Simple styling tips for matching your staircase to a modern interior

Bohemian

Bohemian, often referred to as ‘boho’ style is probably the most relaxed kind of interior scheme – as by its very nature, there are no rules and the emphasis is on unique expression and individuality. The main feature of boho homes is eclecticism, mixing textures and patterns, adding multiple textiles in rich colours for an opulent feel and contrasting vintage and modern trinkets side by side. Bohemian decor is essentially a melting pot of styles, eras and geographical regions, and many boho homes will display a diverse range of objects from around the world with no single unifying theme.

Styling a staircase for a Bohemian interior

An easy way to create boho vibes with your staircase, is to use a mixture of materials and add interesting details to the design, such as a timber balustrade with ornate carved details and carpet tread overlay. Any type of staircase would fit into a boho home, with the finishes and decorative elements the most important aspects for integration into the aesthetic, as the staircase itself can be considered as a piece of statement decor in its own right.

Mid-Century

Typical mid-century design includes a minimalist aesthetic in a mix of materials, though certain timbers such as teak, oak and rosewood are very commonly used. The style emphasises clean lines and organic forms, with circular and oval furniture a popular element, as well as natural colours with pops of brighter hues. One of the underlying principles of mid-century design is the idea of integrating indoor spaces with the outdoors, so lots of wood finishes, houseplants, and garden-style elements are often included. You can take plenty of ideas from Scandinavian design into a mid-century interior, adding darker tones and more streamlined shapes to the scheme.

Styling a staircase for a Mid-Century interior

The obvious choice for a mid-century home would be a wooden staircase with treads and as much of the balustrade as possible in a dark timber finish. Glass is also regularly found in mid-century design, especially in combination with wood, so this could be a fantastic option to create a lighter overall impression. A spiral or curved staircase would be perfect to complement the natural lines and streamlined shapes of a mid-century style interior, but any type of staircase would fit into the aesthetic with the right choice of materials and finishes.

Transitional

Transitional design, as the name suggests, is a balance of a number of features from modern and traditional design, but put together in a more structured way than in styles such as boho. It combines the clean lines of mid-century design, varied textures, statement lighting fixtures and creative use of mirrors and colour accents to create personality and warmth. A transitional style space should be comfortable as well as functional, with an ambient feel and a mixture of different materials such as wood and stone, leather and wool, with metal accents and neutral hues.

Styling a staircase for a Transitional interior

A good way to incorporate transitional design into your staircase would be to focus on clean modern lines and then add variety through textures in the finish. Mixing materials such as concrete and wood, perhaps with the addition of an interesting handrail wrapped in leather or rope, would work on any style of staircase to fit in with this broad aesthetic.

Minimalist

This design movement is fairly self-explanatory, based around stripping a room back to its bare form and simple aesthetics. Open-plan spaces with minimal clutter, white or monochromatic colour schemes and a limited range of materials such as concrete, steel and glass are all standard features of a minimalist aesthetic. Furniture and decor is generally functional, with no place for non-essential knick-knacks and all decor fitting into the overall scheme.

Styling a staircase for a Minimalist interior

Spiral staircases always look fabulous in a minimalist property, especially crafted in modern materials such as concrete and finished with a solid balustrade in a solid colour to match the theme of the room. However any style of staircase would fit into this aesthetic, as long as the details were kept simple and the finishes clean.

Maximalist

In a nutshell, this is the opposite of minimalism! Think bold and vibrant, eclectic styling with multiple colours and patterns, layers of texture, and lots of personality! Maximalism is a celebration of personal expression, and should reflect the character of the inhabitants, with collections of objets d’art, contrasting aesthetics and interesting lighting to create atmosphere. Texture is key here, with fluffy rugs, crochet cushions, shiny surfaces, house plants, rustic wooden accents and influences taken from across a huge range of styles harmonising to form a playful and super cozy effect.

Styling a staircase for a Maximalist interior

If you are throwing yourself into this mode of design, then you can’t really go wrong with your staircase, since pretty much anything goes! Of course, a statement staircase would be the cherry on the cake of a maximalist interior, but if you don’t have the space or budget for an impressive helical staircase, a smaller spiral option or even a simple straight staircase can easily be customised to fit with the decor. Intricately detailed balustrade, clashing materials and finishes, interesting textural effects on the handrail and bold patterned carpet overlay are all brilliant ways to make your staircase stand out – after all, more is more!

If you’re thinking about creating a custom staircase for your project, we have plenty of inspiration and advice on our website and socials for you to peruse, and our expert team are always happy to discuss ideas and advise on next steps to make your dream bespoke staircase into reality. 

Part one of this guide is also available in the News section if you want to learn more about the range of modern design styles to choose from.