How to Impress Your Client with a Bespoke Staircase Design
In bespoke design, it’s often the subtle details that leave the deepest impression. This is especially true in staircase design. While a staircase serves a functional purpose, it also offers a unique opportunity to showcase craftsmanship and creativity.
At Smet, we are constantly exploring how to make each staircase something special. The smallest design decisions can turn our staircases from simply structural to truly stunning. Read along to discover small details that will truly impress your clients.
Play with Light
Lighting does not necessarily need to come from the ceiling. Thoughtful lighting can enhance any space, especially when incorporated in a staircase design. Adding soft LED lighting to the handrail or treads can create an inviting atmoshpere. In this case, it accentuates the smooth leather-wrapped balustrade and rich wooden textures. Not only does it look stunning, the LED lights also serve a function: they create visual contrast between the steps, ensuring a safe staircase.
Bespoke Handrail Returns
Altough curves can be gorgeous, they can require more space than is available. Where there is a space constraint, it is important to find clever and beautiful alternatives that still allow for elegant transitions. For this project, we opted to slightly offset the posts on the landing, creating a gentle curve in the handrial going up. Each post features a round flat cap detail on top. This is where the staircase handrail arrives and the landing handrail begins, seamlessly connecting the two. The result is a smooth and fluent transition from staircase to landing, without the need for space consuming curved wreath pieces.
Handmade Panelling
Smet can make panelling tailored to the staircase to creates an elegant look. It is possible to choose from a range of different mouldings profiles, or to create a bespoke one, just for your client. For extra impact, we recommend using a satin paint finish to reflect the light sublty.
Tapered Floorboards
Staircase design goes beyond just the staircase. It is important to consider how the staircase works in the space. For this project, the flooring on the landing is part of the architectural language of the staircase. The timber floorboards follow the gentle curve of the balustrade and echoe the tapering of the staircase. This alignment enhances the sense of movement and continuity. The curvature of the floor not only complements the balustrade but also draws the eye along the natural path of the staircase.
Subtle Shadowgaps
Shadow gaps are a sublte yet powerful architectural feature. By working with negative space, a clean separation is created which emphasises the geometry of a space. Here, the shawdowgap is formed between the soffit finish and the stringer. This subtly showcases the flowing shape of the staircase, while keeping in line with the sleek, minimal design of the space. what is often accentuated through mouldings, is here done with a shadowgap, to avoid cluttering the design.
Great staircase design is never just about getting from one floor to another—it's about how each detail contributes to the overall experience. From subtle shadow gaps to the elegant flow of a handrail, they quietly speak of craftsmanship.. Thoughtful staircase design doesn’t need to shout to be effective—it just needs to be considered.