How to choose interior staircases – designer’s tips and ideas
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Interior staircases come in a huge variety of designs, shapes, materials and architects, designers and staircase manufacturers come up with original, innovative and eye-catching ideas which make a staircase a bright highlight of any interior. When choosing this important element of the design of the rooms you just need to pay attention to size, shape, material, railings, and of course – design. Whether you opt for a magnificent bespoke staircase or choose one of the options offered online, for example by modern staircases uk, your stairs will not be just an architectural element but a complement to the style of your home.
What is important to know when choosing interior staircases?
In the first place, interior staircases perform a very important function – they connect the levels of the house or apartment, so functionality and durability are among their main characteristics. When choosing interior stairs you need to know the answer to some very important questions.
Where will the staircase be located in the house – in the center of the room, alongside a wall or at a corner?
What type of staircase is suitable for your living space – suspended stairs, floating stairs, curved, spiral or straight staircase – the choice will be determined by the available area and you need to foresee the square meters that will be under the stairs. Often this space can be sued as additional storage.
What is the thickness of the walls – this is an important factor as the staircase construction is attached to the walls.
Safety and comfort are also of great significance for any staircase. The slope of the staircase, the width of the treads and platforms determines the carrying capacity and need to be in compliance with the requirements for fire safety. In addition, you need to make sure that it is safe for children, elderly people or people with disabilities if they will use the stairs.
What is the style of your home interior? You need to choose the staircase so that it blends with the overall design concept of your home – classic, modern, minimalist, etc.
How to choose the material of the interior staircase?
An interior staircase can be made of various materials. Wood is a classic option, of course, but you can choose glass, stainless steel, wrought iron, concrete or a combination of materials. What people often neglect is that railings are a part of the staircase design and they must be in harmony with both the stairs and the interior of the room. Some staircases will work harmoniously with almost any finishing material, while others will be suitable only within a strictly defined style. For example, a wrought iron staircase will look great both in a traditional interior, where natural materials (wood, glass, stone, ceramics) prevail and in a modern interior. Stairs in a modern style usually have strict geometric forms, minimum decoration and are often made of more than one material – wooden treads and glass or stainless steel wire railings.
Interior staircase lighting is another consideration that you need to keep in mind when choosing the type of stairs. Having an abundance of natural light is a great advantage but most often stairs need to be lit not only at night. Proper lighting makes them safer and can be used as an additional decorative feature.