What Are Suspended Stairs?

Materials Used

• Suspended stairs are often made of wood that coordinates with the surrounding area in your home. For instance, if you have hardwood flooring, it is a wise idea to use the same wood tone in the stairs to provide continuity and balance to the room. Other suspended stairs are made of metal to add a sleek, contemporary appeal to the decor.

Complementary Decor Styles

• The suspended stairs enhance homes decorated in a modern or contemporary style. They also work well with minimalistic furniture and designs. Homeowners who delight in sleek lines and stark furnishings without a lot of details and accouterments may choose a free-standing staircase when planning their home. The stairs can add a formal, clean appeal to the space. They also contribute additional style to a funky, eclectic ambiance. The stairs often resemble a work of art that complements the existing decor.

Expense

• Suspended stair designs are not just for straight stairways. They are available for circular, elliptical and spiral stairs as well. Many homeowners hire someone to design their suspended stairs to reflect their own personality and style. Custom-made suspended stairs are more costly than those that are available commercially. The materials and any necessary modifications to the home also factor in the cost of the design. Suspended stairs do not contain the intermediary supports common in standard stairs. Incorporating structural steel is often necessary to ensure the safety of the design, therefore increasing the cost.

Disadvantages

• Depending on the design, only one side of a suspended staircase may be attached to the wall. Many designs do not include a banister and have only the flat wall surface. This is because the addition of a stair rail detracts from the minimalistic attributes of this architectural feature. The other side of the stairs may be left open. This is a disadvantage if you have small children or elderly individuals in the home who are not adept at climbing up and down stairs and need a sturdy rail to grab onto for safety.