our new home. Pics show the iron rail unpainted and painted white. I like that it blends the 2 materials- wood and iron. Good luck with your decision!