A well-designed and beautifully decorated staircase can elevate your home. It’s the first thing visitors see as soon as they enter your home, and you probably spend more hours than you realise running up and down them in a day. And although they regularly get neglected when it comes to interiors, if you get your staircase decorating right, it can transform your home and bring a moment of joy every time you use it.

And it’s not just aesthetic appeal when it comes to staircase decorating ideas, either. It can add considerable value to your home, given that research shows buyers often make up their minds in less than 10 minutes on whether or not they like a property. There’s also the safety aspect to consider: proper tread depth, riser height, and handrail placement, plus beautiful lighting can make a staircase far easier to navigate. Let’s dig into the anatomy of a staircase, which is made up of several components. Here are seven key ones to consider when thinking about staircase decorating ideas:

• Treads are the horizontal part of the step you use.
• Nosing is the edge of the tread that extends beyond the face of the riser below.
• Risers are the vertical part of the step that connects one tread to the next.
• Stringers are sloping boards or beams (usually placed on either side of the staircase) that bear the stairs’ load and distribute the weight evenly across the structure.
• Balusters are vertical posts or spindles that are evenly spaced along the staircase to support the handrail.
• Balustrade is the collective name given to the balusters, newel posts, and handrails. Essentially, it’s a row of columns with a rail on top.
• Newel posts are the more prominent upright posts that start and finish the staircase (you’ll have a starting and landing newel) and provide a structural anchor for the handrail.

Go chic and sleek

When it comes to staircase decorating ideas, chic and sleek neutrals can bring a calming effect to your home. Stair runners with elegant stair rods on a freshly painted set of stairs are budget-friendly, easy to do, and shouldn’t be overlooked when thinking about transforming your staircase. Stair runners, particularly when made from natural materials like jute, sisal, or seagrass, can add much-coveted texture and warmth to the space.

There are also plenty of practical elements involved when you add stair runners, from increased comfort underfoot to the acoustic benefits of making your home quieter. A stair runner is a great way of adding a bright colour to your hallway or even bringing a stripe into your interiors in a subtle way.

Bring in zesty brights

Too often, stairs err on the dull side, but if you think about how you usually use them every day giving the banisters a burst of color can add personality and bring a little daily joy. If you want your staircase to be the focal point, consider going bold with a bright yellow to add warmth and fun.

When it comes to painting your staircase, preparation is key. If you’ve got a wooden staircase, start by cleaning and sanding it well and use a high-quality primer on the wood to seal it. Given that it’s a high-traffic area, you’ll need to pick specific paint so you don’t slip; Rustoleum has a great range of suitable paints and colours and a handy step-by-step guide to follow. Start at the top of the stairs and work your way down.

Let timber do the talking

Ian Tomlinson, Managing Director of Chaunceys Timber Flooring, a family-run company in Bristol, gives tips on making a staircase look modern: “Choose waterfall or square-edged nosings to create clean lines for a modern aesthetic. Open-string staircases and floating cantilever staircases are striking contemporary choices, especially if you incorporate different materials such as glass and metal with high-quality wooden steps, treads, and risers. These designs allow more light into the space and can make a huge visual impact.”

He adds that when it comes to staircase trends, “many of our clients are requesting bespoke stair elements colour-matched to their wood flooring. Matching our wood flooring to a staircase is a great way to continue the luxurious aesthetic of wood flooring and create a sleek, seamless transition that can suit any home. Bespoke curved oak stairs are becoming more popular with clients designing spaces in high-end contemporary new-builds too.”

Light the way

Another trend that Ian describes to make your staircase stand out: “Incorporating atmospheric lighting into a stylish wooden staircase is an excellent way to showcase the natural charm of the wood and make your stairs the star of the show.” The wood pictured is “Chaunceys Timber Flooring’s Summer Truffle Oak. Featured on the stairs and as wall cladding, this stylish double-smoked and white oiled wood flooring combines warm grey undertones with white tinted oils to accent the oak’s grain structure.”

There are so many ways you can add lighting to your staircase, from recessed stair lights (pictured) installed directly into the wall (or the risers of the steps) to give an ambient glow to under-tread lighting for a more dramatic look or wall scones for an elegant style. You could think about your lighting on a bigger scale, add hanging pendant lights or chandeliers, or go for a skylight above the staircase to bring in natural light.

Run panelling along the staircase wall

Wooden wall panelling gained prominence in medieval Europe between the 12th and 16th centuries and was known as wainscotting. Wainscoting is a “wall covering laid over the lower portion of a wall to contribute to the decor or support the room’s overall construction or both.” There’s been a resurgence in wainscoting in recent years, thanks to its classic, timeless appeal with Instagram filled with influencers showcasing DIY hacks. It couldn’t be easier these days, as ready-made panels are easy and cheap to pick up, put up, and paint.

Try Wickes’ Cheshire moldings decorative dado kit or their traditional shaker kit for a modern look. Wainscoting is ideal for staircase decorating. A staircase is a high-traffic area prone to scuffs and scratches, and the wainscoting acts as a protective barrier for the walls. Although relatively easy to install, wainscoting is seen as a high-end feature and definitely adds value and a luxury look.

Go for ombre risers

If you live in a period property and fancy giving your traditional wooden stairs a creative makeover, then opting for ombre risers could be the solution. Not only is it a fun way to add personality to your hallway, but it can also give the illusion of space. If you paint lighter colours at the top of the staircase and move in darker at the bottom, the darker shades can draw the eye upward, making the staircase appear taller and the space feel more open.

Paint tester pots are a great way to buy a variety of different hues cheaply, and you can choose any staircase decorating colour scheme you like. It’s the perfect way to subtly add colour to your home. Of course, you don’t have to go for ombre. Check out @rainbowrosalind on Instagram and her highlight reel on how she created the rainbow staircase of dreams.

Create serenity with colour drenching

Forget the accent wall, colour drenching takes one hue and runs with it. Paint Direct describes colour drenching as “a design technique that involves saturating a room with often a single, dominant colour or multiple – but it means you’re avoiding the traditional coloured walls and plain white ceiling. It’s more than just painting the walls; it’s about filling the entire space with the chosen colour through various elements, such as furniture, textiles, and accessories.” And where more dramatic than the stairs?

Using colour drenching as a decorating idea for your home can transform this transitional space into something cohesive and quite immersive. You could use the same shade for the handrail, balusters, and newel posts or keep the hues within the same palette. If you do want to stick with the same colour but want to add texture, think about different paint finishes, like satin or gloss on the woodwork.

Turn under the stairs into a children’s den

An alternative way to use staircase decorating ideas and turn them into the focal feature is to transform the way you use them. Quite often, a large triangle of wasted space beneath the stairs is ripe for development (this is particularly true of terraced houses), and this can bring a whole new range of options to your staircase decorating ideas.

There are a multitude of options when it comes to transforming under the stairs, from boot rooms to free up your hallway clutter, to relaxing book nooks, to all-out downstairs bathrooms. However, this IKEA transformation of a children’s den is super cute, and a bijoux under-the-stairs space will be the perfect size for little ones. It’s a great way to unlock creativity, keep all the toys in one place, and give them a place of peace to retreat to.