When most people think about stair design, they consider the architecture – straight, sweeping or spiral – as well as the trim work on the handrails, posts and banisters. However, there are other things you can do to make your staircase a creative, colorful and interesting part of your interior 
design.
How Can I Display My Fabulous Collections on My Stairs?
Looking to display your collections on your stairs? Utilize floating shelves or wall-mounted display cases at different heights. Showcase your fabulous artifacts, trinkets, or photographs and create a visually striking collection. This not only adds charm to your staircase but also showcases your personal style.
Jazz Up Your Stairs for a Unique and Noteworthy Addition to Your Interior
Your staircase can be decorated simply, using art or wall murals, or you can get more creative, using paint or tile work on the stairs and/or the risers themselves. I will share some beautiful, unique and stunning examples of how a staircase can be as much about art as it is about function.
The Walls. The simplest way to decorate your staircase is to adorn the wall that runs alongside it. In most cases, you are looking at a rather large expanse of space that runs upwards of two stories or more. By using this space to hang art work, at the very least, you will make this blank canvas much more interesting to look at. Here are some examples:
Wall panels and art. In this modern home, the white glossy wall surface would be boring and unanchored without a little something to give it dimension. The wood veneer panels add warmth and an earthy weightiness while the artistic panel adds a splash of passionate color. In a more traditional home, this area of the wall can become an art gallery, the family photo collection, or a combination of the two.
Murals. Who doesn’t love a gorgeous mural? They are one of my favorite types of wall decoration and the blank wall behind the stairs is a great space for one. The right landscape scene can add depth or space in a smaller stair area. Otherwise, you can opt to have a little fun.
The Stairs. One of the simplest ways to decorate your stairs is to paint them. You can paint the entire set of stairs – including both the treads and the risers – or you may want to paint a faux runner, which is a nice way to add a little definition and interest. I like the look created when homeowners opt to paint the treads a separate color from the risers. For a traditional look, you might go with a black, dark grey or navy. For a more eclectic look, you can choose a bright color, or a series of colors.
If you are feeling really ambitious, or you want something totally out of the ordinary, your treads and risers can be painted with more complex colors, shapes and patterns to really make a statement.
The Risers. Another trick is to decorate the risers, which are the vertical, flat surfaces that run perpendicular to the treads. In Spanish and Mediterranean architecture, these areas of a staircase are often decorated with beautiful tile mosaic. Using tiles every other riser, or every few risers, is also an option. It can add the oomph you are looking for without the more ornate effect created when the tile work is used on every single one.
You can also paint the risers, similar to the treads, using the same color, contrasting colors or by making them a work of art all by themselves. If you like the idea of artistically painted risers, but not necessarily the price tag that comes with custom art work, you’re in luck! You can purchase vinyl decal riser designs from a variety of patterns and themes.