When you step into any house your eyes will often be drawn to the staircase. Of course, this is not true if you don’t have an upstairs!
Staircases don’t just need to be on the inside of the house, they can also be outside, allowing you to enter your home, connecting an outside level or even acting as a fire escape.
There are hundreds of different designs for your staircase, the one you choose will depend upon your available budget, the space you have available and what you will be using the staircase for.
You can get some ideas regarding the types of staircase available by looking at Active Metal.
It is important to note that there is no right or wrong staircase for your home, just the right one for the space you have available and your tastes.
Here are some stunning designs for you to consider; which can be achieved on a budget:
The Glass Effect
You can fit a standard staircase into your home and turn it into an amazing design by adding glass balustrades. Even a mirror positioned behind it can make it seem much larger than it might be.
This is also a great way to make your staircase virtually invisible. Keep the stairs light and the same color on the upstairs floor. With the glass balustrades, you’ll barely see it from a distance
Floating
This isn’t generally practical if you use the stairs a lot or have young children. However, floating stairs can look stunning and, because they don’t need a lot of the support of traditional stairs, they can be surprisingly cost-effective.
The best image of a floating staircase is literally blocks of wood set into the wall, jutting out far enough to walk on.
Maybe not very practical but certainly stunning!
Traditional
Another way of keeping the budget down is to focus on the surroundings, highlight the walls in a bright color and blend the risers of the staircase in. You’ll create the floating effect even though you have a traditional staircase.
Use Metal
Metal is generally associated with spiral staircases which are usually stunning but not very practical features. You’ll struggle to get most furniture up and down a spiral staircase!
However, metal does not have to be constrained to spiral. A good metalworker can create virtually any shape and even make ornate balustrades to go with it. If you can imagine it they should be able to create it!
Long And Low
If you have space you can create very small risers and make the staircase appear to go on almost forever. This is also a useful tactic if you have elderly people living in your home as they will find this type of staircase much easier to navigate.
A great way to finish this type of stairs is with marble. It will create the continental yet palatial feel that will really make your access to the upstairs look stunning.
The great thing is that this is just a finish; the main stairs will continue to be traditional and cost friendly materials.
