26 Modern Staircase Ideas That Will Never Go Out of Style

A modern staircase is a generally streamlined affair with simple finishes and minimal ornamentation that sets it apart from the intricate turned and carved wood staircases found in period homes. A modern staircase can be made from any material, from natural wood to glass and metal.

You can modernize an existing staircase with a new paint job, a colorful stair runner, or a new handrail. Or install a modern staircase that will become a focal point and feature that reflects the aesthetic of a contemporary home with anything from floating steps to transparent glass guardrails for an open feel.

Check out these modern staircases in a range of styles for inspiration.

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Floating Steps

Sissy + Marley Interior Design / Photo by Marco Ricca Studio

Create a modern feel in a contemporary space with floating steps. Sissy + Marley Interior Design paired chunky black wood stairs with visible wood grain with a glass guardrail in this New York City duplex that turns them into a feature.

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Perforated Metal Guardrail

Margaret Wright Interior & Lifestyle Photographer

Perforated metal guardrails will modernize the look of a staircase and can be painted any color to match a range of interior styles. Create a light and airy feel to complement an all-white space with white perforated metal guardrails that will make a prominent open staircase practically disappear.

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Staircase Backlighting

Kendall Wilkinson Design

Create a modern feel by backlighting a contemporary staircase to highlight its forms and provide ambient pathfinding light. Kendall Wilkinson Design edged this contemporary staircase with LED lighting that is repeated on the linear fireplace wall.

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Staircase Pendant Light

Louis Duncan-He Designs / Heather Dunbar Photography

Anchor a multi-level staircase with a pendant light that straddles floors. Louis Duncan-He Designs hung a contemporary multi-light pendant that glows against the original brick wall and complements the open modern glass-and-wood staircase for an inviting modern feel that turns the staircase into a destination rather than just a pass-through space.

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Minimalist Modern Staircase

Fantastic Frank

If building codes allow, take a minimalist approach with a graphic black staircase that is all steps and no guardrails that will become the focal point of a modern space like this apartment living room from Fantastic Frank.

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Under-Stairs Mudroom

Maite Granda

Incorporate a mini mudroom into a modern staircase to create a stylish and functional feature. Interior designer Maite Granda carved out an asymmetrical cubby for storage under this modern white wood and glass split-level staircase. An adjacent bench with under-seat storage is a convenient place to slip shoes on and off.

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Tension Wire Guardrail

Michelle Berwick Design

Lighten up a lower level staircase that protrudes into your living space with a tension wire guardrail that will help maintain a transparent feel. Michelle Berwick Design skipped the risers on this natural wood staircase for an open, modern feel.

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Chunky Black Risers

Sissy + Marley Interior Design / Photo by Marco Ricca Studio

Chunky risers will lend a modern feel to your staircase. Sissy + Marley Interior Design mixed thick black painted steps that match the dark painted hardwood flooring with a slim handrail and a glass guardrail for a contemporary look.

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Custom Staircase Feature

Brophy Interiors

Utilize the space beneath a modern staircase to add a special feature. Brophy Interiors carved out space for custom wine storage, backlighting the storage space to turn it into a focal point.

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Freestanding Staircase

Fantastic Frank

Skip the risers to create an open feel. This modern loft space from Fantastic Frank has a freestanding staircase sans risers that looks like a stepladder, with an all-white paint job that gives the wooden structure a modern Scandi-style feel.

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Mixed Materials Staircase

Maite Granda

Complement the white walls of a modern home with a mixed material staircase that will stand out while retaining a neutral feel. In this Florida home, interior designer Maite Granda chose a natural wood staircase with no risers, glass guardrails, and steel handrails.

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Mixed Wood Staircase

Fantastic Frank

Choose natural wood tones for a modern Scandi-style feel. Chunky natural wood steps and pale wood dowels that function as balusters add a modern organic feel to this floating staircase from Fantastic Frank.

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Modern Stair Runner

Maite Granda

Add warmth to an all-white staircase with a modern stair runner. Interior designer Maite Granda chose a bright yellow runner edged with navy blue in this coastal Florida home.

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Open Modern Staircase

Brophy Interiors

Add an industrial feel with a modern floating staircase that has visible hardware. Brophy Interiors paired grayish brown stained steps with black hardware, a matching guardrail, and white painted brick walls for a modern feel, turning the space beneath the staircase into a raised platform for a collection of plants.

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Modern Loft Staircase

Fantastic Frank

Add style to a modern loft bedroom with an all-black staircase leading to the upper level. This staircase from Fantastic Frank has a light feel thanks to tension wire guardrails, adding graphic definition to the open space.

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Wood Slat Guardrail

Maite Granda

Give your modern staircase an open feel with a wood-slat guardrail. Interior designer Maite Granda painted the slats white to help them blend into the walls.

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Wood and Metal Staircase

Fantastic Frank

Mix natural wood risers and a black steel structure to create a graphic look, like this Scandi-style space from Fantastic Frank that features contrasting white painted floorboards and walls.

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Colorful Painted Staircase

Fantastic Frank

It's your house and you can paint it any way you want to. Give a nondescript staircase a fresh and modern feel with a colorful makeover, like this orange-and-pink horizontal-striped staircase from Fantastic Frank that stands out against white walls for a memorable effect.

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Sleek White Oak Staircase

Fantastic Frank

Use pale white oak on stair treads and risers to create a neutral modern feel in a white-walled multi-level space like this one from Fantastic Frank.

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Gently Curved Staircase

Brophy Interiors

Create a sense of grandeur in a modern home with a gently curving staircase. Brophy Interiors mixed dark and light finishes for a graphic look

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All-Black Staircase

Louis Duncan-He Designs / Heather Dunbar Photography

Create a modern feel with an all-black staircase. Louis Duncan-He Designs played with transparency with black painted steps, no risers, and a curved perforated metal guardrail in this contemporary space.

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Modern Basement Stairs

Louis Duncan-He Designs / Eymeric Wilding Photography

Modernize the staircase leading to a finished basement with light wood and black metal guard rails and a neutral carpet on stairs and floors, like this space from Louis Duncan-He Designs.

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Modern Rustic Staircase

Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

Create a modern rustic look with wood steps and handrails and thin black metal balusters, like this mountain house staircase from Emily Henderson Design.

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Glass Staircase Guardrail

Fantastic Frank

A minimalist staircase will complement a modern interior. In this steamlined space from Fantastic Frank, cement-effect tile floors and matching steps create flow in the airy entryway. A glass panel railing disappears for a contemporary feel that doesn't block light.

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Open and Airy Staircase

Kate Marker Interiors

Install an open, airy staircase with wood treads and a metal frame to complement a new build interior or modernize an older home renovation like this space from Kate Marker Interiors.

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Solid Wood Staircase

Studio Peake

Modernize the staircase in an older home with light wood finishes. Studio Peake paired streamlined oak stairs with yellow wall paint to brighten up this London staircase. A glass guardrail adds a modern touch.

FAQ

How can you affordably update your house's staircase?

Give your staircase a budget-friendly refresh by painting the treads. Use removable wallpaper to add color or pattern to risers. Swap out the handrail to update the look of your staircase for less.
How do you redo your staircase?

There are many ways to redo a staircase, from cosmetic makeovers to total rebuilds. A simple refresh might include repainting treads or installing a new handrail or stair railing. Rebuilding or moving an existing staircase from scratch includes demo work and a professional contractor to safely install a custom staircase.