42 Designer-Approved Ideas for Wood Stairs for Any Style

Wood stairs provide character and style when getting from floor to floor, and they're often an upgrade from carpeted stairs. With carefully placed decor or considered wood stain and finish selection, wood stairs can fit a variety of styles—from high-end farmhouse to low-key modern.

We've found plenty of wooden staircases you're sure to love. Keep reading to discover 42 of our favorite ideas for wood stairs.

Tip

The tops of individual stairs (the part you step on) are called treads. The vertical parts of in front of them are called risers.

Bring in Some Marble

Want to add a little glam to your wooden stairs? Give the fronts of the stairs a faux marble treatment, using specialty paint to create a marbled effect. This works well with kitchen staircases or in areas that already have stone flooring.

Show Off Your Stuff

Use your staircase landing to showcase a favorite mid-size decor piece, like a handcrafted plant stand or small sculpture. It's a built-in display space that would otherwise go unused.

Add Some Green

Add a little bit of green to your entryway by adding a statement vase and foliage, or a favorite houseplant or two. The green of the plant will look great alongside the rich brown tones of the wood.

Add a Bench

If your staircase turns to fit your space, use the nook created on the ground below to build a small bench with storage. It's a great way to provide convenient storage and seating in your entryway or foyer.

Use Matching Finishes in Nearby Furniture

To ensure your wood stairs blend in well with the rest of your home, add a piece of furniture nearby in a matching wood finish, like White Sands did in the living room above.

Paint Behind the Stairs

The wall behind your stairs is often awkwardly shaped and hard to decorate. But it can still add plenty of style and personality to your home. All you need to do is paint it a fun color. We love the cheerful makeover Studio Peake gave to this pint-sized stairwell.

Let Tread Overhang

If you want to ensure you can see the wood of your staircase even when you're not on it, make sure that the wood spills over the edge of the tread, allowing a little peek at it from the side.

Add Some Curves

A slightly curved stairwell adds a touch of surprising luxury, thanks to its unexpected shape. These wooden staircases are the perfect ones to make a dramatic entrance on.

Use Fun Patterns in Your Stair Runner

Carpet runners on wooden stairs don't need to be a boring beige or white. Instead, have fun with a little pattern, like Brexton Cole Interiors did with the leopard print stair runner in the living room above.

Make Your Stairs Float

For an ultra-modern wood stairs look, consider floating stairs. This high-end and contemporary approach to staircases becomes a structural statement all of its own—who knew an entryway could look so good?

Pair White With Wood

White is another winning color pairing for wooden staircases—it's a classic for a reason. Easy, bright white shows off the beautiful graining of wood, and it's a great backdrop for whatever else you want to add to your entryway or foyer.

Use Wood Slats

Wood slats are a unique way to define your staircase and create a little bit of privacy. Use them in lieu of a handrail, and use the same wood that your stairs are made of. You'll be left with a uniquely modern stairwell.

Install Carpet Runners

Want to add a little bit of softness to your staircase? Add a carpet runner. Carpet runners can help reduce the risk of tripping or slipping, and they're certainly softer than wood. Pick a carpet color that's complementary to the rest of your home for the best look.

Paint Your Stairs

Looking to add a little extra color to your home? Try painting your wooden staircase. It's an easy and impactful way to add some accent color to your foyer or entryway, and it's a helpful 'fix' should your wooden stairs not be in great shape.

Hang Wallpaper

Awkwardly sized walls, like the ones found around staircases, are a great spot to add some fun wallpaper. The small area of coverage means you can pick a unique or adventurous print without worrying that it will go awry.

Save on Material Costs

To save on wood costs, consider finishing the treads of the stairs with a high-quality, durable wood while letting the risers of the stairs be made of a painted, cheaper wood. This solution works as the treads of the stairs see far more usage than the front, letting you cut down on material costs where you can.

Mirror Your Staircases

For an extra-dramatic look, double up your wooden staircases. Mirror the pair so that they're using the same materials, and they'll beautifully frame whatever space lies beyond your staircase in return.

Add Trim

To make your stairwell feel a little more elegant, consider adding some trim to the nearby walls. Paint the trim in the same color as your walls for a grown-up and historic look. Want to mix it up a bit? Paint the trim in a slightly darker (or entirely different) color for a one-of-a-kind effect.

Match Your Flooring

When deciding on wood for your stairs, it's best to pick the same stain and finish of wood that's already in your home, like your hardwood flooring. Take a page out of Grey Hunt Interiors' book for a seamless floor-to-stairs look.

Only Add Wood Where You Can See It

Another way to get that wooden staircase look without having to completely remodel is to only add wooden stairs where they're visible, like where the staircase turns out into the living space. The stairs that run along the wall, shielded by the handrail, can stick to being carpet or faux wood flooring.

