What makes a particular staircase stand out from all the others? Is it its size, shape, the materials from which it’s made, its placement or is it something else entirely? Actually, any of these elements could be the answer. While all staircases have more or less the same role (to connect space situated on different levels), each one of them is unique. Because the staircase is an integral part of a home’s design and layout, a lot of times it becomes a focal point for the residence. Let’s have a look at some staircase ideas that were already implemented and see how they manage to stand out.

Fernanda Marques Arquitetos Associados built this house on a steep site in Sao Paulo and, throughout the process, they were guided by the desire to connect the spaces to the surroundings and to invite the outdoors in. It was all a success and you can best witness that in the design of the double-height space that integrates the staircase. Here, full-height windows reveal the beautiful views and let the light in while the wood and metal stairs ensure a pleasant ambiance.

Beautiful and elegant stairs seem to be at the core of this house’s design. They create a dynamic feeling and they ensure continuity between all the spaces. As far as the design goes, Gabellini Sheppard Associates chose a combination of American and Scandinavian elements meant to suit their clients’ needs and styles. The balance is quite nice. The loft, which is located in Soho, New York is a truly harmonious family home defined by simplicity and sophistication.

In the case of this house from Leuven, Belgium, the staircase is quite inconspicuous. It tries to blend in rather than to stand out. The focus in on the views and the cozy reading nook tucked under the stairs. It’s one of the most clever configurations when it comes to stairs and under-stair storage or, in this case, nooks. This cool combo was the work of NU Architectuuratelier, the studio that remodeled this cozy home.

Can you believe it? This residence is called the Stair House. It’s located in Seattle, Washington and was designed by David Coleman Architecture in 2011. The staircase plays an important role in the overall design and configuration of the house and it’s in part due to its beautiful look. We find the combination of wood and metal to suit the stairs well and we’re particularly fond of the staircase railings.

When they redesigned the Villa Carlotta Hotel in Ragusa, Sicily, studio Architrend Architecture had the difficult task to reinvent a historical building from the late 1800’s and to turn it into a contemporary establishment. They didn’t want to strip the building of its charm so they kept some hints of the past, like the wooden ceiling beams and the stone walls. An elegant staircase with glass railings complements them in the best way possible.

This is the interior of a residence that was renovated in 2012 by Bourgeois Lechasseur Architectes. The goal was to make it brighter and to give the interior spaces. A more open feel without entirely stripping away the original country charm. The house got a fresh new look, with large windows that infuse the living spaces with natural light and a staircase which filters it without obstructing the views.

It used to be an old, dilapidated building but now it’s a beautiful contemporary home with a cool bookcase-staircase combo, polished concrete floors and white-painted brick walls. The transformation of this space in Rotterdam is the work of Shift Architecture Urbanism as part of a series of renovations in this particular area. Each was customized according to each client’s needs.

This is more than just a simple staircase. It’s also an eye-catching design feature, like a sculpture but not quite so. This is something that architects Edouard Brunet and François Martens designed for a house which they renovated in Brussels, Belgium. The steel staircase is suspended from the ceiling on the upper floor and goes almost all the way to the floor below only to stop and to let the last few steps be built into a wooden storage unit.

After being completely redesigned by Maxwan Architects, an old barn from Geldermalsen, The Netherlands, became a cozy home with a contemporary new look. It has a lovely open space kitchen and living area on the ground floor and a cozy top floor and they’re linked by a staircase-bookcase hybrid that’s partially suspended from the ceiling with metal rods.

The whitewashed brick wall is a cool backdrop for the sculptural wood and metal staircase and this unusual combination of materials and styles defines the rest of the house as well. This is a space designed by RÄS Studio in 2016 in Barcelona, Spain.