Staircase Storage Ideas

Staircases are often sadly overlooked in the home; ignored in favour of other, more conventionally 'stylish' areas, such as the kitchen and the living room. All too often, they're seen as a functional object rather than a thing of beauty; a mere passage to the upper levels of the house, rather than a focal point in their own right.

Seeing your stairs in a whole new light: Creative staircase ideas

If you think your stairs can't be stylish, then think again. With just a few carefully chosen stair parts, you can transform your stairs into an eye-catching, attention-grabbing feature for your home.

Here are a few insider's secrets on how to create a visually-striking and elegant staircase for your house.

Top tips to create a dramatic, yet stylish staircase

Get some statement spindles: Spindles, or, to use layman's terms, don't have to be boring. Think outside the box to create a real impact on your staircase. Paint them in a contrasting colour to your bannister (black and white works very well), or invest in a futuristic set of glass or metal spindles to give you staircase a more contemporary feel.
Create air and space with glass balustrades: Glass is a fabulous material to incorporate into a staircase. Not only is it visually arresting, but it creates a wonderful sense of weightlessness and air in the home. Rather than having spindles in your staircase, invest in some glass balustrades instead. Combine with a high-shine aluminium bannister for a sleek, modernist finish, or use with traditional wood for a beautiful blend of old and new.
Paint your stairs: If you have bare floorboards on your stairs, consider creating a real focal point by painting them. Pale blues and greys create a natural, nautical feel, whereas vibrant terracotta and red colours are reminiscent of exotic, far-flung lands.
Invest in an eye-catching stair runner: If you'd rather not commit to painting, then a stair-runner is an equally effective way of providing a splash of colour for your staircase. Bold stripes can create a very elegant effect, or if you're after a more muted look, a block colour against polished wooden stairs provides a classic finish.
Incorporate clever storage into your stairs: If space is at a premium in your home, you can make your stairs work twice as hard for you, by providing storage in addition to a route upstairs. Maximise on under-stair storage with shelving or cupboards, or even incorporate drawers into the stairs themselves!