Unique Modern Staircases That Immediately Stand Out

Trista - May 15, 2022

Photo: Alex March Studio

36. Turning Shelving Units Into Staircases

We all love open shelving units; they’ve become popular in interior design. The harshness of the black steel mixed with the wooden shelving units is a designer’s dream. So, why not take this design and turn it into a staircase? Once again, using the stairs provides more storage space and decor display. It’s incredible when you can integrate a functioning space of your home into the design to make it fully cohesive. They beautifully decorated this innovative staircase design with plants, books, and a few other trinkets to bring the look together.

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35. Home Design Can Be A Lot Of Fun

When you’re a grown-up who loves and appreciates design but still wants to feel like a kid, this is the staircase you get in your home. A staircase and a slide made out of the most beautiful wood tone match the curves of the home. It will make getting downstairs a lot faster too and, of course, a lot more fun. The design doesn’t always have to be serious, and you can have fun with it in a way that will work with your home. If you have kids, they’ll absolutely be down for dinner in time because they’ll be racing for the slide.

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34. Mixing Whites And Woods For Your Contemporary Staircase

Is this an optical illusion or a staircase? It seems like it is both! If you want to make your staircase a real design feature of your home, you need to consider designs like this. This modern staircase definitely stands out from the crowd yet works perfectly with the rest of the home design. It doesn’t feel out of place, but it certainly functions as a piece of architecture in its own right. The mix of white and wood is a very modern design element, and the curved shape further adds to the contemporary design.

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33. The Iconic Floating Stairs

These floating stairs are absolutely iconic and such a showstopper for this home. The material used for the floating stairs resembles marble, giving this staircase a very high-end finish. The glass banister allows your focus to be completely on the concept of the floating stairs and makes you feel as though you’ll be walking on air. This is a very fancy staircase design and belongs in an Architectural Digest magazine, don’t you think? The black feature wall behind the staircase is the perfect design to help make the stairs stand out amidst all the white of the rest of the home.

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32. Light Up Your Way

Let’s light it up with this staircase design! This set of stairs fits perfectly into the coolest bachelor pad. The dark tile is edgy and sharp, which is a great aesthetic for a man cave. LED lights are a simple way to elevate a staircase without spending too much money; it’s also fantastic to light your way when heading up or downstairs in the evening. The bright white of the LED strips is an incredible contrast to the black of the stairs. This innovative design certainly makes a statement and is a very unique and modern set of stairs.

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31. Stairs That Salvador Dali Would Love

Who would have thought you could design a real set of surrealist stairs? This staircase looks like something out of a Salvador Dali painting! As wobbly as they look, they’re definitely considered art. If you are a lover of this style of art, you may need to invest in a new set of stairs. The beautiful wood seems as though it is melting and forms part of the building perfectly. Watch your step while you’re walking on them, though, because this may be a case of form over function! It’s also reminiscent of something out of a fairy tale. This innovative design clearly surreal is the perfect description of these stairs.

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30. The Self Supporting Helical LED Spiral Stairs

This innovative design is a set of self-supporting helical LED spiral stairs. The construction features wood, steel, and glass – the modern trifecta! Here is another way to use LEDs in your staircase. It is subtly hidden at the bottom of each stair, gradually lighting the way up to the next floor. The swirling staircase does not look outdated in this design as they constructed it with one side of the steel and the other side of the glass. The combination of these materials is based on modern design and makes a bit impact in this space.

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29. A Perfect Concrete Spiral Staircase

Set against a cedar-clad wall is this impeccable concrete spiral staircase. Concrete is quite a heavy-looking material, but it looks so light and effortless in this rendition. The twirl of the stairs is perfect and narrow, a standout piece of decor but without taking up the space that staircases generally do. This innovative design is a beautiful set of stairs to take you downstairs to a grand room like a wine cellar. The wooden wall forms the banister part of the way and is then met by the glass, combining all materials that we don’t usually see together.

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28. The Whale-Inspired Staircase

This staircase has a fascinating inspiration behind it! The spine of a whale inspires it. The designer calls it the Vertebrae Staircase. So much design work went into refining the vertebra and how they connect to form the staircase. They interlock in order to create a rigid and self-supporting structure that functions as a staircase. Now, this innovative design would be a great addition to a home near the ocean. It would give a coastal look a whole new meaning. It is incredibly modern while still incorporating interesting parts of nature.

