Our staircases are often overlooked when it comes to designing a fresh interior. However, staircase renovation is a deceptively simple construction project that can make an astonishing difference!
There are so many reasons why building a new staircase can make a substantial difference to how your property feels:
- Your stairs are a focal point, often immediately visible when entering a property.
- They define the style, flow of energy and feel of a home.
- Elegant staircases and bespoke balustrades can completely transform your aesthetic.
- Using innovative building materials and creative design can turn an old, tired staircase into a style statement.
- Staircases can be cleverly reconfigured to improve your layout or open up more space and light.
While your staircase might be a practical way to move from one floor to the other, it is so much more than a place to sling your jacket after a long day – it is an integral part of your interior, and a modest budget goes a long way!
How to Update an Old Staircase
For a lot of homeowners, the idea of ripping out an old staircase and building something new sounds daunting; surely that’s a massive project! The reality is, working with an experienced renovation team such as Pinnacle Works makes updating an old staircase a breeze.
What matters most is the quality of the joinery, and having input into the design process, so you know exactly what finish, materials, and style your new stairs will incorporate.
You will find a multitude of ways to update an old staircase, ranging from a complete staircase renovation through to some gentle design upgrades that will make all the difference:
- Replacing timber balustrades with sleek contemporary glass panels brings a modern and scandi chic vibe.
- Swapping out rigid lines for sweeping curves creates a softer, gentler feeling that makes a property feel more relaxed.
- Changing your risers can give a staircase a total facelift; think about wood, textures, carpets, or something less traditional such as steel, glass or polished concrete.
- Updating newel posts or bannisters with something fresh and new will change the look of your whole staircase, with minimal work.
Of course, you can also look at a significant staircase renovation project whereby you replace the entire structure – which opens up a world of possibilities!
Think about how much floor space your staircase takes up in your ground floor.
- Does it maximise your storage space?
- Could you minimise the amount of your hallway that is out of use?
- What shape and angle of stairs would fit perfectly with your style?
- Do you find under stair areas dark, dusty and redundant?
- Would lighting, contemporary materials, glass or a change of wood stain brighten your property?
As we can see, there are countless ways to use a staircase renovation to transform your building, so let’s look in detail at some of the most popular design projects the Pinnacle Works team delivers!
Diverse Materials to Make an Artistic Statement from your Staircase Renovation
Traditionally, staircases were wooden, from top to bottom. That’s wooden treads, bannisters, newel posts, strings, fascias – you name it!
Wood is an honest, natural, and versatile material. If you’re comfortable with the texture and feel, there is no reason not to stick with it, but perhaps look at different types, stains and colours of wood that might inject fresh energy into your living spaces.
It’s also worth checking out some more innovative materials, and how they are used to create an extension to your main rooms that turns your staircase into an asset that links the different spaces in your property.
- Glass is ideal for minimalist staircases and avoids blocking the flow of light. It makes your home feel larger, brighter, and airier and creates a gentle reflection of lighting systems that delivers a soft ambience.
- Contemporary glass panels can be fitted alongside contrasting soft carpeting, robust wooden finishes, and create a textural experience that clashes the sharp and the smooth to elegant effect.
- Stainless steel and brushed metals can be utilitarian and sleek, but also bring a sense of polish and complement your joinery with bespoke curves, angles and balanced lines.
- Polished concrete steps work wonderfully in renovations such as suites and apartments converted from warehouse and loft spaces.
- Oak is an ideal choice for a family property, with a hardwood finish great at withstanding heavy use and being resistant to scratches and dents.
The only limitation on the materials you can use in a staircase construction project is your imagination; so don’t be afraid to consider unusual finishes that will create something truly unique!
The Benefits of Replacing Traditional Spigots with Glass Balustrades
Glass is big news in the world of modern staircase renovation, and offers a vast range of benefits that make it an excellent choice!
Safety – reinforced glass balustrades replace wooden balusters with a solid panel. This makes it excellent for family homes with young children and avoids any potential for worn balusters to break or snap under pressure.
Light – the properties of glass mean that it opens up lines of sight throughout your ground floor, creating less shadow, clearer visibility, and removes darker wood fittings to allow light to flow.
Bespoke – frameless glass panels create a stunning visual impact, without any visible fittings or fixtures to break up the harmony of a sleek, continuous glass staircase.
Reflective – as your glass reflects natural and artificial light back into your home, it makes even dim or dark hallways instantly feel warmer and more welcoming, by maximising the light sources available.
Options for a Staircase Facelift to Modernise Your Home
You can opt for a simple upgrade, swap out materials, or choose a complete staircase renovation, depending on your budget, design aspirations and preferences.
As building materials become more advanced, there is a broader choice than ever before. With options for adding storage space, using up-lighters and carefully place LEDs and spotlights, blending traditional and modern materials, creating sweeping curves, symmetrical geometrics or subtle lines, adding a new staircase to an extension or loft conversion, or replacing existing stairs, has never been so exciting!
Cladding your staircase risers is a fast, affordable design project, whereby you change the look and feel of the vertical aspect of your staircase to make an unused area into something special. Replacing your treads with new material, such as wood, metal, or even plastic, makes your stairs safer and protects your home from wear and tear.
Our homes are our castles, and by pouring some TLC and design inspiration into your staircase renovation, your property will feel brighter, fresher, and more inviting, whether you opt for a sleek, minimalist finish, or warm materials that evoke relaxation.
For help with choosing the ideal layout for your new staircase, or selecting materials that will complement your design scheme and bring your stairs up to date, get in touch with the Pinnacle Works team, or visit some of our previous renovation projects in our gallery!