Pair Matte Black With Oak

Looking for a winning staircase material combination? Try oak and matte black galvanized iron or steel. Oak stairs alongside matte black hand railing is an easy, modern-looking combo that's quite cost-effective too.

Add an Inset Seating Nook

The space below the stairs is also a great spot for an inset seating nook, like Erin Williamson Design did in the foyer above. We love that the wood behind the seating matches the wood on the staircase.

Install a Statement Light Fixture

Don't neglect your stairwell when it comes to great lighting. In fact, it's the perfect spot for it, as even one or two stylish lighting fixtures will make the small space feel immaculately styled.

Add Wood on Top

Metal handrails are a cost-effective and stylish pairing to wooden staircases. But you can add a little extra oomph by making the top part of the metal handrailing wood—just make sure to pick the same finish that you're using on your stairs.

Bevel Your Hand Railing Posts

We love the beveled post of the wooden hand railing in the entryway above from Emily Henderson Design. It adds a little bit of mid-century detail, making the foyer feel stylish and put together.

Let Light Through

Floating wooden staircases are a useful pick when you want to ensure your stairs don't block what little light you may have in your foyer. Since they aren't a solid mass, light can easily travel through the gaps between stairs, keeping your entryway breezy and bright.

Make Them Match

Consider painting your wooden handrails and your stairs the same color for an easy and elegant look. This is also a great way to make handrails and stairs in different finishes match again.

Paint Some Mint

Looking for a great color pick to go alongside your light wood stairs? Try a soft mint green, like Desiree Burns Interiors used in the stairwell above. It adds a bright and cheery touch without feeling too busy or distracting.

Hang a Mirror

Foyers and stairwells can be tight spaces, making it difficult for light to get everywhere. However, a well-placed mirror can bounce light around, ensuring that your dark and dreary staircase is no more.

Use Wood With a Dark Finish

For wooden stairs that feel very glam, look for wood with a dark finish, like ebony or cherry. The deep brown coloring adds elegance and rich color to your once-plain stairwell.

Hang a Gallery Wall

Another way to use the awkwardly shaped wall next to your stairs is by adding a gallery wall. Gallery walls are great additions to uniquely shaped spaces, as the variety of frames you can add means that there's something for even the tightest corners.

Install Tile

Tile is another great way to add a little personality to your wooden stairs. Tile can be added to the treads of all your stairs, or on alternating stairs, like Calimia Home did in the staircase above. Look for tiles with unique designs for an especially noteworthy effect.

Add Wood to the Ceiling

A wooden staircase effect can be achieved with more than just wood on stairs. Instead, consider adding wood to the ceiling above your stairwell. It's the little details that can make a big difference.

Look for Designs in Metal Railing

When adding metal handrails to wooden stairs, look for metal railings with designs in them, like the ones added in the stairwell above by Calimia Home. It's a small and subtle detail that can still bring plenty of character into your home.

Use Nearby Space Well

The space surrounding your wooden stairs is a great place for entryway furniture, like a mirror for last-minute fit checks, a bench to put on shoes, or storage for jackets and boots.

Frame the Tread Overhang

Consider adding some trim to frame the wooden overhang of your stair tread, showing it off and making your staircase feel all the more elegant. The trim can be in the same finish as the wood, or it can be painted.

Use Different Finishes

You don't have to match wood finishes when styling your staircase and the surrounding space. Instead, try to use different shades of the same wood for a ombre-like approach. We like how Emily Henderson Design used the dark wood of the railing as a contrast to the lighter wood of the entryway table in the foyer above.

Smooth Out Railing

When installing a wooden handrail on your stairs, make sure the handrail is slightly curved and smoothed so that it's comfortable to hold. Though this will eventually happen over time with enough usage, the process can be sped up with a hand sander.

Install Storage on Your Landing

Another way to take advantage of otherwise-neglected stair landing space is to install some built-in cabinetry. The cabinetry can be custom-fit to however your landing is shaped, and it will be a great place to store extra books, files, or games.

Add Some Stucco or Plaster

Wooden stairs can also be paired with stucco or painted plaster accents along the length of the stairwell for an Italian countryside look. Look for a vintage handrail to complete the picture-perfect Italianesque look.

Use Your Favorite Wood

Have a favorite stain or type of wood? Go all-in on your stairwell, incorporating that wood on the risers, treads, handrails, and nearby furniture. This maximalist approach is a great way to show off the beauty of a certain type of wood.

Add Seating to Your Landing

Lucky enough to have a window on the landing of your wooden staircase? Add a small bench for the perfect spot of contemplation and reflection. We love the minimalist approach to this Calimia Home took in the stairwell above—it's a great way to take to your stairwell to the next level.

Read Next: 22 Stylish Under-Stair Storage Ideas to Maximize Space

Read the original article on The Spruce.