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27. The Seashell Of Staircases

When looking from above, this set of stairs is reminiscent of a seashell with its natural curvature and shape further enhanced by the wooden banister. Wooden stairs don’t have to be traditional, as this design shows, and you can transform them into something beautiful. The stairs begin to curve elegantly, and the designer highlights this feature with an inset light strip at the bottom of each stair. It definitely seems to be a trend in modern stairs and does bring a certain level of lux to these types of designs. They built this creative staircase to draw your attention to it.

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26. Forget A Staircase, This Is A Bookcase

Build a staircase, but make it a bookcase too! We’ve seen some amazing ways to use your staircase as storage, but this also creates a whole feature wall. You’ll basically have a library and a staircase in one. These small compartments form the perfect spots to keep your book collection or other items if books aren’t your cup of tea. While the bookcase side is obviously the main feature, the stunning and simple metal banister needs a special mention too. It allows you to draw your focus to the shelving units. Nevertheless, you can also move your eye up to visualize height and a little bit of grandeur.

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25. Simple, Small, And Stylish

This geometric staircase design is such a modern addition to this space alongside the gray concrete wall. It almost takes on a trellis-like appearance. It is simple, small, and stylish. An incredible staircase doesn’t always have to be a considerable design or take up a lot of space. Sometimes, the attention to detail, like with this staircase, is what your home is crying out for. The darkness of the metal contrasts against the lighter walls, and it’s essential to consider this when planning out your staircase design.

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24. Origami-Inspired Staircase

This design is a very unique set of stairs and takes inspiration from the Japanese art of paper folding. The designers of these stairs actually used technology, including 3D modeling, printing, and digital manufacturing, to create this incredible piece of design. They have a creative design specifically to form a “wing” shape. Floating stairs are an excellent addition to a home as they help keep a space light, bright and modern. The glass wall next to the staircase frames the stairs, so they become their own piece of art.

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23. The Geometric Wedge Stairs

Meet the geometric wedge stair that offers a modern take on the traditional set of stairs. At first glance, there might not be anything too special about these stairs, but on closer inspection, you’ll start to appreciate the exciting shape of each stair. Not everyone wants an intensely modern staircase design but is looking for an updated version, and this offers just that. The form creates a very functional set of stairs with just enough of something different. They also blend in perfectly with the flooring and the choice of exposed brick walls.

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22. Minimalism At Its Finest

This innovative style is minimalism at its finest, and the monochrome palette is the perfect choice for this staircase design. All the lines and colors work in synchronicity and are very pleasing to the eye. The designer created it using a visual lightness, and the black horizontal lines help produce a touch of dimension in this space. They’ve even added shelving to this metal structure which means it becomes a storage space. The thick black railing balances out the fineness of the black horizontal support while adding design interest too.

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21. The Hanging Staircase

This design is a very innovative form of the floating stairs and almost looks like they’re hanging stairs rather than floating. They appear to suspend from the ceiling. Of course, that’s all part of the optical illusion of these stairs. They’ve chosen to blend the staircase with the flooring, making it a cohesive space and creating the stairs look even more effortless. The larger and smaller steps create interesting focal points for the room and add more texture to the staircase itself. The designer used a rod for the banister, matching the support structure so it all blends in.

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20. Another Iconic Spiral Staircase

They perfectly thought out this unique design with the light fixture that seems to mimic the shape of the staircase. If you could describe this space with one word it would be: depth. Design is so important when you have a prominent staircase, and the homeowners desire to highlight it as a feature in the room. The curves of this staircase add dimension to this area. Plus, it almost seems to be a work of art placed within the room. The steps blend in with the flooring, creating one continuous movement from the ground to the stairs. Spiral staircases are iconic, and they aren’t going anywhere, it seems!

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19. A Modern Wooden Staircase

These wooden slats have created some of the most interesting stairs we’ve ever seen! This special staircase design uses metal suspension cables and wooden slats to make this centerpiece, and it blends in with the rest of the home’s wooden-clad design. Black is an incredible tone to pick with wood as it definitely makes it feel more modern. White would also work, but it would create a softer look, while black is a bit edgier. This creative staircase is a piece of engineering genius and deserves a design accolade.

