14 Mind blowing staircases you won't believe actually exist

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B + H 45 , HPONCE ARQUITECTOS HPONCE ARQUITECTOS Modern Corridor, Hallway and Staircase
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When designing a home, it's not always the staircase that first comes to mind. If you're building more than one level, or split levels, it's of course important from a structural perspective—but there are so many other things to consider in terms of design and style that the humble staircase is often forgotten. In many homes you'll find them pushed into corners or simply sitting stark in the middle of a room, serving only its purpose; to connect two levels. 

On the other side of the coin, the staircase can function as the grandest piece in the home. As we are showcasing here, staircases can be creative, cool and stunning—a defining point of any home. There's no need to compromise on functionality, just the opportunity to add flare, imagination and innovation to your home. 

1. Walking on water

There is no denying that this staircase makes an instant impression. Whether you're afraid to step on it is another question. From a design perspective, it is striking and certainly sets a very distinct mood for the room it features in. The light blue tone and transparency coupled with the illuminated rail attached to the wall makes it feel like the whole thing is glowing. At homify we often recommend making optimal use of the space underneath your stairs, but this is a an example of when less is more. The simple sculpture tucked into the corner highlights the desired impact of the stairs themselves. Could you walk on these?

2. Stone and wood

Here we see another example of stairs that might make a clumsy person a little bit afraid to walk on them. The beauty of this staircase is that it appears to be hanging from the roof, pressed only slightly against the stone wall. The white finish matches perfectly with the tones of the wall and gives the room a calm, tranquil feel. By keeping the individual steps very thin, it contrasts with the heaviness of the rest of the room and makes the staircase look thin; suspended in the air like a cloud.

3. Two tiered

At a first glance you might not be exactly sure where this staircase leads but it certainly makes an impression. The design of this house is eclectic and the open plan structure sees the levels seamlessly moving into one another—aided by this two tiered, multi leveled staircase. The large, wooden steps coupled with full rails make the thought of ascending so high a little bit less nerve racking experience and the colour scheme works perfectly. The whole verticality of the home is beautiful and the staircase truly functions as the centrepiece. 

4. Staircase aquarium

Helical glass staircase around giant fish tank Diapo Modern Corridor, Hallway and Staircase

A cylindrical aquarium is one way to make an impression—wrapping a staircase around it is a whole new level of stunning. While there are some ethical issues involved with home aquariums, there is no denying that this is a remarkable feature that would take any home to the next level. As you ascend the staircase, you get a tour of the aquarium and are able to see the full spectrum of what's inside. From the top, it's equally beautiful to look down and see the whole thing topographically.

5. A simple twist

Sometimes it's the utterly out of this world items that blow our minds, other times it's the simple but effective things like this staircase that nail the brief so perfectly they seem unreal. The tones and finishes used in this room find a stunning line between rustic and modern and the staircase captures this style perfectly, twisting from one floor to the next.

6. Entering another void

You'll be forgiven if you can't exactly tell where this staircase ends and where it begins—but that's what is so charming about it. A stunning architectural marvel, it feels like you're stepping into another void, being transported from one floor of the home to the next through a portal. The wood and white colour scheme adds a calm feeling to the otherwise semi-chaotic design style and the whole thing creates a mood of appreciation. It's not just a bunch of stairs to walk up, it demands attention and consideration with each step.

7. Spiral heaven

There is something ever intriguing about the spiral staircase, and this modern take on the classic design is full of charm as well as cutting edge spirit. The semi-circle cut out of the roof, opening up into the next floor of the home created a modern, almost futuristic look and the wooden railings merging into the steps on the staircase give a feeling of unison and a flowing from one space to the next. Whether you like the design or not, it certainly creates intrigue and a desire to ascend and see what hides above.

8. Wine lovers delight

Spiralweinkeller, JMF JMF Wine cellar

For those who love wine and are a little bit strapped for space regarding where to store it—why not create a wine cellar that is part of the staircase. If you have the right space to work with, or can create a design like this, it's a great way to keep your wine stored but also in view because wine is not always for drinking. Here you can easily access and pull out whichever bottle you want. Whether it's something new you bought to drink at the next family event, an old bottle that's been maturing for many years or a collectors item you're keen to show off.

9. Glass heaven

Contrary to the image that you might have right now, this is not actually the staircase to heaven. It's a staircase to the next level of a house right here on planet earth. This is a beautiful example of how a railing doesn't necessarily have to make the whole thing look clunky. It is possible to combine safety and functionality with a free, flowing design that doesn't compromise on style and feng shui.

10. Kayak down the stairs

If you have a particular fondness for kayaking, or just like kitschy design, then this could be the staircase for you. Bright yellow, stark and certainly unique, there's no denying that it demands the full focus of the room. If you want a full size staircase, you might need to fuse a few kayaks together but the design pictured here will work well for a split level set-up. 

11. Guitar?

Not just for kayak lovers, there are also staircases for those with a great love of the guitar. Perhaps it's the shape and design of the guitar body or maybe it's the idea of the beautiful music they create. The use of the railing as a kind of strings for the guitar makes this staircase fill its brief quite accurately. If you look at it from the side, as pictured above, we get an optical illusion that the strings are sitting atop the body and neck of the wooden piece. At the very least, it's creative and unique.

12. A little garden

This staircase isn't particularly mind-blowing in terms of its functionality (by this we mean that it's safely pressed against a wall and has a rail bolted on) but it is so stunning that we had to include it on the list. The stones, the tress, the floorboards, the white and brown combination. Everything about it demands attention and gives character to the room in which it features.

13. Gorgeous tiles

We all know that tiles can take a room to the next level. Usually we associate tiles with the bathroom or kitchen—or even on the floor. Rarely do we think of them as an option for a feature wall or more specifically, a feature wall behind a staircase. This is yet another staircase that will likely make some people a little bit nervous to walk on due to the lack of a handrail—but it looks stunning and the bright, vibrant colours of the tiles take the whole space to the next level. They've also used the space under the stairs brilliantly, with a little table set that looks effortless and chic.

14. So zen

It looks like these stairs are simply floating on air. Like a level in a Mario game to be completed—perhaps they'll disappear from under our feet as we step on each one. Really though this staircase and the long, wooden bench the flows from underneath it and functions as a seating area is truly relaxing and beautiful to look at. The black lampshades contrast with the brown tone of the wood and white walls, creating a striking room that anyone would be happy to call home.

What do you think of these staircases? Do you have a favourite?

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