Stairways to Heavenly Places
More than just a way to get from one floor to another, staircase designs can truly uplift your spirit. Here are three of my own designs and an image from the web.
![Underneath the ceiling in a loft apartment, a black metal circular staircase with silver curving metal rails has a moveable bookshelf filled with collectibles, books, and pillows. The interior of the shelving is painted orange, to match the wall niche displaying a Buddha head statue.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Loft-Bookcase-AFTER.jpg)
A stunning circular staircase is surrounded by a moveable bookcase –- one of my favorite project solutions for a San Francisco condo. Subtle pattern keeps the exterior from looking too industrial, while the interior is painted a warm orange to match the statue wall inset.
![](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Staircases-Comfortable-Midcentury-Modern-Condo.jpg)
This elegant traditional staircase lives happily alongside midcentury modern furnishings in another of my projects in San Francisco. Notice how the end is curled and finished neatly without a fussy finial.
![Knotty pine wood shiplap runs horizontally across the back wall of this San Francisco home. In front of that sits a white oak handrail with blue metal balustrades with an oblong circle accents repeated 3 times.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Staircases-Modern-Cabin.jpg)
My Belmont client’s home has a cabin feel that’s uplifted by modern balustrades and glass pendant lighting. We kept the natural oak color in contrast with the knotty pine-clad walls, so it doesn’t get lost in the existing wood paneling, which the client wanted to keep. Specifying the balusters in blue ties it in with the kitchen, from which this staircase is visible.
![A mostly-white home with a stone wall has an open beechwood staircase with black metal framing and handrails that has a twist and a landing partway up. Light streams in from multiple open windows without curtains or blinds, above and by the front door.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Staircases-Maple-Black-Cable.jpg)
Here’s a beautiful example from the web: I just adore a wooden floating staircase with metal accents, especially when it has a little twist and landing partway up. So modern and clean.
Kimball Starr designs staircases for stylish homes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. Contact her today for a remote or socially-distant in-person consultation.