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18. The Geometric Take On A Spiral Staircase

Round and round we go with this staircase! It is clean and white, which is fitting with modern houses but still in a very unique way. This innovative design is a geometric take on the spiral staircase; you aren’t getting the usual natural curve, but it definitely has a spectacular shape. The angles created by the very tall banister and the edges of the stairs add to the geometric design of these stairs. It shows that if a spiral staircase does interest you, you can make your home edgier.

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17. An Optical Illusion Set Of Stairs

You’ve just found your inspiration if you want to create a grand and interesting set of stairs going down into a basement or cellar! This spiral staircase has triangle wooden-shaped steps that make more and more geometric shapes the longer you look at it and from which angle. It is very minimalist in style yet provides much interest through the forms. The thin metal banister is also connected through the rest of the stairs as it joins the stairs together, creating a whole frame. This spiral staircase may not be large in size, but it is undoubtedly a prominent design feature.

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16. A Monochrome Staircase For The Win

This set of stairs is monochrome to the max! Spread over two levels, this set of stairs is incredibly architectural in design. The design and shape are bolder by the stark color contrast and the intense white banister that wraps around the entire staircase. This staircase fully feels like part of the home and not an afterthought feature. It’s as though the home design was around this set of stairs. Fully built-in staircases like this help integrate the stairs into the home and make it appear a complete idea.

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15. If The Jetsons Needed A New Set of Stairs

This staircase is something out of the space age. If you remember the Jetsons, this design is probably something they would have had in their home! It’s fun, quirky, and definitely a memorable set of stairs. These stairs aren’t exactly child-friendly, but this would be quite something for an artistic and design-eccentric home! Instead of being a swirl design, we’d refer to this as a twirl! This staircase seems to twirl around itself, almost in a tornado or twister style. The steps are also a very interesting shape – creating further dimension and design for this staircase.

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14. Carved Out Of A Tree Trunk

Have you seen one of those swimming caves in Mexico? There is an opening in the sky above, and you’re down below in the most magnificent water. That’s what this staircase looks like! The designer created it out of the most incredible wood, almost as though it’s carved directly out of an enormous tree trunk. This staircase is one of a kind. The opening that it fits through creates beautiful clean lines but still has an organic feel. The deep but warm tones of the wood they used for the staircase are contrasted by the white surrounding it on the banister, but it isn’t harsh, and it creates a beautiful softness to the design.

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13. Letting The Light Stream Through This Staircase

We love staircases that work with their space without taking over completely. Some smaller rooms require a staircase, and it’s all about how you make it work within that space and with the design. The designer created it as a floating timber staircase with a fascinating half turn in the middle of the stairs. This innovative design is a modern set of stairs, but it still retains the traditional elements that the rest of the home has. This particular staircase allows light to stream through it with the open banister and the floating structure. If you have a small area with a staircase that needs renovating, here’s a great idea!

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12. When Concrete Is As Light As Air

These “light as a feather” stairs are actually concrete! This dramatic design has really created the magic of floating in the air. The exposed sides of the staircase allow you to appreciate this set of stairs from all angles. Through engineering expertise, wall and cables support these creative stairs. It also acts not only as support for the stairs but as a guard rail, allowing the light to come through and create an open and airy staircase. This innovative staircase design is an excellent idea for a room that doesn’t get much sunlight. Why? Because you don’t want to darken it further by a heavily enclosed staircase.

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11. Take A Moment to Appreciate This Walnut Staircase

Let’s just take a moment to appreciate this walnut staircase. Every angle you look at on this staircase provides some form of interest or design. It is simple and somewhat traditional while still proving to be highly modern and complex in design. The horizontal lines of the stairs are beautifully juxtaposed with the vertical lines of the walnut boards on the one wall beside the staircase, and it draws the eye up and blends seamlessly within the space. On the other side, you have the heavily designed wall, which juts in and out in geometric design. Since the rest of the room is simple, this eccentric wall does not overwhelm it.

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10. The Zig-Zag Staircase

This innovative design is the zig-zag staircase and looks great from every which way. The unique staircase creates a focal point of a space with beautiful pieces of timber. It seems like a very sturdy staircase but is still design-focused. The balustrades are made from glass infills with a timber handrail to incorporate the same wood used on the stairs. This design is a clever way to continue the wooden finish without making it feel heavy by using it for the complete side rail. The glass creates clean lines and lets beautiful light in to highlight the wooden stairs.

