Your stairs are more than a route from A to B. Get clever and they can become a standalone feature – or even be useful, writes
LUCY SEARLE
If the most you’ve ever considered for your stairs is painting the banisters and carpeting the treads, be prepared to have your horizons broadened – and your hallway transformed ■ Lucy Searle is a contributor at Houzz. Visit Houzz.co.uk for more design inspiration and home-improvement advice.
USE A PAINT EFFECT
You could mimic the look of this staircase by cutting strips of polished concrete-effect tile to sit over the risers. Or you could take the easier route and paint your risers in a range of pastel shades to create a similar finish. Keep costs down by using sample pots for the colours, and add a coat of varnish to prevent chipping.
■ Photo: Chris Snook
ADD A DASHING STRIPE
Want to make your home feel bigger and brighter? One way to do so is by painting everything white. Another route is to use broad stripes to create a visual trick: run them up the steps like this and the staircase will feel taller; lay them across the width of the treads and it will look broader. ■ Photo: Roger Oates Design
OPEN IT UP
If your hallway is dark, narrow and cramped, replacing the staircase with an open-tread design will make the whole space feel bigger and brighter. For best effect, paint the treads’ upper and lower sides to match the banisters; a light-coloured mid-sheen will bounce daylight around even more. Be aware that building regulations around open stair treads are tight, so be informed before you start building or buying.
■ Photo: Veronica Rodriguez Interior Photography
WALLPAPER THE RISERS
Love pattern, but carpets just aren’t your style? You can have the best of both worlds with a staircase like this. The treads are varnished wood, but the risers have been treated to a precisely applied wallpaper, chosen to complement the hallway’s paintwork. Protect paper with a coat or two of varnish.
■ Photo: Home Cocoon
SOUP UP WITH STENCILS
Painting a wooden staircase is an easy, quick and cheap way to update and improve it. Then all you need to do to add an individual twist is stencil numbers (or words) onto the risers. Ideally, use a specialist floor paint to create a durable finish – or choose a colour you like and coat it with a tough floor varnish once dry.
■ Photo: Artelier Progetti