In most cases, the staircase is the entrance to your home. It’s one of the first things that your visitors see, and it should make a statement to introduce them to the rest of your home. However, most staircases are left as they are by homeowners- which is often wooden, plain and boring. It’s actually simpler than you think to transform your staircase. Let’s take a look at how to do it:
Take into account the rest of your home and your lifestyle
If you have a contemporary home, you don’t want to give your stairs a country cottage makeover, and vice versa. With staircases so often being the entrance to the home, they should be perfectly in sync with the rest of your decor. A popular trend at the moment is glass staircases, however, they could be impractical for families with young children. You might find that a sturdy iron balustrade is better suited to your lifestyle. If you only have a small budget, you might wish to renovate your existing staircase rather than purchasing a new one. Fear not, as this can have just as much of an effect! You can even buy a variety of stair parts separately to spread the cost of your renovation project.
Find design inspiration
You can find staircase design inspiration from a variety of sources, such as Pinterest or interior design blogs. You may like the classic aesthetic of white walls and a cream carpet, or you might like the idea of adding a patterned runner to the staircase.
Plan
The most important aspect of transforming your staircase is to plan. If you’re going to renovate your current staircase, you’ll have to decide whether you want to transform everything from the flooring to the handrails, or just one aspect that will have a larger impact. If you want to refurbish the steps, this is a bigger job as you will have to strip back to the wood and refinish it.
Renovate the Landing
Don’t forget about what is at the top of the stairs! There’s no point in spending a pretty penny refurbishing your staircase if you’re going to neglect the landing. You can keep it simple, and just change the flooring to compliment your new staircase, or include the walls too – it’s up to you and your budget.
Consider the Balustrade
Changing the balustrade (aka the handrails, base rails, balusters and newel posts) makes a great DIY project. If your existing balustrade is made of wood, you can refinish or stain the wood to give it a whole new look. Alternatively, you can invest in a new balustrade altogether – think iron, glass, oak and pine. You can add a chrome finish to the rails for a modern look, or paint the iron for a more traditional aesthetic.
Finishing
The finishing touches to your staircase can really bring it to life. You could add small lights to your balustrades and treads. A patterned runner can liven up a boring carpet, and framed art along the wall invites guests to take a closer look.
Important Things to Remember
For large staircase renovations, it’s important to hire a reputable carpenter, as completing structural work yourself can be dangerous. Always make sure that you measure the space before you buy your materials. If you live in a rented property or one that is Grade Listed, you might need to check the building’s regulations or seek the landlord’s permission before you proceed.