Make Your Home Into Your Castle

Adding a second storey to a home is a popular choice for many Australians who want to extend their home. Going up instead of extending outwards gives you the benefits of extra living space without reducing the outdoor living space or garden areas of the home. If you're planning this type of home extension, then you've no doubt put a lot of time and consideration into the design and layout of the project.

An important but often overlooked aspect of adding a second storey to a home is having a staircase installed. This essential item not only connects the two levels of your home, it also gives you an opportunity to create a stunning feature that becomes more than just a functional part of your extension project. Here are two parts of your new staircase that are important to consider.

1. The balustrades

Balustrades are a vital safety feature for staircases and they can also help to set the design style that you'd like to achieve with your new stairs. They can be looked at as the decorative framework that will enhance and reinforce the style that you choose for your staircase.

For example, if you're hoping to create a contemporary and eye-catching staircase, then glass balustrades with a shimmering metallic handrail is a great option. For a modern yet classic look, natural timber in a simple yet elegant shape is an excellent balustrade choice. If your home is a period property, you might like to choose carved timber balustrades that are painted to fit in with the other period features of your home.

2. The tread material

Traditionally, staircases have been constructed out of timber but these days you can choose from many other materials for a more unusual look. Steel, concrete and toughened glass are all good options for a staircase that is a bit different and gives your home the wow factor.

The material you use for the tread should also work in a practical sense for your household as well as creating the right look. If you have children or pets who'll be using the stairs every day, materials such as hardwood or carpet might provide better noise reduction qualities and won't become scratched and damaged as easily as other less hardy materials.

Getting the design and look for a new staircase isn't always a simple task so you might like to get some advice from your staircase construction contractor. They can help you to make your ideas into reality and make sure that your new staircase makes the perfect addition to your new second-storey extension.