Glass Balustrade for Staircase in Harrogate

There is a saying – great things come in small packages.

In most cases this is true but when it comes to staircases, a narrow or small staircase can impede the flow of life and traffic through your home. It feels closed in and it ‘just doesn’t feel right’.

You may wish for a grand sweeping staircase but if the space isn’t there, it is tough, if not impossible, to fit it in – even for a company of our abilities!

So, how can you maximise a small staircase? We’ve got some great ideas…

More light in any smaller space will make it feel a little less crowded and small. There are many ways to introduce more light and maximise the space of a small staircase;

Light colours on the walls – forget dramatic backdrops, opt for lighter colours that bounce light about the space. And although the in-vogue interior styling of heaping together collections of framed photos, too much clutter up the stairwell can make it feel and look cluttered. Clean, simple lines make for a striking impact.

Improve the lighting – if you can’t knock a window into the wall, then you are relying on natural light. Upping the wattage in the central hanging light, and opting for minimalist chandelier-type shades or fittings, the light will bounce off all the walls.

Glass – once of the best stair fixes we can think of when it comes to maximising light in a stairwell is to opt for glass in-fills. Providing just the same level of protection and safety as wooden balusters, the added advantage is that glass is naturally reflective, adding to the feeling of a more open staircase

All too often, smaller staircases are built in similar ways, using similar materials to those staircases that are bigger and grander in design. Darker woods, spindles, large handrails, you name it, they are all added and protrude into a space. Simplifying the staircase means taking away a lot of the clutter to the eye line.

However, in terms of safety, open treads are not safe in most family homes and ripping the handrail off may have seemed like a good idea but what have you got to hold on to? Replace the handrail on the stairwell wall with a lighter wood, lower profile version of its former self. Rather than opting for detailed balusters, keep the infills simple, but safe. Glass infills, as we talked about in point one, are perfect for giving a more open feel to a small staircase, but are still a level of safety you need on the stairs.

Using button fixings opens the width of the staircase as the glass fixes to the fascia of the step, maximising the space. A great example is this glass balustrade we supplied in Harrogate, West Yorkshire. The space feels so open and light with no obstructions.