Staircases are essentials to homes with more than one storey. They efficiently and easily take us up and down different floor levels. While some would only go with the basics and focus on its functionality, we can opt for designs that will combine functionality with aesthetics. In some homes, staircases are designed to impress, dominating entrances and foyers. Here are some great modern staircase ideas and designs that are impressive in style and ingenuity.

1.       Glass and Wood

Sleek and modern, this glass and wood staircase exudes elegance and minimalist efficiency. The solid glass panel railings are tinted. The staircase system features floating treads that are individually attached to the wall, skipping the stringer for a more streamlined look.

2.       Floating Minimalist

This staircase is stripped down to the basics. Floating treads and a minimalist handrail with a light feature. While the rest of the treads are floating, the first three steps are on a solid platform, which also includes storage.

3.       Elegant White

Marble, silver, crystal and a curving staircase. This foyer speaks of elegance, luxury and timeless design. The white-themed interiors feature a showstopping crystal chandelier, marble flooring and a staircase with marble steps and a stylish silver railing.

4.       The Modern Spiral

Spiral staircases save space and are also used as a decorative feature. The steps and rails are built around a centre column. This modern spiral staircase has a black column, wooden treads and a trendy stainless-steel railing.

5.       Crisscrossed Black Railings

Add fun and randomness to the sleek and clean look of modern railings. The eye-catching balustrade panels feature black spindles and crisscrossed metal wires. The modern look is complemented with the wooden handrail and white interiors.

6.       Riser Lights

Staircase lighting is a safety must. This white and sophisticated staircase installed the lighting strategically on the risers, efficiently illuminating the treads. The staircase features a solid glass panel balustrade, wooden treads and classy wainscot panels on the wall.

7.       Farmhouse Modern

The charming farmhouse staircase gets a modern revamp. The carved, bulky or intricate spindles are replaced with the sleeker and more streamlined cable railings. The wooden newel posts and treads are retained to maintain the rustic charm of the iconic style.

8.       Black Steel Spindles

Modernist and sleek, minimalist and gorgeous. The clean lines and efficiency of the vertical spindles complement the minimalist look and style. The cool black metal balances the modern and warm feel of the wooden treads, risers and accent wainscoting. 

9.       Sleek Steel Treads

This sleek and ultra-modern staircase will fit right in with any modern and minimalist interiors. The black steel treads are attached directly to the wall, making them look like floating black spikes. Edgy, unique, spectacular.

10.   Marbled Luxury

Marble and luxury will never go out of style, even during the height of minimalism in modern staircase ideas and designs. This modernised marble staircase feature delicate grey marble for tread and riser, brown-tinted glass balustrades and lighted risers. 

11.   Silver Railings

The understated luxury of wood and silver. This curving foyer staircase features dark wooden treads, risers and stringer board, polished wood handrails and sleek silver balustrade. Magnificent styling with nothing but superb materials.

12.   Rustic Modern

A very rustic look in a modern setting. The warm tones of bare wood are on display, complemented by the clean and uncluttered lines of the modern minimalist design. Thin steel balustrades extend to the ceiling and serve as staircase screen.

13.   Cubby Storage

Don’t let that prime space under the stairs go to waste. This cubby hole storage is cute and will match the modern staircase design. The wooden storage receptacles complement the wooden steps and are efficient organisers.

14.   Rainbow Stairs

Get some colours to your modern interiors. Use your staircase to inject some fun and bright colours into your home. This attractive and modern staircase features the colours of the rainbow on its steps!

15.   Glass and Chrome

Sleek, modern, luxurious. Perfect for white interiors, this glossy and stunning glass and chrome staircase will surely impress. The white staircase features black treads, solid glass balustrades and chrome steel railings and newels.

16.   Patterned Riser

Upgrade a modern minimalist staircase into a stylish and gorgeous home feature. This very modern and minimalist staircase gets a modish upgrade by way of patterned risers. The black striped riser tiles match the sleek black metal balustrades.

