Unless you prefer to climb the walls in your home, a staircase is irreplaceable. It’s no longer just a practical element in the design of the house but, most of the times, it’s turned into a focal point. A staircase is a wonderful accent element and a great way of adding style to a rather plain area. But choosing the style and model is not everything you have to do.

The material is just as important. For example, a wooden staircase is more suited for rustic and traditional homes because wood is a warm and friendly material that look better with age. A steel staircase, on the other hand, is a more modern option and it tends to have an industrial look. Let’s see some example.

A suspended steel staircase has a wonderful and strong visual impact. The steel cables that are used to sustain the stairs are simple and elegant and the stairs seem to be floating. This is a design that is both safe and stylish. And even though usually steel staircases tend to have an industrial feel, in this case all they transmit is elegance.

Here the steel staircase floats in the area between the kitchen and the living room. It’s an interesting design that also provides a focal point for the décor. The staircase has glass guardrails that further enforce the floating effect without adding visual weight and without interfering with the initial design of the staircase.

This is a staircase featuring a combination of steel and wood. The steps are made of wood while the structure and guardrails are made of steel. The combination of material is interesting and the contrast is strong and beautiful. The two materials have different textures and colors but create a nice balance.

This staircase is similar to the first one we’ve presented but the difference here is that the cables are positioned horizontally, parallel to the handrails. They are also made of steel, just like the frame and handrail supports. The steps are made of wood along with the handrail and they create the same elegant contrast we’ve seen earlier.

But if the staircases presented so far were a focal point only in the areas they connected, in this case we have a staircase that almost dominates the entire house. It connects two floors but the second only occupies a portion of the first one. The staircase is suspended in between the free space and provides a large and imposing visual focal point.

This residence features a very open and airy interior design. To maintain that look, the staircase was designed to seamlessly integrate into the décor. It’s a steel staircase that further continues on the upper level creating a sort of open corridor with floor-to-ceiling glass windows from where the panoramic views can be admired.

This is a very simple, clean and fresh staircase designed on two levels. It’s also made of steel but, nevertheless, has a warm look thanks to the finishing color. To maintain the simplicity of the design, transparent glass was used to connect the handrail supports and to make the staircase safer. The contrast of colors between the staircase and the wall and carpet is also very beautiful and elegant.

This is another floating staircase but in this case the design is a little different. Instead of only using the adjacent wall as support for the stairs, another support element was placed in the center of the stairs. It connects them and provides support. The color chosen for the staircase, including the handrail and supporting frame, is discreet and matches the floor.

This is an example of a modern interior design with a steel staircase painted black and a dynamic décor. Usually, even in the case of floating staircases, the space underneath remains unused just to enforce the airy and spacious interior. In this case, however, the space underneath was transformed into a display area for decorations and plants sitting on an elevated platform.

Here we have another steel staircase with a design that is both sleek and strong. It’s also a sort of floating staircase but in this case with support elements on both sides. One side features a steel handrail while the other is protected by a glass wall. It’s a strategy that allows you have a stylish and sleek staircase without ignoring the need for safety.

Picture sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.