The staircase is often the first thing you see when you enter the home. A prominent entrance hall feature, serving as the welcome party or concierge, greeting guests upon arrival and setting the tone of what is to come.

Our talented design team share their ingenuity and creative expertise to balance the right combination of materials, finishes, and accessories to make our client’s staircases genuinely spectacular.

Here we share a few of our top tips to help you make a powerful first impression and use your staircase to create ‘entrance impact’.

Wonder Wall

It’s not uncommon for staircase decor to be under-considered or feel disconnected entirely from the broader interior scheme. Elevating a single wall as a feature can add grandeur and turn the stairway into a statement feature in itself.

The stairway is a spatial connector, we suggest being mindful and creating synergy between this and the rest of your home. For a cohesive look, try using colour repetition and tonal transitions throughout to link common themes, keeping the colours complementary and in keeping with your planned or existing scheme.

We chose a polished Venetian plaster in a warm grey to feature at the foot of this stunning staircase in our Carlton Hill residential project. The multi-tonal appearance adds texture and direction, balancing well with the classical features within the contemporary new interior we designed.

A fantastic way to add a touch of luxury, contrast and depth to a painted entranceway is to create a feature wall along the main staircase. On a straight staircase, wallpaper the wall that runs parallel to the bannisters, but should your stairs dog-leg consider wallpapering the rear wall that faces the approach to the staircase. As the stairway is a high traffic area, you should choose materials that can handle the extra attention and easily be wiped or touched up.

A central runner

An effective way of ensuring your interior exudes luxury is by using opulent, high-quality materials. Hardwood and marble stairs are a staple in luxury interiors. Aesthetically pleasing visually, practical and hardwearing, these smooth, hard surfaces present a myriad of challenges on the staircase. Adding a central runner is a practical way to make the stairs accessible for the family (and any furry friends) to navigate without the danger of slipping.

A stair runner can also help tie together the overall interior scheme creating a complementary yet consistent look. Consider colours and themes throughout your home and use contrasting texture, colour and the power of pattern to help add interest, draw the eye through the space and galvanise the interior scheme over different levels.

Be picky about the pile. Loop pile is durable, trackless (no vacuum or hoover marks!) and great for high traffic areas but select a low tight loop to avoid snagging and pulls from sharp objects. Create a modern look with a low-level loop pile or a more rustic chic effect with a textured loop. If opting for a cut pile, keep it short and dense as the fibres are liable to gape if the pile is high over the nosing or becomes worn with footfall.

A gallery wall

Make the most of the often-overlooked canvas of the stairway wall. It can offer generous height and uninterrupted wall space, and as we travel this path several times a day, why not utilise this versatile space to reflect your style and make the journey a little more pleasurable?

Displaying a collection of framed artwork and photographs is an excellent way of incorporating personal style into your interior scheme as either a bold focal point or quietly elegant backdrop.

The owners of this Suffolk farmhouse wanted to showcase their much-loved art collection, so we created a feature wall to display a selection and give the staircase and landing area a welcoming gallery-like feel.

Choose a frame that complements both the interior scheme and the artwork itself. If your interior style is quite classic with period features, then more ornate, scoop or cushion mouldings in natural wood, black or metallic finishes will work well. Minimalist, distressed, polished lacquer or chunky metallic frames can be exciting options in a more modern setting. Don’t be afraid to experiment and mix things up, as classic finishes can work just as well in both contemporary and period settings. Have fun playing with the juxtaposition and test out different layouts until you discover one that works with the wall space you have and love.

Give the features a facelift

Give your staircase a facelift by updating some key features. In our Belsize Park project, the stairway felt gloomy and outdated, so we installed an art deco style balustrade in an antique brass finish to echo the age of the house in a contemporary way. We replaced the traditional turned timber spindles with modern glass panelling, allowing natural light to flow through the space.

Let the staircase be the star

When a property boasts an abundance of period features as in our Carlton Hill residential project, allow the staircase to be just that, the feature, and as with all great productions, add great lighting and enjoy the display!

Work with our team of luxury designers

We’re happy to help provide a design direction to create a luxury staircase. Contact us today to discuss your home renovation project.