Step outside If the staircase in your house is really taking up crucial space, there may be the opportunity to reclaim that space and build a new stair enclosure as an extension. This may seem radical, but if by opening up the interior space you get a fantastic solution internally, putting the stairs off to the side in an extension can be the best solution.
While it’s most common to see a set of winders at the top or foot of a staircase, they can be very effectively used halfway up, as in this example. The alternative would have been to have half a straight flight to a landing and then the upper half doubling back, but by using winders instead of the landing, the stair becomes more space-efficient. Remember that the higher your ceilings, the more vertical distance you have to travel and therefore the more treads you will need. More treads mean the staircase will take up more floorspace, so space-saving devices such as winders can really help.
This example demonstrates how stairs can be configured to suit whatever layout and circulation is desired. By placing three winders at the foot of this staircase, the designer has brought the person descending the stair into this room. With reorganised internal partitions, the flight could just as easily have been run straight down. In this way, it could have been organised so the user would come directly into the space on the left.
Add a flash of neon OK, I know this is black, white and bright orange, but it’s a great example of how black and white set a timeless style that can then be adapted to different trends. Neon and orange are bang on trend right now, but repainting the stairs in a few years’ time is a cheaper and easier job than re-carpeting. And I bet the black and white runner will still look good.
Run with a runner A monochrome striped runner cleverly integrates this top floor with the rest of the house. Glass balustrades keep the area light and airy, while the carpet is a stylish linking device. Stripes also, it has to be noted, are better at hiding the odd scuff or spill than a plain or pale runner.
Big up the underside I love how this staircase not only has black treads and risers, but has a coal-black coating on the underside of the stairs, too. This draws attention to them and makes them feel like an elegant, floating feature. The pared-back banisters and sash window frames coordinate in the same rich black.
This dining and kitchen space extends right under the staircase. The enclosed stairs and adjoining wall have been painted in a single shade of blue, so you can still see and appreciate the steep angle, but can also perceive the wall as one unified surface.
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