Creative Staircase Designs

With a little creativity, make any staircase into a decorative and functional part of your home. Before you build, check with local building codes to make sure your plan fits with local specifications.

Bookshelf Staircase

A staircase that it attached on one wall, but open on the other side can serve double duty as a bookshelf staircase. The books are stored beneath the treads where the kickboards would go.

This unique design requires an alternating tread system to prevent the steps from being too far apart. If the steps were a standard height, there wouldn't be enough room below each step for books. On the side nearest the wall, you must add a second step midway between the two normal steps.

Even tall books can be displayed beneath the steps. For alternative storage, consider installing drawers under the treads.

Modular-Look Staircase

This staircase is mounted against one wall, just like the staircase above, but the open side looks like a complicated modular unit. There's no side stringer like with a standard staircase. Instead, supports are added at steps and mid-steps, depending on the design of the unit. The stairs seem to float up the side of the wall.

Other Shelf Staircases

A staircases can have cabinet sides with doors that close to hide stored items, or hooks to hang keys and other knickknacks. Also consider installing shelves along the wall beside a staircase. The bottoms of the shelves can step alongside the actual stairs.

Curved and Spiral Staircases

A curved staircase is any staircase that curves beyond the standard straight line. A spiral staircase is a classic piece of architecture that makes a perfect spiral around a support pole. This type is ideal for a tight space or an inconspicuous staircase. Curved staircases can spiral as well, though not around a support pole. Staircases with very wide curves can look majestic, especially if the lower stairs fan out, getting wider at the base.

Storage Stairs

This type of staircase could become more popular as people try to maximum storage space in their homes. One or just a few stairs can be constructed this way, or the entire staircase can be used for storage. With this type of staircase, the risers in front of each step are actually drawer fronts that pull out. A tab located on the edge of each riser that's no longer than the nosing (which is the amount that the tread extends beyond the riser) allows you to pull the drawer out to store items. The tabs don't show when the drawer is closed so the staircase looks standard. This is a brilliant staircase storage solution.