The best staircase ideas for 2022, according to the experts

Staircases, often overlooked, serve as a significant element in a home's aesthetic, being one of the first features visitors encounter. Social media has heightened awareness of their decorative potential, leading to a focus on transforming these transitional spaces. This article provides expert tips and trends for enhancing staircases, ranging from bold colors and statement runners to gallery walls and integrated storage solutions. One prominent trend is the use of checkerboard flooring, which offers a timeless appeal. Experts suggest updating the classic black and white with colors like terracotta and off-white for a contemporary twist. Extending tiles up the stairs provides a cost-effective and visually impactful alternative, especially for treads that may not be suitable for painting. Annie Sloan, a color and paint expert, advises selecting a limited color scheme for bolder design and pattern choices, ensuring ample drying time between coats for non-porous tiles, and protecting the finish with lacquer. Flooring expert Christian Roberts notes that tiling is easier on concrete stairs but possible on wooden ones with surface preparation. He recommends durable porcelain tiles with a bullnose edge and sealed grout, cautioning against tiles for busy family homes with young children unless an anti-slip surface is chosen or professional advice is sought, suggesting tiling only the stair risers as an alternative. Maximizing visual impact with pattern is another key trend. Lorna Haigh, creative director at Alternative Flooring, suggests combining patterns of different scales—large, medium, and small—while maintaining a common color thread to prevent visual clutter. She highlights Art Deco-inspired designs and a demand for brighter pastels like pale pinks and teal blues paired with crisp whites. Gallery walls are presented as an excellent way to utilize the often-neglected space around staircases and landings. Award-winning writer Lisa Dawson advises mixing frame sizes, styles, and textures, along with diverse artwork such as photographs alongside art prints, to create visual interest. She also suggests using picture ledges for flexibility in arranging prints. Statement runners are gaining popularity, with an emphasis on bold and vibrant designs. Andy Guard, Creative Director at Roger Oates Design, notes a preference for bright multicolored stripes, often mixed with other strong colors and patterns. He recommends matching paint colors to the runner and considering other hallway elements like furniture, cabinetry, and stained-glass windows, as well as the color palettes of adjacent rooms to create a cohesive flow. Painting woodwork offers a cost-effective way to introduce color. Ruth Mottershead, Creative Director at Little Greene, suggests using a color highlight on stair risers for instant impact, such as a cool grey with a pop of yellow. She emphasizes the importance of selecting durable, hard-wearing, and washable paints, especially for high-traffic areas like stairs. Transforming under-stair areas into functional spaces is also highlighted. Linda Levene, Co-founder and Design Director of LLI Design, recommends bespoke joinery for compact spaces like home offices to maximize functionality, ensuring adequate lighting for open setups and integrating hidden storage. Similarly, building a floor-to-ceiling library wall can add both aesthetic appeal and practical storage. Joanna Simpson, Director at Simpson Studio, explains that libraries turn often-forgotten spaces into features, suggesting bold colors like Farrow & Ball's Stiffkey Blue for drama and recessed LED lighting for highlighting shelves. For modern properties, contemporary twists like slatted staircase designs can inject character. Ashley McCullough, Senior Designer at Day True, describes a linear slatted oak feature wall with floor-to-ceiling balustrades, providing a visual divide and integrated storage with push-to-open mechanisms for a sleek look. The article also touches on creative storage solutions for the under-stair cupboard, transforming it from a 'dumping ground' into a utility room or linen cupboard, as demonstrated by Max de Rosee of De Rosee Sa. Finally, embracing dark colors in gloomy entrance halls can create a dramatic and illusionary larger space, as advised by Jemma Dayman of Carpetright, who notes the practicality of dark carpets for high-traffic areas and the emerging trend of earthy tones. Strategic lighting, including wall-recessed stair lights, spotlights, and oversized pendants, can enhance drama and elongate the space, according to Luke Thomas, Design Director of John Cullen Lighting. #StaircaseDesign #HomeDecorating #InteriorTrends #SpaceMaximization #ColorSchemes #FlooringIdeas #GalleryWalls #HomeStorage #LightingDesign #StaircaseDesign #HomeDecorating #InteriorTrends #SpaceMaximization #ColorSchemes #FlooringIdeas #GalleryWalls #HomeStorage #LightingDesign