Architects determine the staircase placement first when designing the floor plan for a residential property since the function and flow of the rest of the home depend on it. You can opt for either the traditional placement, which places the stairway just inside the front door, or take a more modern approach and place the staircase in the center of the living room. It all depends on the home’s design and what you want your focal point to be.
Placement of the staircase is critical to your floor plan configuration because it affects both the downstairs and the floor or floors above it. If you place the staircase in the middle of the entryway, near the front door, you create a dramatic entrance but may risk splitting potential bedrooms upstairs. With different staircase options, you can redirect the top of the staircase and solve your space issues at both ends.
After deciding on the staircase’s location and placing it in your floor plan, the next step is the design. Here are some options for different types of stairs to explore for your new house:
1. Quarter-Turn or L-Shaped
This is much like the straight staircase with a single linear flight except for the change in direction. The stairs feature a 90-degree turn toward the left or right immediately after a landing.
2. Winder
A winder staircase is often referred to as a more complicated version of the L-shaped staircase. This design winds the staircase’s steps, or treads, from one end to save space on the landing.
3. Half-Turn or U-Shaped
This is the ultimate back-to-basics style of a staircase—similar to the L-shaped stairway, the landing separates two linear flights. However, the bend here is taken much farther to form a full U-shape.
4. Curved
If you don’t want any landings, the curved-style staircase is perfect for your home. Unlike L-shaped or winder staircases, the curved stairs continuously follow the bend of the banister, which makes for quite a striking architectural statement.
5. Spiral
This staircase design resembles curved stairs, but it’s more compact as it’s centered on a single pole to form a perfect circle. Spiral staircases are perfect when you have very limited space, such as outdoors, where you may want to join a patio to an outdoor balcony.
6. Bifurcated
If you’re down for a vintage feel that has Titanic or Gone With the Wind embedded all over it, your go-to is the bifurcated staircase. This involves one larger flight splitting into two smaller sets of steps in opposing directions.
7. Ladder
Believe it or not, a ladder qualifies as a staircase like any other type of stairway. This is an ideal option for smaller spaces as it can be accommodated fairly well in the tiniest sliver of square footage. A ladder also adds charm to accessing bookshelves or bed lofts.
Freccia Group is a trusted name in residential building construction and commercial construction management. Our home builders offer design, building, and remodeling services in Round Rock, Texas. Contact our home remodeling experts today to learn more about how you can transform the home you have into the home you want in Central Texas.
