80 Stairways to Design Heaven (2024)

1. For this Seattle stairwell, DeForest Architects used 12-gauge perforated stainless steel for the steps. The handrail along the side walls was custom-made by Five Star Metals.

2. A fossilized tree and a painting of a matching tree grace this modern stairwell in Australia designed by .

3. The team at TylerMandic added arches to the stairwell to keep with the period of the home and to create a beautiful entrance hallway.

4. This swooping stairwell in Key Largo, Florida, includes wood-paneled walls, marble steps and a sisal runner to create an elegant tropical vibe.

5. A plaid stair runner, black and white photography and an antique grandfather clock at the base of the stairs create an enticing vignette.

6. The old iron railings pair well with the modern black and white striped runner rug, making for a distinguished stairwell in Paris.

7. A collection of gold Sahara sconces from Arteriors Home adds a visual treat to this staircase in San Francisco designed by John K. Anderson.

8. A green and gold stair runner featuring a trellis pattern complements the similarly patterned wallpaper in this Palm Beach, Florida, home.

9. A stylish geometric stair runner warms the cement steps, iron railing and brick walls of this stairwell in London.

10. A single abstract painting adds just enough warmth to this sleek stairwell designed by Sutro Architects, featuring floating stairs and a glass railing.

11. This traditional staircase in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, ups the wild factor with a leopard-print stair runner.

12. The white clapboard siding, antique door and sisal rug featured in this Austin, Texas, stairwell make for a great mix of modern and rustic design.

13. This beach-inspired staircase in Miami whisks one off to paradise with its assortment of ocean blue hues and tropical wallpaper.

14. The thinly striped black and white stair runner combined with the bold pops of neon green in the wallpaper makes for a chic scene.

15. London designer Oliver Burns says that “around a cascade of contemporary lanterns, a [custom] staircase, fashioned from a single piece of wood, sits at the center of the house.”

16. The bright greens and blues of the Spanish-tile-inlaid steps make for a festive stairwell in Tampa Bay, Florida.

17. This stairwell in Australia designed by Bijl Architecture features cantilevered timber stairs and a custom-routed Corian wall.

18. This stairwell with its vertical wooden slats is a mix of both Arts & Crafts and Japanese-influenced design.

19. A solid walnut curved staircase includes open-rise treads coupled with curved glass railings. The craftspeople at Specialized Stair and Rail designed this stairwell for a home in Canada.

20. The bright red painted iron railing adds a dramatic pop of color to the cement stairs and gray walls of this staircase in Italy designed by Gio Pagani.

21. Shades of gray star in this London staircase designed by Michelle Chaplin Interiors. Gray is featured on the runner, rug, beam, column and pendant light.

22. Both over-the-top and fabulous, this San Francisco stairwell features boldly striped walls, a cheetah-print runner rug and collection a faux animal heads.

23. A chevron-patterned wool stair runner and elegant blue walls make for a sophisticated staircase in England.

24. This minimalist staircase in London was designed by Amos Goldreich Architecture and features floating wood stairs and a blackened-steel railing.

25. Bright orange painted steps and a cactus combine to give this modern stairwell in London an eclectic vibe.

26. Notice the dress form decked out in period clothing at the top of the first flight of stairs. It adds a whole other level of interest to this stairwell.

27. The curved wood banister forming a double helix adds all the visual interest needed and then some for this minimalist stairwell.

28. The bold stair runner in shades of blue, black and gray is a dose of color in this all-white entryway in London.

29. Multicolored inlaid tile running up the stairs creates a unique and festive stairwell in this Tampa Bay, Florida, home.

30. It’s best to take this artistic stairwell in London designed by architect Gregory Phillips one step at a time.

31. The designer of this traditional stairwell in Salt Lake City kept it simple, letting the glossy white wall panels running up the stairs and hallway steal the scene.

32. This beach home in southern Connecticut features a white staircase with blue stripes and a repurposed pipe for a railing.

33. This staircase in a midcentury home in San Francisco was designed by Melanie Stewart. The graphic black and white stair runner provides a lively welcome home.

34. LED lights running up the sides of the stairs create a stunning glow on this stairwell in England.

35. Some green paint on the stairs and green-framed family photos add a breath of fresh air to this black and white stairwell in Atlanta.

