If you think tiles are only for kitchen backsplashes and bathroom floors, it's time to take a look at tiled staircase ideas. Whether you use tiles to fully cover your steps or only as an accent piece, they're a great way to beautify a utilitarian part of your home.
1. Use Tiles All Over
If you love tiles, consider placing them on all of the exposed portions of your staircase. That includes the treads, which are the horizontal parts that you stand on, and the risers, which are the vertical pieces between the treads.
In the photo below, the single step near the door has tiles on both the riser and the tread:
Staircase Tile - View Details>>
You could outfit an entire staircase this way as well.
For fully tiled stairs, be sure to consult a professional about the best tiles to use. You'll need ones that are strong enough to withstand repeated trips up and down the steps. Also, using textured tiles may reduce the chances of slipping. Using the right nosing material can be beneficial for both safety and durability.
2. Line the Stair Risers with Tiles
If you have eye-catching tiles in mind, stair risers are the perfect place to showcase them.
In this example, the stone treads are lovely, but the tiled risers are the real stars of the show:
Because of the limited amount of space that the tiles will cover, you can go big and bold with the pattern without worrying about it being overwhelming.
Even if you choose to decorate with tiny tiles, you can still use this spot to infuse your room with color.
Waterjet Tile - View Details>>
3. Mix Up the Patterns
There's no saying that each riser needs to be exactly the same. Mixing and matching different tile designs for each level will turn your staircase into a splendid statement piece.
To help tie the look together, it makes sense to pick tiles that share similar colors or patterns.
Photo by Habachy Designs
Staircase Mosaics - View Details>>
If you're looking for more color than that, abstract mosaic designs offer a wide variety of designs that feature similar hues. This is an example of an abstract design on a kitchen backsplash but could easily be made to fit onto your staircase with a variety of different colors.
Traditional Tile - View Details>>
You could also use the same geometric pattern on each riser but alternate the colors used, similar to the design of this doorway.
Geometric Tile - View Details>>
4. Line Each Riser with a Border
Although border tiles usually go on the walls, you could consider making them a part of your staircase design. They probably won't fill the entire riser height, but you could use border tiles along the top of each riser and fill in the space below with solid tiles.
Take a look at the step up to this inviting bathtub to get a feel for this design idea:
Mosaic Border - View Details>>
5. Trim Each Step with Tiny Tiles
If you're looking for a more subtle design for your staircase, think about using a row of small tiles along the edge of each step. You could place the trim on the treads or the risers.
For an example of this idea, check out the row of diamonds on each of the steps in this pool:
Fish Mosaic Tile - View Details>>
You could create a similar look in your home with marble. Consider using black for the diamonds surrounded by a crisp white.
Octagon Tiles - View Details>>
6. Create Tile Insets
Your entire stair riser doesn't need to be decorated with tiles. In fact, using tiles for just a portion of the design may have an even bigger impact.
In the photo below, the neutral colors of the tile mesh well with the slightly darker color of the steps:
You could use a more spectacular color scheme for this idea as well. Just imagine how this blue basketweave pattern would look framed by polished wood:
Basketweave Tile - View Details>>
7. Impress with a Staircase Wall Mural
The steps aren't the only part of your staircase that could benefit from tile designs. You can also dress up the adjacent wall with tiles. Whether you choose a small tile mosaic or a mural that stretches from one end of the steps to the other, a wall design will give your staircase a one-of-a-kind look.
Picture a beautiful floor, like this one shown, ushering guests from one level of your home to another:
8. Begin Your Staircase with a Medallion
Instead of directing people's attention to the steps themselves, you could choose to draw their focus to the floor in front of your stairs. A floor medallion is a large design that often serves as the centerpiece of a room. The bottom of a staircase is a popular place to put one of these tile decorations.
Medallions are usually round or oval-shaped. They often feature scrolls, starbursts and other intricate patterns. Water jet technology allows tile artisans to precisely cut the pieces for these designs.
You can see in the image below how a floor medallion can add elegance and beauty to your staircase area:
Are you ready to enhance your home with one of these tiled staircase ideas? With tiles, you can add color, pattern and beauty to your steps.
To learn more about the tile possibilities for your staircases, reach out to the Artsaics team. We'll help you turn your steps into works of art.