The staircase is a major architectural element in any home. It connects the levels but it also has a strong visual impact. It’s a main décor element as well. So people often try to turn it into a focal point. The design of the staircase is important but sometimes you just feel like something is missing. Here are a few ideas that might inspire you.

Painted stairs.

How about you give some character to the stairs by making them look like old painted crates? After you’re done the stairs will be designed to appear to have been made of old signboards and wooden stamped crates. The staircase will have an eclectic look and plenty of charm. It’s a nice idea for a contemporary home.{found on funkyjunkinteriors}.

Pantone.

You could also use as inspiration these wonderful stairs. As you can see, each stair has a different color and the technique was only applied to the second half of the staircase. The other portion is just a simple wooden staircase. The idea could also be adapted if, for example, you want to feature different colors or different patterns on the stairs.{found on style-files}.

Rail splash of color.

Sometimes a guard rail is the most interesting part of a staircase. So to make the stairs stand out you could paint the guard rail a vibrant color. You could also choose shades in the same family and combine them. You could use blue, green and turquoise or different shades of the same color. Paint can really transform anything.{found on site}.

Counting stairs.

This staircase is so simple and yet it’s so charming. It has a spontaneous look and it seems like a very nice idea for families with children. Add numbers on each stair and teach your toddler how to count to 10. It’s a cute idea even without a toddler in the house. You can also paint a trim or other deigns on the stairs if you want.{found on hippomippo}.

Ombre.

Another nice and quite simple idea is to create ombre stairs. You basically have to choose a range of colors. For example, you can use light blue and several other shades of blue until you reach blueberry. The whole project won’t take more than a few hours so it’s a nice idea for a weekend.{found on shelterrific}.

Favorite book stairs.

This staircase is very cool indeed. Each stair was designed to look like a book seen from the side. You can see the titles of the books and that the colors match the actual book. The top stair is actually a book seen from the front as well. You can choose your favorite titles and make this a very fun project. It would be suitable for a library or office.

Zebra print.

If you want you can also add some pattern to your stairs. You don’t have to paint them although you could do that as well. Another method would be to adhere these strips to the stairs. Make sure you remove the air bubbles and that everything looks smooth. You could also alternate the pattern and even the colors.{found on site}.

Chevron pattern.

A similar idea would be to paint a two-color chevron pattern on the stair risers. You’ll have to create a chevron stencil and to use painter’s tape for this project. First you’ll have to apply the base color, then remove the pattern and paint the darker color. It’s a project that requires patience and time and not necessarily talent.{found on site}.

Painted carpet.

Usually you see carpets or rugs placed on the stairs to make them softer and more user-friendly. It’s also a way of adding color and pattern to the staircase without making any permanent changes. But what if you think out of the box and paint the rug on the actual stairs? It would be a quite ingenious idea.{found on mollyloot}.



You can also give a staircase a makeover with some color. Choose several colors that you want to use and paint the stair risers. Use a different color for each stair and create a nice combo. You can use similar colors or contrasting colors. Also, you can create a rainbow of colors.{found on diyshowoff}.

Chalkboard.

Another very ingenious and modern idea would be to paint the stair risers with chalkboard paint. This way you can write things on each stair, leave messages or draw stuff. It’s very creative and very fun. It’s also something that both kids and adults would enjoy.

Rainbow.

If you really want the stairs to pop then you can use neon colors. Create a rainbow using very bright and bold shades of each color. It works wonderfully with spiral staircases but the design and shape are not that important. The colors will definitely turn the staircase into a focal point.