12 Types Of Staircases: Top Ways to Decorate a Stairway

Stairs are the arteries of your home, and they play a vital role as a critical interior design element. But often, staircases are not given their due and are taken for granted as a minor part of the interior.

Now that attitude is changing, and the new focus is on creating a lovely stair design with fitting decoration for adding a new dimension to the interiors.

There are plenty of fresh designs, including stairs with a turn, that you can mix and match to make your home look great.

So, let us go through some of the amazing staircases and the various decoration methods. These incredibly designed contemporary stairs will enthrall you.

12 Different Types of Stairs For You To Make a Choice

From a user’s perspective, a particular type or style of stair matters when it is in harmony with a homeowner’s taste, space, and budget.

Ultimately, the choice of stairs will reflect the homeowner’s sense of perfection in interior design. On a rough count, we can list out at least 12 important types of staircases, including stairs, with a turn in this list.

• Straight
• L-shaped
• U Shaped
• Curved
• Winder stairs
• Spiral
• Circular
• Ladder
• Split
• Floating
• Organic
• Stair with storage

The question of what was going on in the architect’s mind when designing this stair will be explained here as we trace the beauty and functional elements working behind every type of fascinating stair.

1.Straight Staircase

This type of staircase has no bends and qualifies for a linear flight without any change in direction. This most common type of staircase is easy to install. Railings and handrails move on them easily and are friendly for toddlers and the aged as it is not steep. One limitation is it consumes more linear space and impacts the house design. The scope for design tweaks and creativity is also limited.

2.L-Shaped Staircase

L Shaped Staircase may be your dream stair of stairs with a turn. The turn or a bend will be either in the middle or at the near end. Ideally, the bent will be 90 degrees, but it is no hard rule at all. It is also known as a quarter-turn stair landing closer to the top or the bottom.

The L-shaped staircase will not use much space and is easier to navigate due to the wider landing. It is visually appealing, too, and the safety quotient is high as the number of threads is fewer, thanks to the central landing saving people from any fall.

3.U-Shaped Staircase

Another stair with a turn is the U Shaped Staircase, where two parallel flights of stairs join at 180 degrees turn for landing. These half-turn or switchback stairs are easier to fit in with a flat landing giving many resting points during your ascent.

4.Curved Staircase

The curved staircase has a helical arc and an amazing view. There is a larger radius, and it will not form a full circle. It is elegant and often located at the entryway, making a great impression. They are easy to navigate, thanks to a larger radius. It is the most difficult type to build and expensive too.

5.Ladder Stairs

Ladder staircases in residential homes are used as links to the kitchen because they utilize less space and allow easy movement. Ladder stairs are also used in libraries, lofts, and docks. Building codes do not allow making Ladder stairs a primary source of access.

6.Winder Stairs

Winder Staircase is a variation of L-shaped stairs that differ with a pie-shaped landing and triangular-shaped steps at the corner. Balustrades are also used instead of rails. They take up less space than other types, and in older homes, they are prominent. The winder staircase works as secondary stairs. In modern homes, they are popular because they make a seamless transition.

7.Spiral Stairs

Individual steps or threads are hitched to a central column in a spiral staircase to create a circle. The steps rotate around a central point when you move up or down the stair. Also, the depth of all steps is equal. The perimeter of the spiral curve houses the handrails making it an iconic stair.

8.Circular Stairs

The Circular Staircase, also known as helix stairs, appears tapered and goes around. The circular staircase looks brilliant when surrounded by glass and railings. The steps are easier to navigate and more comfortable than spiral stairs. The core difference between a circular and a spiral staircase is that a spiral staircase will have a central column, unlike the circular staircase, where the open middle provides support for the inner stringer to wind in a helical manner.

9.Split Stairs

Split Stairs are also called bifurcated stairs, and the set of stairs starts at the bottom and deviates at a landing partway up the flight. The stairs then split into groups of stairs heading in opposite directions.

Split stairs operate as two sets, with each end of the upper level providing easy access. They make impressive design statements and are found mostly in larger homes and commercial structures. It is ideal for interior and exterior locations split stairs’ challenge because it takes up a sizable amount of space.

10.Floating Stairs

Floating stairs appear like “floating” with no structural support or solid foundation. How you will build a floating staircase depends on the structure of your house. In most floating staircases, a load-bearing structural wall is essential to support your stairs. Cantilever floating stairs are very popular, and they rely on the structural stability of the wall without taking any underlying support. They look clean and elegant too.

11.Organic Stairs

Organic stairs will look like designs of naturally grown things. It can be the human spine or a grown-up plant or tree trunk. It is a challenging task for the designer as well as the stair builder.

12.Stairs with Storage

These are staircases with a cupboard underneath and look like single-piece furniture. Here the staircase and base cabinet will be made of high-quality materials and use meticulous fittings.

