Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Stairs often get neglected when preening the home. And where do you start, anyway – there's too much wall space, no furniture that fits, weird angles, and carpet ain't cheap. So what are the shortcuts to a chic staircase?
Come together
Use stairs to unify your home's colour scheme. Pick a small palette of paints to reflect other rooms, and do risers (the vertical element of the step) – or whole steps – in alternating tones. (So you can still use them, do every other step then, when dry, swap.)
Get pasted
The textile designer Ruth Singer suggests papering risers with a collage of vintage dress patterns, maps and wallpaper instead.
Bring dead space to life
A chunky MDF shelf makes a desk under my stairs, while inspiring book Small Spaces (Quadrille) piles in mis-matched cabinets for a cheap-as-chips industrial look.
Wall of me
I'm a bit over "feature" walls – but a stairs-side version? Instead of wallpaper, a fabulous dreamwalls.com stone-effect panel is very now (and, at £71.75 per 12sq m, very do-able too).
Adorn me
"Use landing space to create a focal point with a console or small chest of drawers," says belleinteriors.co.uk's Sonia Murton. I found a slim, 1970s tallboy for mine; it holds loads of bedding.
All light long
"Staircases can feel dull," says James Mackenzie, B&Q's director of building. For visual excitement, he suggests illuminating them "with small recess lights, set at low level to cast light on every other tread". Or hang a dramatic wall-light for pizzazz without filling floor space.
Slide away
Budget to blow? Check these quirky stairs-cum-giant-slide on the hip architecture blog Dezeen: http://bit.ly/haHf8p.
Find Kate's blog on affordable interiors at yourhomeislovely.com
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments