56 inspiring staircase ideas for every type of space
If you're renovating a house, one of the things that can make the most difference is a well-designed staircase – it's one of the first and biggest architectural features you notice in an interior. There are plenty of ways to make the most of a staircase, whatever kind of space you have. Consider the material of your staircase, whether you want one in stone, wood, or statement metal. Next think about the balustrade – a decorative version can create a dramatic visual impact. Simple staircases can easily be dressed up with stylish runners or painted treads and risers, and in small spaces, the space under the stairs can be a valuable place to install storage.
We've dug in to the House & Garden archives to find some inspiring examples of every kind of staircase, whether you are dealing with a narrow Victorian house or a grand country space, from modern floating staircases to traditional sweeping versions with ornate banisters.
Staircase design ideas
Dean Hearne1/56This Arts & Craft house, owned by the founder of Manderley Press, Rebeka Russell, features an Edwardian staircase which juts bluntly into the living room. It was added around 1899, and leads upstairs from the wood-panelled entrance hall and living space. The original floorboards of the stairs are painted in Farrow & Ball's ‘Mahogany’. The wallpaper, a William Morris print – ‘Marigold’, in Artichoke – links the downstairs hallway to the corridor upstairs; Rebeka took inspiration from Morris in her decisions regarding the house, which was once owned by his friend William Hale White. The woodwork and panelling throughout the house is painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Pointing’, to complement the wallpaper.
Christopher Horwood2/56The sitting room of this Victorian house in London designed by James Mackie features an extraordinary staircase fixed to one side of the room but otherwise looking as though it floats. This helps keep the room light, which complements the rest of the room’s decor, from a ‘TP Modern’ sofa from Lorfords Contemporary, in mustard ‘Spencer Velvet’ from George Spencer Designs to a 19th-century Japanese lacquered screen sourced by James.
Cushions in Le Manach’s ‘Rochambeau’ from Pierre Frey pick up on a 1970s Italian marble coffee table from Brownrigg and a Nordic Knots rug. The ‘Batsford’ dish light in antique brass is from Jamb, and a 19th-century mahogany estate cabinet, from sister company Hawker Antiques, has been converted by James’s team to hold a television.
Dean Hearne3/56Artist Rachel Bottomley made the most of a medley of 17th-century and 1970s architecture in her unique and colourful Surrey cottage, whose stair runner is from Sinclair Till. Meanwhile, Rachel discovered green vertical tiles on the steps up to the hallway in an antique shop in India, and paired then with raspberry-coloured equivalents to create the patterned step. They match the runners red/green pattern.
A curtain, made from blankets from Zara Home, separates the sitting room from the hallway. The alcove bar is painted in Farrow and Ball’s ‘Eating Room Red’ in a gloss finish.
Jake Curtis4/56A chunky helter-skelter helix of oak frame and open treads are paired with slim metal handrails in the sinuous staircase designed by Georgie Stogdon to make the most of the light from the tall sash window in her London flat. 'I didn't feel bad [removing the old staircase] - it was ugly and blocked the light,' she says, pointing to an extraordinary sash window nearly three metres tall, fitted with 18 panes of ever-so-slightly uneven 19th-century glass. The replacement staircase she designed is equally extraordinary, casting shifting shadows on the soaring walls. It is extravagantly, lavishly beautiful. The incontrovertible modernism of the structure could feel at odds with the history of the property, but the purity of the new marries quietly with the classicism of the building's Victorian construction.
Michael Sinclair5/56Eager to have more room for herself and her daughter, Rita Kong bought the flat above her London home and combined them, adding a staircase to link the two into one cohesive house. A lattice-style staircase was designed by architects Johnston Cave Associates (JCA) to connect the floors and was slotted into the space between the sitting room (one of the few rooms not to move) and the new kitchen and dining room. She countered the fact that the staircase had no natural light by commissioning specialist painter Tanya Thompson to enliven the walls with a shimmering stipple effect in soft blue.
6/56This light-filled house in Bruges, a rare example of 1930s Dutch architecture, serves as the perfect canvas for its artist owners, Jacqueline Dehond and Koenraad Uyttendaele. Their striking, untitled canvases frame the light wooden staircase, creating vivid contrasts and enlivening the space. Twisted wooden posts at the base of the staircase add a whimsical touch to the bright, tall-walled interior, contrasting with the dark, glossy steps.
Davide Lovatti7/56In an ancient Italian town perched on a rocky outcrop and accessible only by foot, Paolo Crepet and Cristiana Melis have transformed their art-filled former palace into a truly unique guesthouse. Corte della Maestà is a showcase of eccentric, creative brilliance. The vivid red spiral staircase, surrounded by eclectic portraits and a life-sized mannequin at its base, perfectly enhances the space and embodies Paolo’s preference for a “confusion of beauty.''
Chris Horwood8/56In her Chelsea home, designer Nina Campbell has employed her full arsenal of decorative expertise to make every corner of the house sing. Her refined, witty eclecticism brings together a conflation of diverse ideas into a harmonious scheme. The pale pink steps complement the house's warm hues, leading up to walls adorned with an array of frames and pictures. The console features ceramics by Kate Malone from Adrian Sassoon and two pieces by Rachel Woodman.
Simon Brown9/56When the owners bought this Victorian house in Notting Hill, it was in good condition but with very bland interiors. They called in Studio Vero who added an array of colour and glamour to breathe new life into it. Farrow & Ball’s ‘Brinjal’, a rich aubergine, is used for all the woodwork in the hall and right up the stairs, while the walls, in ‘Jonquil’, Edward Bulmer’s delicate pink, banishes any hint of the boudoir when teamed with this strong colour. The greens of the abstract rug by Gideon Hatch are matched in the green and white lamp from Palefire. The bench, a find at Biombo Mobilier in Paris, is woven in wide bands of the same green.
Dean Hearne10/56Textile doyenne Carolina Irving has applied her keen eye for texture and print to design a small yet exceptionally stylish house, featuring bottle greens and rusty reds. Off-white walls and washed stone steps contrast with displayed Spanish ceramics, while a wooden rosary hints at Portuguese influences. Eschewing coastal Alentejo clichés, Carolina chose materials evoking a 17th-century finca, crafted specifically for the house. Like her textiles, Carolina is a master at making the new look old, but without a whiff of pastiche or imitation.
Mark Anthony Fox11/56Fifty-three acres in Cambridgeshire dedicated to growing organic hemp set the scene for Steve Barron's vision for the future of this versatile crop. The interior of the farmhouse features exposed panels, adding warm, textured surfaces to the living spaces. This aesthetic is enhanced by various timber elements, including doors, staircase balustrades, and support columns, beautifully contrasted with vibrant furniture.
TARAN WILKHU12/56When plans for a kitchen extension turned into a demolition opportunity, Joanna Bibby saw a chance to create her ideal house in the Wiltshire countryside. The clean-lined yet comfortable newbuild is flooded with natural light and epitomises the Ochre co-founder’s mastery of pared-back style. Designed by architect Jamie Campbell, this oak staircase with open treads maximises the feeling of space and light, whilst providing a satisfying contrast with the light-coloured walls.
Christopher Horwood13/56Though relatively new to interior design, John Tanner has long had an eye for the beautiful and eye-catching. In this Provençal house, he has mixed carefully chosen vernacular antiques with a neutral colour palette and natural materials for a quiet, considered look. The staircase features a muted colour scheme, positioned by the large Crittall windows channeling the light, airy quality of the house.
Chris Horwood14/56When furniture designer James Shaw bought an empty plot in covetable east London, it required an unusual amount of ingenuity to turn it into a home. The chair tucked at the base of the staircase is by Santi Guerrero Font complimenting the staircase's recycled plastic hand rail, designed by Shaw. The oak finger parquet flooring adds an authentic organic contrast to the manmade materials implemented in Shaw's designs throughout the house.
Elliot Sheppard15/56Deep inside a protected nature reserve on Mallorca’s northern coastline, the American sculptor Micheal Prentice has spent decades building an enchanting retreat. The interiors veer delightfully away from Mediterranean expectations and are the result of Prentice’s organic creative process, led by his far-ranging sources of inspiration and give-it-a-go spirit. The staircase is wonderfully simple, with the same limewashed finish as the walls, and a pared-back balustrade.
Paul Massey16/56Iksel Decorative Arts’ ‘D Rajput Fantasy’ wallpaper provides a vibrant backdrop for the staircase in an 18th century dairy in Dorset designed by Henrietta Fitzwilliam Lay. The staircase is painted in Little Greene’s ‘Lamp Black’ which are contrasted by the pale built-in bookshelves. The rug is from Tim Page Carpets.
Mark Anthony Fox17/56In what could have been a dull corner under the stairs in RIXO founder Orlagh McCloskey's house, has been transformed into a colourful reading spot. The armchair is from Soho Home, reupholstered in a smart Colours of Arley fabric.
Mark Anthony Fox18/56While working on the statelier interiors of a 19th-century former vicarage on the edge of Bath, designer Anna Haines also took on the renovation of this small stable in the grounds, which is now a delightful place to accommodate guests. ‘There was a rickety old ladder between the two floors, so our first task was getting a compliant staircase put in, while also retaining the floor space,’ recalls Anna, who, like with the main house, worked with Wraxall, a Bath-based building firm known for their historic renovations. An elegant and discrete staircase was added to one side of the space, leaving the ground floor, with its original stable paver floor, relatively open.
19/56This staircase in stately home Wolterton Hall in Norfolk was designed by Thomas Ripley in the 18th century to evoke the feel of being outside. The use of white paint on the walls and woodwork and the absence of art, combined with his use of architectural features more typical to an exterior (such as windows), give it the sense of an airy and fresh courtyard that is a pleasant place to be. Lessons from this could be applied effectively to far less grand settings – keep the stairwell clear of decoration except for light from above and include large houseplants for a courtyard feeling.
Simon Brown20/56This 18th-century stable block belonging to Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler design director Emma Burns originally incorporated a dovecote. Emma has kept sections exposed and now uses them to display decoy pigeons. ‘Spotting a mass of decoy birds in the local country store, I couldn’t resist bringing them home to populate the holes where the doves used to roost,’ she says, proving that respecting a building’s historical features need not be an overly serious affair.
21/56The 1990s decoration of Patrick Frey’s Paris apartment is a lesson in matching a scheme to the historical period of a building. The walls around the 1790s Neoclassical stairwell have been sponged in a shade reminiscent of Directoire yellow. This colour theme is extended to the yellow Brussels-weave stair carpet, taken from a Braquenié archive design. The restraint of the scheme allows the elements of Directoire style to feel fresh and light enough for modern tastes.
22/56A dense, gallery-style hang of artwork is a wonderful way to add interest to a staircase, but it is wise to plan your arrangement based on some rules in order to create a sense of unity. In the stairwell of the villa he renovated in Lombardy, Italian artist Enrico Baj kept to a toning scheme of soft browns with sage/aqua for the works and their mountboards. There is unity in form as well: many of the pieces are drawings and their simplicity, with slim wooden frames that pick up on the timber handrail, allows the Art Nouveau stair spindles to stand out.
©simonupton23/56‘I was taken by the idea of softening the central hard spine of the building with this representation of fabric,’ says Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler associate director Lucy Hammond Giles, who commissioned artist Lin Connor to paint a mural up the stairwell of this Provençal house in ‘apricot and cream tones reminiscent of local stone’. The design continues up the staircase to the top floor and is visible from all the main rooms via an enfilade. ‘It works well as you see the halls and staircase from so many different rooms,’ explains Lucy. ‘Rather than just a functional staircase with plain white walls, you get to look at something gorgeous.’
Paul Massey24/56‘Sunburst’ wallpaper in terracotta from Robert Kime brightens the upstairs corridor and stairwell in this handsome Queen Anne house in Norfolk rejuvenated by Carlos Garcia. The glass pendant light is from Pooky.
Chris Horwood25/56The staircase leading to the entrance hall is covered in a pretty saffron Fromental wallcovering covered in ornately rendered peonies, while the chequered floor and stone staircase behind give this Mayfair apartment grandeur beyond its square footage.