17.   Grey Metal

Modern styling meets inspired engineering. This middle stringer staircase design banks on the sleek look and strength of metal. The grey metal middle stringer is matched by the rails and wall. The warm wood tones of the treads counter the cool metal, while the silver cable balustrades underscore the modern look.

18.   Grand Foyer Perfect

Grand, magnificent and timeless. This staircase is a showstopper, the perfect focal point to any grand foyer. Featuring the classy and cheerful black with white polka dots design for its carpeting, the staircase injects a touch of quirkiness to the stately foyer.

19.   Bookcase Screen

Functional as it is decorative, this balustrade-screen-and-shelves-in-one is a great idea for smaller and clutter-prone homes. The bookcase screens the stairs, while the shelves provide storage and display spaces.

20.   Green and Rustic

A great combination of rustic and coastal. The wood treads and newel posts bring in rustic charms, while the bright seafoam green risers add a cool seaside vibe. Pull-out storage compartments occupy the space under the stairs. The glass balustrade panels highlight the modern styling.

21.   White Delight

The perfect staircase for the elegant and modern farmhouse interiors. The classic features of the charming farmhouse design are retained – white wooden spindles and handrails, bare wood treads and patterned risers.

22.   Stair Carpet

Carpet is passé in the minimalist trend. But the grand styling and streamlined carpet design makes the carpeted style work for this graceful curved staircase. The delicate grey metal balustrade matches the carpet design.

23.   Chic Black

This two-flight staircase is grand-foyer-worthy. Solid wood slab steps, stained black. Clear glass balustrade panels, middle stringer and white handrails. The streamlined design complements the white minimalist interiors of the foyer.

24.   Concrete Treads

Unique and innovative design. The staircase features a one-piece inclined riser, clear glass balustrade and concrete treads. The unique solid triangle treads come with a matching concrete landing. The single sleek chrome handrail is attached to the wall.

25.   Shelves and Storage

This staircase design puts the prime space underneath to good use. The built-in storage and display system offer ample space for organising, keeping and showcasing. Ideal for smaller homes and perfect for stairs located in the living room.

26.   White on Brick

Elegant and rustic, modern and beautiful. The exposed brick wall adds colour and charm to the design, while the solid white colour is sleek and modern. The stairs include pull-out cabinets underneath and are without balustrades, but feature a handrail attached to the wall.

27.   Glass Panels

Glass panel balustrades are a top favourite amongst modern staircase ideas and designs. It is sleek, minimalist and will easily fit into any design themes. This modernised farmhouse staircase design features warm wood tread, risers and newel posts, with the modern injection of clear glass panels.

28.   Square Landings

Modern minimalism meets elegance. The design is based on the square, with one square corner of the room dedicated for the staircase defined by a square platform. Half of the platform features the first steps to the first landing, a square, while the other half is a blank space allotted for décor and accents.

29.   Industrial Spiral

Black steel, sleek lines, elegant form. Spiral staircases are innovative and great space savers. This sleek and modern spiral staircase is fully made of metal – the centre column is of steel pipe, balustrade and handrails are made of flat bars, while the treads and risers are of perforated metal panels, all in fashionable matte black.

30.   Suspended Steel

This precast steel staircase takes minimalism up another level. Stripped down to just the treads and risers, the staircase is attached to the wall on one side and held up by a staircase screen on the other.

31.   Classic Blue Curve

Graceful lines, elegant accents and timeless design. The beautiful staircase is this elegant white foyer’s worthy focal point. The gorgeous design includes an elegant and graceful curve, welcoming wide treads, carved handrail and a sweeping blue carpet that matches the equally stunning chandelier.

32.   Natural Elements

Going back to nature is a theme in many modern staircase ideas and designs. This rustic modern staircase design includes varnished wood treads and risers and a charming wicker staircase screen. Down-to-earth sophistication.

33.   Wrought Iron Rails

Rustic, modern, stunning. The design manages to combine the charms of rustic and the coolness of metal. Showcasing polished wood slabs for treads, risers and handrail, the eye-catching staircase’s focal feature is its gorgeous wrought iron balustrade.

