How to Decorate Your Staircase – 4 Seasonal Ideas
At Ackworth House, we provide staircase designs, manufacturing, engineering, installation, project management and aftercare all under one expert roof. Our product range spans from traditional sweeping stairs, to sleek and airy “floating” steps, through to balustrade systems NZ wide. There’s so much we could say about staircases, but in terms of the decor, there are endless ways to decorate. In this post we will talk about the top seasonal decorating trends to make your staircase pop, so you can keep having fun with your gorgeous staircase design long after it’s been installed.
New Year Eve Glamour
In Australia we are lucky to start the new year in summer, and frequently with a string of garden parties to make the most of the hot nights. However, it can be hard to let go of those pretty Christmas decorations, so if you would like to keep some of the sparkle of the silly season alive long into February you should consider adding the delicate light of candles and lanterns along your staircase. Ornamenting your stairs with neatly arranged candles has a romantic style all its own that perfectly suits summer parties. Alternatively, candles (or lanterns! Or both!) can be “scattered” down one side of the staircase in a look that is straight out of a fairytale. Finally, if you have a large U or L turn staircase, you may choose to ornament the middle landing with a statement candle, whether on a small table or within a large overblown vase for a lit-from-within sculptural effect.
NB: Always take precautions when decorating with candles to avoid fire-starting risks. We recommend only using good quality candles and carefully following the safety instructions.
The Autumnal Touch
Even for the ultra minimal modernist among us, autumn always calls for more cosiness, rather than stark or airy spaces. If a little more clutter were ever welcome, autumn would be the time. Bright design points, especially in warm colours like maroon and orange, make excellent autumn features. Autumn leaf-inspired decor may be a little “on the nose”, but cosy details like stacks of books leaning in a corner, brightly painted balustrades, and warm-toned lamps all add a sense of homeliness. In fact, anything that adds a rustic, personalised quality is guaranteed to make your home feel more cheerful and comfortable. Consider decorating your stairway wall with your children’s art, family photos, or repurposed materials such as vintage signs.
Finally, if you have been meaning to put in a softly textured stair running, now would also be the time, so your toes stay warm before winter hits.
Put a Spring in Your Step
Spring decor is known for its fresh greenery, pastel colour palettes, and floral displays. There’s just something uplifting about spring that’s worth celebrating. In L or U bend staircases, a central vase overflowing with fresh blooms is a classic and simple way to invite the season inside. Alternatively, you may wish to “green” your space with the use of potted plants, whether in small decorative pots along the balustrade, or by installing an on-trend plant wall-feature. As per spring cleaning, spring is also the best time to organise your staircase shelves, clean the steps and railing, and all in all just make your staircase look new again.
The Festive Season at Last
In Australia, our Christmas season hits in early summer, when the weather can change from hot to cold in just one day. For this reason, we’ve adopted more natural and less wintry versions of Christmas decor, in the form of wreaths full of fragrant gum-leaves, driftwood “trees” decorated with delicate glass baubles, and nature-inspired ornaments such as painted pine cones, wooden decorations and lots of white tapered candles. Whether you want to go all out with a faux eucalyptus garland running down your staircase, opt for dainty fairy lights, or simply fill a vase up with fragrant leaves with presents underneath, your staircase provides a wonderful focal point for the spirit of the season.