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9. More Beautiful Floating Stairs

Here’s another stunning example of wooden floating or hanging (whichever way you look) stairs! These stairs are absolutely perfect for this location as the openness of the stair design allows all the light from the large window to flow through it. Since this home appears to be open plan, it only makes sense to follow this design concept with the stairs. Allowing the light to flow through the staircase opens up this area and doesn’t detract from the incredible glass window close by. The tall metal railing adds a design element to the stairs and incorporates the metal finishes that you can see around the rest of the home.

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8. The Most Luxurious and Organic Set Of Stairs

This staircase design wraps around the tree in the center, and it continues to surround it, somewhat in the shape of a snail. All of this feels so organic. The color palette of white and gold is different from what we usually see in staircases – wood, glass, and concrete. The visual lightness makes the staircase feel incredibly luxurious and contemporary. These stairs have an opening between each step, which lets us see the tree, and it is crucial as the staircase design centers around this feature.

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7. The Cat Staircase

This unique staircase has a very interesting name – the cat staircase! If you think about it, it really is the perfect name as the staircase leads up to a small enclosed loft space (similar to that of a cat stand). A small staircase like this is ideal for an equally small area. Gone are the days of old-fashioned pull downstairs to get you to the loft. Instead, you should be using them as a design feature. The bold black and geometric shape of these stairs is the perfect contrast against the stark white walls of the rest of the room, and it frames the space and doesn’t take up much room either.

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6. Traditional Stairs With A Twist

Up and up we go with this interesting set of stairs! It’s almost like you’ve got two staircases for the price of one! This design is exceptional for a very narrow staircase and with just enough intrigue to not make it too busy for the space. It uses the traditional materials for staircases – wood and more wood. But by creating the interlocking stairs at alternating levels, this design is something traditional with a twist. It also seems to be a very steep staircase, and they designer exaggerates this incline. Probably wouldn’t be great if you have somebody in your home with mobility constraints.

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5. The Sensualscaping Stairs

This set of stairs has its own special name: The Sensualscaping Stairs! They designed these innovative stairs with spirit and sensuality in mind. Furthermore, the designer created a sequence of luxurious sculptural spaces. It looks like each level of stairs has been peeled back to reveal the flooring. This stair design is very sculptural and very artistic! It seems as though the stairs are growing as a tree would. The lines of the stairs continue onto the wall, and it’s instrumental in creating the incredible flow of the design.

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4. The Stairs Of Steel

These incredible steel floating stairs are one of a kind and are quite the contrast with the concrete wall they are attached to. This staircase creates a very industrial feel within the space but is also very polished and modern with the clean lines and edges created by the entire structure, and it blends in with the perfectly polished floor. These floating stairs will be a great design feature in a modern loft set against an exposed brick wall if the concrete is too harsh of a wall coating for you.

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3. A DNA-Inspired Staircase

Here is another beautiful minimalistic staircase. The designer must have gotten inspiration from a strand of DNA! While the concept is very natural and organic, it’s also quite a playful concept. A staircase can act as a core design piece of a home while being functional and aesthetically pleasing at the same time. Staircases are becoming more exciting with their designs, and architects are making these prominent features in the homes they design. They crafted this incredible staircase out of incredible pieces of wood that weave together in perfect harmony.

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2. A Staircase Made From Wooden Boxes

This incredibly sculptural staircase comes from wooden boxes and platforms. A thin metal black frame supports the entire structure. This innovative design is a very high staircase that ascends three stories! The boxy platforms make the stairs and complement the geometric flooring choice while still being a minimalist set of stairs. There are fascinating shapes created by the black supporting frame: from triangles to rectangles. Using different forms is an excellent method of adding depth and texture to an otherwise plain room.

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1. The Spilled Out Spiral Staircase

Spiral staircases really allow the designer to explore the curves of the design and how they wrap around the central point. This staircase is created from oak and creates a landing of three stairs before the turn of the stairs begins. These platforms fill out the space and are extensive platforms that get smaller as you start to step around the middle beam. It looks as though each step is spilling onto the next one. They achieved this staircase design by emphasizing the points where each angle meets the curve.

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