Choosing a staircase style that suits the house

The main directions

Each has a different effect on a hallway.

• Traditional turned spindles: suits Victorian and Edwardian homes and period detailing.
• Square or stop chamfered spindles: quieter and more versatile, works in most houses.
• Metal spindles with a timber handrail: contemporary without losing warmth.
• Glass panels: maximum light, best in dark hallways, needs more cleaning.
• Oak handrail with painted spindles: the most common compromise, and it works.
• Open riser or feature flights: striking, and a bigger structural conversation.

Light matters more than fashion

A narrow, north facing hallway with a solid balustrade feels like a corridor. Swap to slim metal spindles or glass and the same space feels open, because you can see through the stair to the wall beyond.

If the hallway is already bright, you have more freedom, and heavier traditional detailing will not close the space down.

Matching a period property without pastiche

In older houses, look at what survives elsewhere: the newel caps, the profile of the skirting, the architrave. Repeating an existing profile ties the stair into the house far better than picking a catalogue style.

Where original parts remain but are damaged, repairing and matching is usually preferable to replacing the whole balustrade.

Practical points before you commit

Spindle spacing is governed by safety guidance, so very wide gaps are not an option regardless of the look. Handrail height, landing balustrades and any change to the flight geometry can bring building regulations into play, and we will tell you at quote stage if yours does.

Questions we're asked about this