Stairs are so common in the daily lives that often we do not give them a second thought. Instead, we simply climb up or down their steps, without really thinking of how they could be improved for the benefit of people.
The purpose of stairs is for people to be able to go up or down them in order to reach a higher or lower level of a structure. Good design is thus important to make sure that staircases are able to serve their purpose as effectively as possible.
This makes good staircase design particularly important for your home. Since your staircase will be used daily by you and your family, it should make this as easy and comfortable as possible for you, which is only possible if it is designed properly and with your needs considered.
Here are some reasons that staircase design is important for your home:
Ensure accessibility
If you are living with an elderly individual or someone carrying a leg injury, the stairs must be as easy as possible for them to climb. This means having rails that they can hold on to, and not having the spaces in between steps be too large or steep. This is so that they will not have difficulty — or even fall down and get injured — as they go up and down. These also apply to young children, who are in particular danger of falling down and getting hurt on stairs.
Furthermore, if you live in a house with multiple people, it is a good idea to have the staircase be wide enough for more than one person to pass at a time. This helps everyone move around the house much easier, and can prevent any disasters if someone is carrying liquid or anything fragile up or down the stairs as well.
Make the most out of space
The cupboard beneath the staircase from Harry Potter is a classic example of how staircase design can maximize space in your house. However, there are plenty of additional purposes your staircase can serve.
Modern staircase design can transform your stairs into a series of individual chairs that you can lounge in. They can even be built in such a way to simultaneously serve as shelves, tables, and storage spaces, while still letting people go up and down your house. With some clever design and architecture, the possibilities for making your staircase multifunctional are endless.
Add a personal touch
Lest we forget, staircases are also part of your home, and should thus fit into your vision of what your home should look like. Adding a personal touch, such as deciding on the decor, color, and general layout of the stairs can help make it really feel like a part of your home and not something that is just there out of necessity.
Thus, it is recommended that you have a say in how you want your staircase to look so that nothing — not even something as common as a staircase — looks out of place at your home. In fact, you can even make your staircase stand out and be the highlight of your house. When it comes to designing your staircase, the sky’s the limit.
Although we may not think of it often, staircase design is incredibly important for your house, both for functional and aesthetic purposes. You will see the difference when you spot a well-designed staircase; not only does it make going up and down much easier for you, but it also doesn’t hurt to look at or admire either.