One good analogy for having a good staircase in your home is something like using Stair Master to strengthen your muscles. Indeed, the right choice of stairs and stair decoration will add happiness to your family.

However, choosing the best one from an array of stair designs, including stairs with a turn, can be daunting. But the guiding principle of moving into a higher level of good living, aesthetics, comfort, style, and bettering home decor and interior delight can land you on the right selection.

As seen above, the new trends are towards head-turning designs that are unique and creative, with an emphasis on functionality and a new dimension to the home’s interiors.

Why Does Stair Decoration Matter So Much?

Staircases in homes will dazzle with fabulous staircase decor ideas. When looking for decorating ideas for stairs, avoid items that may cause tripping, and there must be ease of cleaning and maintenance of the decorative features.

Topping it all, it must be within your budget too. That means you can embrace a decorating idea that is not too complicated or expensive.

Now test these trendy ideas and pick something that fits your decor ambitions and other criteria.

• Contemporary
• Adhesive Tiles
• Fancy Railings
• Lighting
• Luxury
• Minimalist
• Mirror
• Modern
• Painting
• Plants

Contemporary

Contemporary interior design on stairs follows a “less is more” philosophy with a preference for neutral or mono-tonal colors, clean lines, and open spaces. But a bold pop of color on the staircase wall is not out of place for accentuating the decorative accent. Among the contemporary decor, areas include a staircase wall with metal wall art or panels. Mirrored surfaces also stand up for contemporary aesthetic tastes.

Fancy Railings

By changing an old-fashioned stair railing, you can update your staircase design. Go for wooden balusters with intricately wrought iron railings. It may appear expensive, but the elegance is unparalleled. The looks of straight, curved, or spiral staircases will be amazing. Replace plain wood banisters and rails with frosted acrylic panels or wire railings. It will infuse an unlimited dramatic ambiance to your entryway.

Lighted Stair

Stair lighting is a great decorative element and enhances safety too. While illuminating your staircase, you can make it stylish. You can hang a dramatic chandelier over your stairs or line up a series of descending pendant lights. You can install wall sconces on the stair wall as lively lighting fixtures. Add string lights along the railing for extra light and variety. Vintage Bronze Wall Sconce you can try.

Luxury

The luxury staircase uses fine wood, intricate details, marble, and other natural stone finishes. A dramatic staircase in your luxury home must match the same opulence as the rest of the home. Set a large chandelier or place artistic pendant lights that will give the luxe touch. Additional lighting can come from wall sconces and step-level lights that can illuminate each stair. A fascinating Turkish carpet stair runner will boost the entryway’s beauty and will guard against slips and falls.

Minimalist

Minimalist decor is often showcased by simple decoration elements in terms of painting the wall with a contrasting color. Hang a row of line drawings but make sure no clutter happens and the design stays simple. One good painting centering a stair landing works well in a minimalist interior setup.

Mirror Ideas

Here, you can use mirrors with a frame and mirrored tiles for staircase decoration. The intent is to reflect light and make the staircase feel more spacious, and help with a quick hair check when you are rushing down the stairs. Intersperse small, framed mirrors, among other pieces, on the staircase’s gallery wall. They add sparks of reflected light and expand lighting on the rises.

Modern Decor

The modern decor of the staircase has focused on the use of natural elements such as metal, wood, and stone. Here no overdoing of decor happens. The focal area is the creative transformation for enhancing the visual impact. For example, in floating stairs, you can add new metal handrail glass panels by dumping the balusters of the staircase for a fresh appeal to the onlooker making it more modern.

Plants

Just as a Christmas tree works for all changing seasons, you can keep faux boxwood garland on your banister. It can be a neutral green garland, too, that will blaze for different seasons. You can add flowers in the springtime, seashells during summer, and tiny pine cones for the fall season to make it more charming. You can hang wall planters on a solid wall with succulents or trailing vines appropriately. Small plants are fine on floating shelves or at the stair surface along the railing. Place bigger plants on stair landings for a variety.

Painting

Staircase walls can showcase your favorite paintings. It can be one or two large paintings or a gallery along the stair wall. Original paintings will cost you heavily, and online replica prints of your favorite pieces will do. This can also be an opportunity to admire and honor your favorite artists like Van Gogh. Placing gallery light to brighten up the paintings at night will be a great mood enhancer.

Adhesive Wall Stickers

Self-adhesive wall stickers are affordable stair-decorating tools. You can pick Talavera Spanish-Bohemian Tiles offering various style patterns. Each sticker has a size of around 40 inches in terms of width and 7 inches in height. Being user-friendly, it needs no special skills to affix.

We have now gone through a gamut of trending types of stairs and stair decorating ideas. You can pick some of these best ideas and use the wider update for a comprehensive makeover of your home building or home decor improvement, including updates on stairs with a turn.