Staircase Ideas

The best stairways are works of art, such as this serpentine piece that coils as it rises. Building these stairs combined the skills of various artisans who work with wood, metal, and drywall.

This rebuilt staircase includes white paneled walls designed to disguise a hidden door to the basement.

Take a slab of wood and call it a stair tread. That's a country look, right? Not always. Here, chunky hunks of fir have been attached to an industrial steel staircase to create a big-city look that has left the prairie behind.

This staircase gently widens as it meets the grand foyer, creating a smooth transition between levels.

Placing the front stairway to the side of the entry enables guests standing at the front door of this home to see through to the backyard. The staircase is trimmed in the same dark walnut used throughout the gathering spaces.

Here's an enduring concept: a crisp set of stairs with deep brown wood accents, contrasting with treads and risers dressed with milk-white paint. If this combo suits your taste, choose a paint that promises a hard, scuff-free surface and use a highly durable clear finish over the wood stain.

A floral stair runner softens the strong geometric pattern on the floor of this foyer. Tone-on-tone yellow stripes set the color scheme for the entire house.

This wide front hall has plenty of room for a winding staircase. Soft green walls and white risers give the stairs a look that's not imposing.

Some staircases, such as this one, have space for a closet underneath. Give this utilitarian element a style boost by designing the door to follow the stairs at an angle.

This painted staircase with stained fir accents wraps around one end of the light-filled entry. Linen-white painted trim and wainscoting bring a fresh, crisp feel.

A landing with an inviting window seat links this home's main and lower levels.

Beaded board applied to the sides of this staircase makes a strong cottage statement--one reinforced by overstuffed slipcovered furniture nearby.

Thanks to the open and spacious staircase, the free flow of this space is evident from the moment guests step inside the front door.

Flowing down like the train of an elegant gown, these dark wood stairs were original to a San Francisco Bay-area house. However, the hand-hammered iron balustrade is new.

An organic pattern on the stair runner contrasts the straight lines of this stairway, while a custom banister adds architectural detail.

Built without view-blocking risers between the treads, this freestanding staircase does its part to create an airy feel in this contemporary home. Maximizing natural light was near the top of the list of design priorities for this space.