Few things can ruin the look of a home as much as an old
dilapidated staircase. The stairs connect the different levels of your home,
and become the axis from where its ambience flows. The best of decor and
furnishing can never make up for a decrepit staircase.
Wondering if this can really be true? Recall memories of
all the horror and mystery movies and TV shows that impacted you. How often is
an old dirty staircase used as part of the scene to create an aura of gloom and
fear?
In addition, there are safety issues to be considered. You
don’t want a family member or friend fall down a defective staircase and get
injured. Here are a few issues to keep in mind when you plan to replace your
old stairs.
Design options
The staircase is a major traffic route though the home
and is often overlooked and taken for granted. Depending on where it is
located, it could be the first architectural feature that visitors see, and one
that sets the tone for the character and style of your home. Replacing a
staircase is an opportunity to make a statement about the kind of home you live
in.
Over the years you would have seen innumerable
staircases; some of them would have made a lasting impact on you, may be
positive or negative. The ones you liked would have an influence on what
features you want to add to your home. Those you didn’t would guide you what
not to do.
You have the common design options like spirals, spindles
and so on. Also, you have the options of common materials like wood, metal,
granite etc. But most homeowners are not aware of the full range of choices
available to them. Expert guidance will open up new possibilities, and could
give your home the kind of style you never would have imagined possible.
Design integration
Subject to structural, spatial and safety considerations,
you can have any kind of staircase for your home. But you must have a clear
idea of what you want, and how it will look once completed. What looks grand in
a design magazine may not look so in reality. A staircase that appears
wonderful in Hummelstown brownstone
in several buildings may not work in a Midwest ranch house.
Staircase professionals are knowledgeable about design
and appearance issues too. They will be able to offer advice and guidance to
help you avoid costly mistakes. Should you realize after installation that the
new one is not what you ever wanted, are you going to tear it down and start
all over again? Sure, you will not! Surer, the pain of the mistake will linger
for long!
Functionality
The new staircase must be functional and safe. Is it of
the right dimensions for easy use? Will children and the elderly be able to
climb up and down safely and comfortably? Keep in mind, when deciding on a
design, the present and future – the actual and probable – uses of the stairs
by those who live in your home.
Compliance
If your new staircase does not comply with the local
building regulations, you will be in serious trouble. Regulations and
specifications are often complex and difficult for a layman to understand. Here
again, a professional will know precisely what can and cannot be done, and will
help you avoid future hassles.
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