Showstopper staircase

Infuse a good dose of style and personality into the staircase of your bungalow or duplex apartment

Pooja Khanna Tyagi

Although the staircase is one of the most functional elements of the house that connects different levels but its decor is not given too much attention in comparison to other areas of the house. It is highly recommended to decorate the staircase such that it reflects your style and taste. Here are some ideas to get you going:

Railing design

The staircase railings play an important role in determining the overall look of the staircase. The different railing material include wrought iron, wood, glass and stainless steel. For a traditional look, consider ornate wrought-iron railings, wooden railings impart a warm look to the staircase, steel railings give a sleek modern look while glass railings are a great way to brings in an element of lightness into the staircase design.

Shape of the staircase

If the home is at planning or construction phase itself then how about getting creative with the structural design of the staircase? Give the staircase and stairwell an interesting straight line or fluid shape that can impart a stylish look.

Floating staircase

Floating staircases have become a popular addition to modern homes. These staircases have open risers and cantilevered treads that create a floating effect. One of the biggest advantages of a floating staircase is that the open risers allow light to penetrate into the lower floors of the building and gives the space a visually light cum airy look.

Create a gallery wall

This is one of the most popular ways to decorate the staircase. As one climbs up or down the staircase, the eyes get busy seeing the gallery wall. The staircase wall can be decorated with some family and personal photographs, a series of paintings or prints and so on. However, if the staircase is small or dark just hang one big picture frame or photograph as this will prevent the space from giving a cluttered or heavy look.

Accentuate the wall

Highlight the wall as it will act as a perfect backdrop for the staircase. Use colour on the staircase wall or clad it with materials like natural stone, porcelain tiles, 3D wall panels, wall paper, textured paint etc. These materials effortlessly give the staircase an interesting texture along with a visually stunning look.

Decorate with artefacts

Give the staircase an artistic look by displaying artefacts like pottery, floor sculptures on the stair landings. You can also fix shelves on the walls for displaying artefacts or install a decorative mirror on the stair wall.

Highlight the treads and risers

Another way to decorate the staircase is by highlighting the treads which are the horizontal surface of the stairs and the risers which form the vertical section of the stairs. This can be done by using contrast colour flooring materials on the treads and risers. The most popular options include highlighting the risers with highlighter tiles, the installation of patterned tiles on the risers and the use of different colour of marble on the treads and risers.

Light it up

The staircase lighting is important not only for the purpose of safety but also to complete the overall look of the staircase. Pendant lights, chandeliers and bracket lights improve the aesthetics and give a stylish look to the design of the staircase. Consider pendant lights with slits or perforations as they cast interesting patterns on the walls. If the stairwell is two or three stories high then consider long and cascading chandeliers. For additional safety, install LED lights on the walls at an equidistant spacing near each step that will prevent one from missing any step or tripping. One can also introduce diffused lighting or soft lighting by fixing LED strip lights within the treads.