Perhaps nothing decorates and emphasizes the magnificence of a wooden staircase as its decorative elements - carved pillars, balusters, railings, risers and bowstrings.
It is about these interesting details and about the stairs themselves that will be discussed in our article.
Wooden stairs and accessories
The ladder is one of the most familiar and necessary items in our daily life. And in ancient times, she was also considered the face of the whole house! Perhaps that is why carved wooden stairs have always been held in high esteem. After all, wood is not only a reliable and durable material, but also beautiful.
But, alas and ah, even nowadays woodcarving is a great luxury. As a result, today we are surrounded only by plastic, imitating the texture of wood, stamped in a factory and serving no more than 10 years. And it's not worth talking about its environmental friendliness!
Therefore, if you have such an opportunity, then opt for a wooden structure. Believe me, this is a profitable investment of money - such a staircase will serve faithfully for many, many years, making you admire yourself every day.
Modern wooden stairs
Every year craftsmen of artistic carving master new "nooks" of this wonderful art. So, for example, today wooden carved stairs can be made in any style - be it "classic", "baroque" or "modern".
Let's take a look at the most popular ones:
- Palace style. Throughout its long history, staircase structures have undergone great changes, absorbing the spirit of different eras and re-entering our life. But, despite the new trends in fashion, we have a unique opportunity to plunge into the past and delight ourselves with the luxury of palace wooden stairs!
They belong to the elite class and are made exclusively from solid wood species:
- beech,
- ash staircase,
- oak staircase,
- alder,
- walnut and others.
These products look majestic and noble, and besides, they are not only functional, but also a memorable architectural element of the room. The palace ladders organically and favorably fit into the spacious interiors of country houses, decorated in the appropriate style.
Advice!
In order for the palace-style staircase to be in harmony with the overall interior and be a real “queen” of the house, it is important at the planning stage to take into account the possibilities of the room itself.
For example, if there is a lack of space, then it is better to prefer a screw carved design, where the steps are attached in a circle to the central post.
Such models are also very solemn and original, plus they are compact.
The main differences between the stairs of this style are the high quality of the materials used, the grandeur of the forms, handicraft and decorativeness of individual parts. Without the latter, it would be just a classic wooden structure.
And add the master finishing with edging, bevels, carved pillars + balusters - and the stairs acquire a special solemnity! True, the price in this case increases significantly.
- Modern style.This is an ultra-modern trend, or, in other words, a big step away from traditionalism. It brings incredibly bold construction and design solutions to everything! The stairs did not go unnoticed here either.
Designs in the Art Nouveau style are distinguished by their asymmetry, variability of forms, a combination of different materials, curved lines, dynamism and unusual finishes.
To create a stylish design, the modern carved wooden staircase, in addition to its curved structure, is decorated with geometric steps and fancy railings. On the photographs we have selected, you can see all the originality of such models.
Note!
As a rule, those elements of stairs that have a complex shape are made exclusively by hand, without machine intervention.
This speaks of their quality and originality.
In addition, you can always provide your own sketch, and a skilled craftsman will make it come true.
Decor for wooden stairs
In order to give the staircase a more sophisticated look and individual features that will bring a touch of originality to the overall interior, it is decorated with carved elements. Staircase decoration is perhaps the second most important stage after planning its structure.
What is carved decor?
Let's list the details that are usually decorated with artistic carvings:
- support-entry and intermediate pillars;
- balusters (racks supporting the railing);
- handrails;
- all kinds of decorative overlays;
- heads that crown the pillars.
Almost all of the above details are mandatory components of staircase structures. However, decorated with carvings, they also acquire an attractive finished look - such an impression of the staircase is created, as if it were one of the main attributes in the interior of the house..
Finally, I would like to tell a little bit specifically about the pillars and balusters. The carved stair pillar is the perfect piece to experiment with. Such pillars can be different both stylistically and in size, shape, color.
For information!
Standard sections for support-entry and intermediate posts: 80x80, 100x100 and 120x120 millimeters.
But you can order parts of non-standard sizes, the main thing is to negotiate this point with the contractor.
The choice in favor of one or another option for decorating the pillars is based solely on personal tastes and, of course, on the general design of the room in which the staircase will be located. You can dwell on the classic supports, entwined with a standard thread in the form of a pigtail. And you can even make the posts look like the head and torso of some majestic animal (for example, a lion or a mythical dragon).
As for the carved balusters, they can be conditionally divided into three groups:
- Turned - parts in the form of bodies of revolution, made on conventional lathes;
- Milled - on such balusters there are various volumetric patterns (screw, rim, scythe, and the like). The instruction allows machine processing of wood.
- Balusters with carving elements are made exclusively by the hands of a master, in view of which the products are always exclusive. The likelihood that you will find the same decor elsewhere is extremely low. (see also the article How the balusters of wooden stairs are fastened)
For information!
Standard sections for stair balusters: 45x45, 50x50, 70x70 millimeters.
Output
Undoubtedly, comfort, safety and practicality are of the utmost importance for any staircase. But even the most comfortable construction with a nondescript design will become the most uncomfortable place after a while.
Carved decor will help transform a standard staircase into a real work of art, which will not only bring a piece of nature into the house, but also become its semantic center. And in the video presented in this article, you will find additional information on this topic!
