Decorating Rooms Basements 18 Basement Stairs Ideas That Add Style and Function Make an entrance each time you go to your basement with a stairway that's perfect for your space. By Caitlin Sole Caitlin Sole Instagram Caitlin Sole is the senior home editor at BHG. She is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of interior design expertise. She has vast experience with digital media, including SEO, photo shoot production, video production, eCommerce content, print collaboration, and custom sales content. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on May 16, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Use our basement stairs ideas to design a staircase that fits your space and complements the style of your home. From grand to simple and everything in-between, there's something here for every type of house, including traditional, contemporary, farmhouse and more. 25 Stair Railing Ideas to Elevate Your Home's Style 01 of 18 Consider These Basement Stairs Ideas If the upstairs hall and basement floor are both carpeted, you'll likely want to carpet the stairs. If you're building new stairs or relocating the current ones, consider which areas you're connecting before you decide on placement. Avoid connecting a noisy area to a quiet one. For example, a stairway from the basement playroom or media room near an upstairs home office or bedroom could prove disruptive. Build stairs parallel to ceiling joists to save on installation time and materials. 02 of 18 Open the Stairway for an Airy Look Removing the door to the basement and opening the enclosed stairway created a light, airy feeling in this passage to the underground living space. A bar area with two beverage refrigerators—one for wine and one for kids' sodas—separates the lower-level family room from the guest bedroom. 10 Basement Bar Ideas for Every Budget 03 of 18 Use the Staircase Wall for Storage The basement stairs idea you select will depend on local building codes, your available space, and the style of your home. If you choose a U-shaped design like this one, consider putting the lower staircase wall to work as display and storage space. These built-in cabinets flank a basement bar area. 04 of 18 Take Advantage of Space Under the Stairs Take advantage of space under the stairs to create accessible storage. Mullioned glass-pane doors make this smart understairs hideaway look like it's always been there. Baskets on the shelves are stylish solutions for corraling miscellaneous things that make their way down to the basement. 20 Staircase Storage Ideas to Help You Make the Most of Every Inch 05 of 18 Add a Transition to Basement Stairs Stairs are transitional spaces, and the materials you choose for them convey a subliminal message about the character of the area they lead to. This run of carpeted stairs changes near the bottom to three steps with thick stone treads and stone and dark wood floors. The material shift suits the basement's function as a wine cellar and entertaining area. 06 of 18 Stencil the Stairs Add design to ordinary wood stairs with stencils for a personalized basement stairs idea. These treads were painted using floor-and-deck enamel. For safety, avoid high-gloss paints and finishes that may be slippery. 07 of 18 Add Style with a Custom Stair Rail For continuity, the same stone tile used on the basement stairs continues in the guest suite in this basement. The custom-crafted stair rail features stained-glass inserts and ornaments. Work with a metalsmith to design a custom stair rail for your home. 08 of 18 Make a Grand Descent This sweeping staircase is more about design than function. A staircase like this makes for an impressive descent from the upper level but also requires a lot of space. 18 Staircase Design Ideas for Every Style of Home 09 of 18 Go Contemporary with Open Stair Treads Open stair treads and railings of braided stainless-steel cable help preserve lower-level views and a feeling of openness in this basement stairs idea. 10 of 18 Save Space with a Spiral Staircase Spiral stairs provide contemporary style and usually occupy less room than other staircase designs. Typically 4 to 6 feet in diameter, they need little floor space. Building codes often prohibit spiral staircases in rooms larger than 400 square feet, so the're not suitable for larger basements. Bear in mind, however, that you won't be able to move furniture or other large objects into the basement via spiral stairs, so plan to add decor to the room another way. 11 of 18 Create Understair Display Space Add display space with this basement stairs idea. Turn the area under the stairway into a space for special items like photos or family heirlooms. Wire the cabinet for lighting so you can spotlight particular objects. 12 of 18 Add Style with the Balustrade Golden oak balusters, stair rail, and support column match the trim work and cabinetry in the basement, creating continuity with the upstairs spaces. Adding style to the staircase can be as simple as affixing solid rectangles of stained wood to every other pair of balusters, creating pattern and interest. 13 of 18 Choose a Distinctive Railing Design White beaded-board wainscoting, wood-tone trim, stair treads, and colorful walls lead the way down these winder stairs. The railing features a gridlike design for safety and style. (The spaces between balusters, whether posts or a grid design, should be smaller than a toddler's head.) 18 Wall Colors Interior Designers Choose on Repeat 14 of 18 Fasten Runners for Safety A short run of straight stairs may be all that's needed to connect a basement to upstairs living spaces. Here, the door can be closed for privacy when someone uses the lower-level suite (not shown) at the bottom of the stairs. Installing carpet on stairs involves stretching the runner tightly over treads and risers and securing the carpet to tackless strips attached where the tread meets the riser. Stair rods or stair clips can be added for decorative effect after the carpet is in place. 15 of 18 Break up the Descent with a U Shape U-shape stairs lined with a Craftsman-style wooden balustrade lead to this basement. This basement stairs idea requires more floor space than a straight run of stairs, but it's a good choice when a straight run would be too steep. 16 of 18 Emphasize the Diagonal Instead of a stair rail and balusters, this straight-run basement stairs idea is the equivalent of three parallel handrails. The design emphasizes the strong diagonal of the staircase and maintains an open feeling for the descent into the basement. It also requires fewer materials than traditional posts or balusters would. 17 of 18 Suit the Staircase Style to Your Decor A dramatic open-tread staircase built of industrial materials ushers visitors into a clean-lined, contemporary space designed for entertaining. 18 of 18 Stretch the Spiral for a Relaxed Descent This sleek, open-tread staircase spirals down gracefully from the first floor, delivering visitors to the lower-level quarters with a flourish. More relaxed than the typical space-saving spiral, the staircase feels open and easy to climb. 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