36. Woodsy wallpaper was added to the stairs of this eclectic Portland, Oregon, stairwell.

37. Designer Barbara Purdy added a geometric-patterned runner and a zigzag banister to create a fun and stylish stairwell in Toronto.

38. The royal-purple stair runner adds color to this black and white stairwell in London. The wallpaper is also a knockout.

39. Each reclaimed-wood step in this staircase has its own distinct character and shape, making for a one-of-a-kind showpiece.

40. The floating set of steps over a more standard staircase makes for an interesting visual in this space created by Germany’s in_design architektur.

41. The yellow and white stair runner complements the striped chair at the base of the stairwell in this stylish Victorian home in Toronto.

42. Simplicity reigns supreme with this staircase in a modernized country home in Oxford, England.

43. The same patterned wallpaper with opposite foreground and background colors creates a stunning dynamic for this New York staircase.

44. This swooping staircase in Australia designed by Archology provides options for walking and sliding down to the first floor.

45. Uptic Studios mixed slate tile, steel cables, iron and wood for this industrial-meets-rustic stairwell.

46. This staircase in Varese, Italy, incorporates floating stone steps to make a bold design statement.

47. Mattingly Thaler Architecture used intricate metalwork for the railing of this elegant staircase in San Francisco.

49. This intricate Victorian-inspired staircase designed by graces a pool house in Atherton, California.

51. A built-in bookcase on the staircase wall creates a practical and stylish visual for this English countryside cottage.

52. An Oriental runner rug with iron stair rods from Zoroufy creates an elegant formal stairway.

53. Designer Alexander James used chrome stair rods to fasten down the wool stair runner in this London home.

54. The matching hallway runner and stair runner combined with a gallery wall of family photos make a cozy stairwell in England.

55. The Christmas colors of this stair runner add a festive spirit to this otherwise understated entryway in England.

56. The matching hallway runner and stair runner in shades of red and purple also include heart patterns that add whimsy.

57. The whitewashed wood stairs, white columns and glass partition railings combine to make a nautical-inspired stairwell in London.

58. A series of more than 30 framed art pieces and an abstract sculpture of a head at the base of the stairs make this Beverly Hills, California, staircase a standout.

59. This elegant and understated stairwell in London is quite masculine, with its stair runner reminiscent of men’s suit fabric.

60. A bold and beautiful tribal rug unfolds down the stairs to make an eclectic and sophisticated entryway.

61. A polka dot stair runner, a banister painted a shade of eggplant and bookshelf wallpaper create a unique stairwell in the United Kingdom.

62. This Palm Beach, Florida, bungalow designed by Gil Walsh Interiors uses an elegant and lush stair runner to welcome guests into the home.

63. This rainbow-hued stair runner is complemented by the colorful collection of umbrellas and canary-yellow table at the base of the stairwell.

64. A stunning sculpture at the base of this San Francisco staircase mimics the swooping design of the dramatic stairwell.

65. The intricate woodwork and brass sconces running up the wall make for a classically handsome stairwell in Illinois.

66. The integration of a wine cellar under the stairs makes for a well-conceived staircase in the United Kingdom.

67. The red and orange of this bold stair runner provide a splash of color to this otherwise all-white space in London.

68. A white rope has been transformed into a stair railing for this beach home in Rhode Island.

69. This moody staircase in London got the red carpet treatment and is certainly ready for its close-up.

70. A wall alcove provides an ideal spot for an antique bust that gives classic charm to this elegant staircase in East Anglia, England.

71. This stylish home in London includes a staircase with a collection of oversize scissors displayed at the top of the stairs.

72. This beach house in Charleston, South Carolina, has a grand staircase with a porthole window partway up the stairs.

73. The intricate woodwork of this staircase in Boston doesn’t need any embellishments. It stands on its own.

74. Floor-to-ceiling steel bars provide a stylish partition that impales a flight of black floating stairs in San Francisco.

75. A living wall at the base of the stairs and a railing with LED lights create a magical stairwell in France.

77. Beautiful stained wood, inset lights running up the stairs and crisp white walls make the grade in this London stairwell.

78. The stairs in this Boston home are constructed from a baked white oak that’s been surface-treated with an ebony aniline dye.

79. Stephen Fletcher Architects used glass partitions, swooping steps and a skylight to create a stunning stairwell.