Customize The Look Of Your Home's Stairs In These Ways

The stairs might not be the first thing that you think about when you begin working on plans for a custom home with your designer, but this is a part of the home that you should spend some time contemplating at some point. Designing a custom home allows you to come up with an appealing look for your stairs. Stairs are seldom a focal point in standard homes, but you have the ability to make your staircase one of your favorite features in your new home. Here are three ways that you can augment the look of your stairs when you're designing a custom home.

Width

A simple way to improve the look of your custom home's stairs is to make them wider than average. Most building codes stipulate that stairs should be 36 inches wide; in many homes, the stairs are not any wider than this guideline. Designing your stairs to be wider will help them and the area around them to feel more spacious. Functionally, your family members will appreciate wider stairs. For example, when you're carrying furniture up and down the stairs at various times, it will be much easier to do so without bumping into the wall.

Curve

Designing your staircase to be curved instead of straight can go a long way toward giving this part of your home a high-end appearance. Curved staircases are common in upscale homes, but you'll seldom find them in standard homes. If you're planning to have a large, open living room, or foyer, having a curved staircase begin in this space and ascend to the second floor can be a highly appealing feature — especially when you combine the curved shape with above-average width.

Railing And Balusters

Another design idea that can go a long way toward augmenting the look of your custom home's stairs is to carefully consider the railing and balusters. There are all sorts of directions that you can pursue with this idea. Think about what other elements will be in the vicinity of the staircase. For example, if you're planning for your custom home to have wrought iron fixtures, choosing wrought iron balusters can be a look that works well. If you opt for hardwood stair treads, you might wish to choose a hardwood railing that matches the treads. Speak to your custom home design service about these and other ways to increase the visual appeal of your stairs.