Functional Sculpture: The World’s Most Beautiful Staircases
When is a staircase more than just a staircase? When standout details like these take stairs from just a convenient way to move from one floor to another and into the realm of functional sculpture. Whether there’s a remodel in your future or you’re just an architectural junkie, you’ll find plenty to love about these beautiful staircases.
Above: A particularly striking staircase in a Seattle home from Archinet. The bannisters blend visually with the black wall, so the stairs themselves almost seem suspended in midair.
Like some of the best designs, this stair rail, spotted on The D Pages, is both beautiful and incredibly simple.
In this New York apartment, spotted on Brownstoner, the staircase becomes part of a whole wall of sculptural elements. (And, for you sticklers out there, no, this probably doesn’t meet code, since there is no railing.)
→ The World’s Most Beautiful (and Terrifying) Stairs
In this design from Tectonica, the members supporting the risers (called ‘stringers’) become an important part of the design itself.
From MCK Architects, here’s another staircase where the underside is more than worth looking at. I love how the ballusters also become support elements.
Layers of moldings make for a railing that’s both unique and beautiful in this interior by Elizabeth Kimberly.
A beautifully tiled staircase landing at a hotel in Tulum, spotted on Faithfull Travels.
This staircase, spotted on A Quiet Style, combines concrete with wood for a look that’s modern yet warm.
Spotted on The D Pages, a gorgeous staircase/railing combo: minimal but with hints of art deco.
Glass railings give this stair from Arch Daily all the breaktaking magic of a scary staircase, but with a little less danger.
A beautiful ballustrade detail from Kelly Deck Design, via their Instagram.
And finally, a gorgeous suspended staircase, from Archiproducts via Apartment Therapy.