A staircase in any home should be attractive and stylish; however, it also needs to be safe and functional. When you're putting in a new staircase or are having a new home built and need to choose your staircase style, note a few mistakes to avoid making so you know you'll find the best option for your space.

Not paying attention to the depth and width of the steps

Even if you want to save space in your home, be careful about creating a staircase with steps that are too shallow. This might make for a more compact staircase overall, but it can also be a tripping hazard. Small steps won't hold your body's entire weight safely, so a person can easily become unbalanced and suffer a fall.

You also need to be careful about the width of the steps for the same reason. If the staircase is too narrow, a person might turn sideways to get up the stairs, and this can cause them to become off-balance. Narrow steps can also make it difficult to get furniture and other items up the stairs. To ensure everyone's safety and comfort, don't skimp on the size of the stairs. Make sure they're sufficiently deep and wide.

Not paying attention to contrast

You want a staircase that complements the colour of your home's surfaces, but stairs made of the same material and colour as surrounding flooring can be very dangerous. A person can easily think they've reached the top or bottom of the stairs and not realize that the steps are simply blending into the floor around them. If you want to use the same timber floorboards on the steps as the home's flooring, add a carpet runner to break up the look.

Not paying attention to design

Your home's staircase is a great chance to add some style to the space, and this is especially important if the stairs are off the entryway or in an area that is seen by visitors and the family every day. Dress up the staircase with some unique features, such as using metal pipe or sold glass panels for the railing to tone down all the wood in a home, or choose actual tree branches for spindles. You can add stencils to the front of each riser; this might spell out a favourite verse or simply be inspirational words such as 'family' and 'home'. If you're adding a carpet runner, choose a bold pattern in a strong colour to make the staircase stand out and keep it from looking dull and drab.