Alexander James26/56Walls in a custom-mixed yellow emulsion set off the red of the antique Ersari carpet from Robert Stephenson against the ornate staircase of this London house by John McCall. The iron balustrades are ornate and add to the grandeur.
Paul Massey27/56In this lovely hallway by Rachel Chudley, the warm tones of the new walnut parquet flooring and restored staircase set off the bespoke pale blue paint on the walls. The combination of the sloping, slanting old staircase with the slick new interior help to balance one another out.
Owen Gale28/56According to Lucinda Chambers, one of her best investments was employing a professional picture hanger to rehang the art going up the staircase. ‘I told him to ignore what he didn’t like and do what he thought best, and his vision made sense of what we had,’ she explains. ‘I looked at everything we had collected in a new way.’
Owen Gale29/56Jewellery designer Sandra Barrio von Hurter has also used her staircase as a place to display a collection of art, with pieces bought from around the world or as gifts.
James McDonald30/56The stair runner in this house by Kate Guinness is Tim Page's ‘Arikara’ design and it brings a new look to a traditional Victorian style.
Owen Gale31/56"I didn't want a staircase straight ahead of me when I came through the front door," says Angelica Squire, whose London house this is, "so we had the stairs turn the corner and used the gap for a cupboard. We put a Christopher Farr cloth in the panels and used and a mirrored panel to open the space up."
Paul Massey32/56Over-sized plants stand out on ‘Atlantic Blue’ limestone tiles from G Miccoli & Sons in the hallway of a Victorian house revamped by Ebba Thott. The woodwork is painted in ‘Biddulph Bronze’, a Farrow & Ball archive colour, and the bespoke chandelier is by Michael Anastassiades.
Paul Massey33/56This staircase is the joint design of architect Basil Walter and designer Suzanne Sharp. It curves gracefully up five storeys in a west London townhouse and is clean and modern with wooden steps.
Alexander James34/56This gently winding staircase in Polly Nicholson's Wiltshire home is an unusual design, that she created to replace some especially steep stairs between the two floors. It allows the picture window to flood the hall with light and creates architectural intrigue.
Paul Massey35/56At this 18th-century house in Bath, restored by Harding & Read, dark walls contrast with the pale stone of the stairs and floor. Several large-filament bulbs at different heights on twisted silk flex hang over the landing at the top of the stairs.
Romain Ricard37/56In a London house designed by Retrouvius, Daniel Heath’s laser-etched oak panels clad a staircase made of aluminium-inlaid teak window frames salvaged from the South Bank’s Shell Centre.
38/56Some 400 years have passed between the building of this farmhouse and its twenty-first-century extension, yet they complement each other like birds of a feather. Old meets new in the restored barn, where an antique gym horse and oak settle bought in Cumbria sit below the spiralling staircase designed by architect Elaine Blackett-Ord. Throughout the house, Earthborn paints, made from clay-based pigments, provide a chalky grey and cream background - at once modern and earthy.
Paul Massey39/56In the bathroom of this Manhattan house designed by Rita Konig, stairs lead directly from the sitting room up to the first floor. The Rug Company runner complements the dark wooden flooring.
Øivind Haug40/56In a historic rectory in rural Kent, the architect Ptolemy Dean has brought its disparate array of architectural styles into harmony, enabling decorator Alexis Wylie to create inviting interiors with bohemian touches. Stairs from an 18th-century pulpit, installed by a previous owner, lead up to a bedroom. The walls are in ‘Card Room Green’ by Farrow & Ball and the chandelier is Vaughan’s ‘Anjou’.
Andrew Wood41/56In the vieux carré of New Orleans, formerly occupied by artisans, a house decorated by Nicky Haslam reflects the multi-cultural origins of that exuberant delta city. A classical figure stands beneath the elegant ironwork staircase.
Michael Sinclair42/56This idyllic cottage in Oxfordshire was looking rather tired until a trio of creatives - designer Sarah Delaney, architects Barnaby Gunning and garden designer Butter Wakefield - gave it a characterful update, both inside and out. Handcrafted by carpenter Brian Jones, this spiral staircase replaced an awkward Eighties flight of stairs. The steps are made from oak and instead of a solid central post, they wrap around a spiral ribbon of laminated plywood, which saves space as well as creating a stylish architectural feature.
