Staircases, often taken for granted as a link between two floors, are major architectural features that have the power to make an ordinary home spectacular. A staircase remodel can help define and showcase your personal style. By adding a staircase design with unique materials or updating an existing structure with new decor, you can easily change their overall look. Browse pictures of stairs and read further for more great ideas.

What stair design will work best for me?

When looking through staircase ideas, your top consideration should be space. Not every type fits in every home: A double-sided stair design only works in large entryways, so for a smaller space, you’ll need to opt for a straight, U- or L-shaped one instead. If you’re set on achieving the look of a grand entrance, try to work in a curved design that will really showcase the railings and any other unique features. For homes that are really compact, spiral staircase designs will be the most efficient in terms of horizontal space; while they may not be the easiest to climb, they do give a quirky and fun feel. After determining function and shape, you can then narrow down the large selection of staircase ideas by style and material to achieve the overall appearance you’re going for.

What are the best materials for staircases?

The look of your stairs should coordinate with the rest of your house, so don't try to mix two dramatically different styles, like traditional and modern. For the steps themselves, carpet and stone are popular traditional materials, while metal or floating wood steps are trendier options. The stair railings don’t usually get much love, but really are the perfect opportunity to let your creativity flow. While pairing two opposite styles is not recommended, subtling mixing up the rail and tread styles can make for a showstopping effect; for example, an industrial-style rail can help make wood treads contemporary, or an ornate metal railing can help enhance the mediterranean feel of stone treads. If you don’t want to commit to full-blown carpeting, stair runners are an easy way to mix up your style and protect the material underneath. In the end, even though appearance is important, you should first and foremost think about creating functional staircases. If you have young kids, an open railing or hard metal steps can become a safety hazard, while dogs and common household traffic might scratch up wood. If you’re absolutely in love with a few staircase ideas that might be less that ideal for your families needs, get creative and with faux-look materials and coordinate with your contractor or designer to find a compromise.

How do I incorporate stairway decor?

Stairway decorating ideas coincide a lot with hallway decor ideas — you want to add interest without interfering with the function of the stairs. Stick to photo frames and artwork with a slim profile so that you aren’t knocking into them while walking up and down the stairway. If you have a landing, you may want to add a small accent table or a potted plant to visually anchor the area, or feature a larger wall sculpture or piece of art. Gallery walls are excellent staircase decorating ideas since you’ll likely have a long stretch of space to work with, plus they’re a great way to finally display all those family photos or vacation snapshots. If you’re working on a new build or doing a full staircase remodel, you may want to include some shelving built into the walls for extra storage or display spots.