Structurally speaking, your staircase is the heart of your home. Being the first thing you see when you walk through the front door, the way it looks is important, and helps to set the tone for the rest of your interior design.
When it comes to renovating your apples and pears, the design ideas are endless - making it difficult to know where to begin.
Not to worry, though! Our experts here at Pear Stairs are here to share some of their favorite staircase ideas you can use for inspiration for your next project, whether you're making changes to your existing staircase or starting completely from scratch with a new flight of stairs.
Combine timber and glass
An oak staircase combined with glass panels makes for a stunning feature in any home, and works particularly well for those who favor a contemporary decor style, but aren't quite ready to part with traditional staircase features.
Replacing old wooden spindles with sleek, modern glass panels not only helps to increase the amount of natural light flooding through your hallway, but also gives the illusion of more space - great for those who are working with limited square footage.
A glass balustrade paired with warm oak is a match made in heaven - you don't need to worry about matching it with the rest of your decor or having to switch things up in a few years' time when you fancy redecorating again, as the oak-glass combo looks beautiful with everything.
When replacing your spindles with glass panels, be sure that you're complying with all your local building regulations to protect the health and safety of your family and guests in your home when using your staircase.
Consider a curved staircase
Curved staircases are an excellent choice for any space, adding a touch of elegance and helping homeowners create the ultimate grand entrance.
Built by connecting two rolled stringers with treads, curved staircases are often oval or elliptical in shape, and are guaranteed to look stunning in your home.
If you're looking for ways to maximize your available square footage, a curved staircase is just one of the things that can help you do this, as it can slot into any space seamlessly.
Opt for chrome and silver accessories
One of the best ways to jazz up your current staircase is to switch out some of the accessories.
We're talking end caps, brackets, and all the other fixings that add the finishing touches to your flight.
Chrome and silver accessories are particularly popular at the moment, and they look great with a plethora of materials - especially oak and glass.
Go for bold colours
If you're sick of the sight of your white-painted stairs, a bright, bold paint color provides the perfect opportunity to switch things up a little.
Whether you go for something to match the rest of your decor or opt for something a little different to add drama, painting your stairs - be it the entire stairwell or just the handrail and spindles - is one of the most affordable and effective ways to transform your apples and pears.
If you're scared of going a bit overboard, you could stick with your trusty white paint, but introduce a darker shade - like grey, navy, or even black - to create a striking yet understated contrast.
Keep it minimal
These days, when it comes to interior decor, less is most definitely more.
Combining natural timber textures with other materials - like metal spindles, for example - works perfectly in minimalist Scandinavian-style modern homes.
Keeping your staircase sleek and simple opens up a world of future styling opportunities, too, with many of them meaning you don't have to alter your existing stairs at all to achieve the look you want.
Whether you're itching to dress your balustrade up with seasonal greenery or you want a new lighting fixture to take centre stage, taking things back to basics with a minimalist modern staircase is always an excellent idea.
Make stairs a focal point with lighting
Speaking of lighting, there are endless creative and stylish ways to illuminate your stairway - be it for safety, aesthetics, or to make your hallway feel a little warmer and more inviting.
Some ideas include:
● Recessed wall lighting - To lean more into the modern minimalist trend, recessed wall lighting along the sides of your staircase is a great idea. These fixtures provide a soft indirect glow that's guaranteed to add an additional layer of depth and dimension to your space.
● Pendant lights - If you're looking for something to help you make a real statement, pendant lights are the way to go. Suspended above your staircase, there are plenty of unique designs and ornate designs to choose from to help add visual interest to your home.
● LED strip lighting - Offering versatility and energy efficiency, LED strip lights are a particularly popular option for homeowners wanting to bring some light back to their staircase and hallway overall, and will help you create a simple yet striking effect.
Whichever way you choose to light up your staircase, it's guaranteed to bring the wow factor to your hallway.
Create an under-stair storage space
If you're working with limited square footage and are on the hunt for solutions to maximise all your available floor space, why not create a storage area in the space beneath your staircase?
There are plenty of things you could do rather than allow all that dead space to go to waste, from creating a cosy reading nook or hideaway for your furry friends to building your ideal work-from-home setup or even a downstairs loo.
Whatever you have in mind, it's guaranteed to look stunning and help you make the best use of all your available space.
Add a stair runner
Stair runners are an excellent way to introduce a different texture into your staircase design.
Made from a range of high-quality materials, including nylon, wool, polyester, and sisal, stair runners can help to:
● Enhance safety - Stair runners provide extra grip for those using your staircase, helping to prevent slips and falls, especially on hardwood stairs. This is particularly important for homes with young children and elderly adults.
● Enrich comfort - Stair runners add a layer of cushioning that can make going up and down the steps a much more comfortable experience.
● Boost sound reduction - Stair runners can absorb the sound of heavy footfall, creating a quieter environment for you and keeping your neighbors happy.
● Increase protection - If you're looking for a way to protect wooden stairs from scuffs, scratches, and other forms of wear and tear, a stair runner can definitely help, and may even extend the life of your wooden stairs.
● Add aesthetic appeal - Staircase runners add visual interest to your staircase, with plenty of different colors, patterns, and textures to choose from that are guaranteed to look great with the rest of your house, no matter how it's styled.
Discover more amazing staircase design ideas with our experts!
Here at Pear Stairs, we've been designing and manufacturing the most stunning high-quality staircases for our clients for decades, and we'd be more than happy to help you finalise your brand-new staircase design.
To kickstart the process, or for more ideas of stairs for your home, get in touch with our design experts today by calling 01938 553 311 - or email us at webenquiries@pearstairs.co.uk and we'll get back to you shortly.
Why not browse our case studies online for more staircase design ideas in the meantime?