34.   Step and Slide

Bring in the fun of the playgrounds into your home! This stair and slide combi is great for homes with kids or people who are forever kids at heart. The quirky addition to the traditional staircase will redefine fun and running down the stairs.

35.   Modern Coastal

Bright and refreshing, modern and welcoming. The updated coastal staircase features the charming white and wood combi and sleek black metal railings. Completing the interiors is the fascinating golden candle type chandelier.

36.   Glass Spindles

Match the luxurious polish of marble floors and treads with the crystal glow of glass. This classy black and white staircase is the focal point of a chic foyer. Its restrained yet luxurious design includes black risers, marble treads, curved handrails and glass spindles.

37.   Indoor Pocket Garden

An indoor pocket garden offers a nice refreshing touch to your home. The space under the staircase is the perfect location to grow a garden. It has space and is off the foot traffic but is a busy area where the plants can be displayed and appreciated.

38.   Floating Glass Treads

Magical, fascinating and modern. This almost invisible staircase design is composed entirely of glass. The streamlined construction only includes the steps and the balustrade – all made of glass. The floating glass treads are attached directly to the wall, while the clear glass balustrade panels also serve as the handrail.

39.   Black Marble Elegance

The elegance of marble lends luxury to the sleek and innovative staircase design. This black staircase is made of black marble slabs for steps. The no-riser, no stringer design is highlighted by the accent lights inserted at the front edge of the steps. The result is dramatic, elegant and luxuriously modern.

40.   Stairs and Storage

Clean, efficient and modern. This minimalist staircase features a shelving system instead of a wall. The matching stairs and storage design incorporate functionality with modern styles and trends. No clutter, no unnecessary fluff. Just a beautiful and functional stairs and storage system.

41.   Tiled Risers

Add colour and interesting details to your modern staircase by adding patterned tiles to the risers. The quick and easy upgrade will instantly transform a boring and forgettable staircase into a vibrant and personalised one.

42.   Minimalist Stair Screen Wall

This ingenious staircase design incorporates steps with shelves and platforms. The minimalist stair screen wall can also serve as the handrail and the base for living room wall accoutrements like the television, framed images and other wall accents.

43.   Shabby Chic

The technique of injecting something old and used to home interiors is on-trend. Shabby chic is charming, captivating and beautiful. This recovered and re-installed cottage staircase has all its charms retained and is a gorgeous contrast to the modern home interiors.

44.   Modern Concrete

Edgy and raw, dominating and modern. Concrete walls and floors left bare in its cool grey glory is a hit amongst modern staircase ideas and designs. This modish precast concrete staircase features black flat steel edges and handrail and matches the bare concrete walls and floors of the home’s interiors.

45.   Mesh Railings

Stylish and minimalist. The most captivating feature of this industrial themed staircase is its eye-catching black mesh railings. The sleek metal mesh comes with black iron edges that also serve as the handrail and newel.  

46.   Modern Industrial

This cool and modern interior design combines the warmth and charm of rustic accents with the raw and edgy touch of the industrialist look. The staircase and home office combi features wood treads and desk and perforated steel riser. A wall of vertical steel cords separates the work area from the treads.

47.   Cord Stair Screen

The coolness of concrete plus the edgy look of the black cord stair screen. The design used common materials, bare concrete and black cord, to achieve stunning results. Modern, elegant and creative.

48.   Black Modern

This elegant black curved staircase spans the two-storey height of the entryway. The thin vertical steel railings highlight the curve, creating fluidity and grace. Glass orb lightings, cowhide rug, a round table and white walls complete the gorgeous interiors.

49.   Modern Cable Railing

The thin cable wire railings are barely perceptible, giving the illusion of openness. It complements the clean lines, neutral colours and functionality over fluff or the modern minimalist design.  

50.   Steel and Concrete Minimalist

Two of the strongest materials in one staircase. This modern and formidable minimalist design features the coolness of bare concrete for the steps and the concentrated strength of black steel panels for its balustrade and rails.

Do you have any incredible and fabulous modern staircase ideas and designs that we haven't covered? Why not discuss it on our RenoForum!