Courtesy of Alto Piano Studio43/56The floating three-tiered staircase at Villa Borsani is a masterful mix of Candoglia marble steps, Murano glass paneling and walnut banisters, and sets a material tone that’s felt throughout the iconic modernist residence.
Simon Upton44/56A new, oak staircase was added to this Wiltshire farmhouse after the current owners moved in, to create more space in the second-floor bedroom and bathroom above it. It was a collaboration between owner Ken Bolan and Alex Argo of Burr Woodworks. ‘It was difficult to create due to the tightness of space,’ says Ken. ‘We had to sculpt the walls and the ceiling.’ It was crafted from hand-selected kiln-dried oak, and Alex worked with a local blacksmith on the handrail, which was made from raw steel and finished with beeswax. A similar staircase would cost from £20,000.
Davide Lovatti45/56Known for their restoration of historic buildings in Scotland, conservation architects Nick Groves-Raines and Kristin Hannesdottir relished the challenge of saving Lamb's House in Leith, where they now live and work. The original spiral staircase has been whitewashed and maintains original features such as the small alcove.
46/56Moving from a cottage to this sizeable rectory, the owners enlisted an antiques dealer to create their imagined ideal. Max Rollitt filled the house with interesting and amusing objects and furniture, thus kick-starting his career as a decorator. A seventeenth-century lacquer long-case clock stands in the hallway between floors.
Simon Upton47/56A spiral staircase, painted white to match the floorboards in this bedroom, leads to a bathroom on the floor above in Miranda Alexander's delicate, sophisticated Dorset cottage.
Richard Powers48/56A tiled staircase can look spectacular, but it is hard to achieve due to the weight of the tiles and the necessity for a perfectly flat surface. The staircase at the house of design writer Maryam Montague, just outside Marrakesh, looked tiled, but the risers are in fact painted with designs that Maryam created in collaboration with stencil artist Melanie Royals.
Paul Massey49/56A 'Globe' lantern from Jamb takes centre stage in the elegant hallway at this Cotswolds house decorated by Joanna Plant.
Simon Brown50/56When adding a new wing to Ballintubbert, a grand eighteenth-century house in the republic of Ireland, architect Matthew Shinnors and designer Hugh Henry of Mlinaric, Henry & Zervudachi were tasked with creating a space sympathetic to the architectural period, but with a twenty-first century sensibility.
The large cellars beneath the house are approached by this elegant double staircase. The railings and overhanging light - based on a Soanean design - were made by the local blacksmith, and are offset by a huge slice of old yew, emphasizing the graceful curve of the stairs.
Sharyn Cairns51/56Still in this Suzy-Hoodless-decorated house, the filigree pattern of the original Victorian cast-iron balusters is picked out in a soft black. Underneath a second staircase leading to the basement has been encased in a frosted glass box, with black Crittall-style panes lending a clean, graphic modernity to the hallway.
Simon Upton52/56The hall at Bowood, with its cantilevered staircase, was converted from a dining room in the Fifties, under the direction of John Fowler.
Lucas Allen53/56Designer Suzy Hoodless designed the black-and-white striped wallpaper that spirals down the staircase of this London house. It has been combined with bold, sophisticated colour choices and - our favourite idea - monochrome treads.
Sharyn Cairns54/56In this Victorian house designer Suzy Hoodless has used a chaste monochrome palette to give definition to the architectural details. A simple black stair runner, coupled with a collection of delicate 'Ball Pendant Lights' by Michael Anastassiades gives the space a paired back elegance.
Alexander James55/56Interior designer Amanda Hornby has ensured the staircase of her converted dovecote in the Cotswolds is flooded with light by installing a double-glazed skylight in the roof. A palette of pure white maximises the feeling of brightness and space, warmed by dark wooden treads and banisters.
56/56The pale robin egg blue walls modernise and brighten the staircase and hallway at Inchyra in Scotland, which is filled with antiques.
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