Decorative Stair Ideas

We've been looking at decorative stair ideas that give you the chance to express your creativity in this most humble and functional area of the home. Although our 1920s bungalow renovation is still in progress, I'm getting a lot of inspiration for my own decorative stairs! One of them might work for our upstairs area dedicated to Greg's 'man loft' and the guest bedroom.

Check out these decorative stair ideas that we've pinned on our Pinterest page. They elevate (excuse the pun) a simple staircase from pure function to a unique design feature

Graphic and gorgeous! Music fans will enjoy these elegantly decorative stairs, painted with piano keys. This would be a fantastic way to lead visitors up to your music room.

Don't neglect the stair risers! These decorative stairs feature a selection of pretty floral wallpapers on the risers. It's a great idea for a country cottage or to enhance a Victorian decor home. You could of course use all the same wallpaper on each riser. But I rather like the unmatched and eclectic feel of this approach. It adds to the vintage mood.

Here's a fine way to upcycle some old wooden rulers. You have to look quite closely to see that they are indeed old-fashioned rulers glued to the stair risers. The various tones of the wood and the styles of the ruler markings create a unique effect.

Tile on the stair risers might be a more tricky DIY job. You need to ensure the tiles are exactly the same height as the risers. But look how fresh and appealing the tile looks! I can picture this working beautifully in a coastal home, with the breezy blue and white tile, accented by one red riser. It could also be rather fabulous with Art Nouveau design tile.

This clever home-owner has used decals on the risers to create a butterfly and bird vignette. The surrounding walls and stair rail are kept quite simple and clean. I think this is generally a good idea so the decorative stair design is framed without too much other distraction.

If you want a simpler but still very decorative stair approach, the subtle gradation of color on these stair risers looks highly sophisticated. It's a rainbow of blue!

Turning our gaze to the other side of the stairs, shelves on the underside of an open staircase are a great way to display your books, collectibles, and small antique or vintage items.

If you have any decorative stair techniques or ideas, we'd love to hear about them. Tell us in the comments box below!