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On last week’s blog, we talked why stairs need to be celebrated. I got a great response from my readers and thought a follow up blog would be warranted. If you missed last week’s blog, you can find it here.

Stair placement

I talked about where the stairs lands on the second floor. What I failed to mention is the ideal place on the first floor. I like the main viewing angle to a staircase to be from the side, that way you can see the sloping lines of the stairs and the space beyond.

Half walls are great for budget friendly homes, but adding a handrail can be very impactful at opening the space beyond and adding drama.

In a recent addition, the staircase on the landing overlooked a two-story volume great room. Removing the half wall and replacing it with a metal handrail dramatically opened up the space.

Admittedly, removing the Juliette balcony also opened up the space.

What not to do

Stairs in a foyer can be very impactful when placed at the side, but not when you walk in directly facing the stairs going up. Not only is this the least interesting view of a stairs, they also look imposing and arduous from this view. Additionally, it is not good feng shui. Apparently, this place can take “the good chi right out the door” according to one of our readers. They also sent the attached image.

Making stairs more affordable

A half wall is more cost-effective and most durable. This is a great solution for build-to-rent housing since turnover is frequent and potentially by nonprofessional movers. If you want to add a handrail, consider adding a skirt board at the bottom of the stairs.

This saves the expense of having to trim and detail each and every exposed end of the treads. Using railing that follows the slope of the stairs also simplifies construction as not every spindle has to be cut to fit.

Stair Finishes

For years there were limited options for treating the treads and risers. There were wood treads – very high end. One advantage of wood treads is you could paint the risers to contrast the treads to add more visual interest. Below is an in-progress white oak stair waiting to be stained and have a runner installed (rendered in the second picture).

Over time, these treads will need to be re-stained and they are prone to showing scratches from dogs’ toenails. You could also apply tile to both the treads and risers, again with the opportunity to vary the risers from the trends.

Ah – but if you were looking for affordability, carpeting the stairs was the only option. Not the most durable, long-term solution.

Fortunately, today, luxury plank vinyl has solved the stair finish dilemma. They are cost effective, beautiful, and durable. And like their wood counterpart, you can vary the tread color from the riser color.

I am a big fan of LVP and having the ability to put it on the stairs is a game changer.

What is your favorite handrail and stair finish?