The Once-Popular Staircase Trend That's Just Impractical (& Unsafe)

We're big enough to admit that we're all suckers for a gorgeous home design element that looks fantastic in a photo. From a bathroom trend that looks great on Instagram to a jaw-dropping monochromatic color drench, it's fun to imagine lighting up social media with a show-stopping photo of your own cool interior design prowess.

Of course, just because a space looks incredible doesn't mean that you're going to love it in everyday life. In addition to quickly aging a space, some trends just don't make practical sense for homes where you actually have to live, work, and play. Take the floating staircase, for example. They're great in photos, thanks to their airy, minimalist look and their ability to enhance natural light. But as more people reconsider minimalism and embrace practicality, they're realizing that other staircase options might infuse a bit more warmth (and more safety!) into their real-life homes.

Floating staircases didn't just rise in popularity among people who wanted to make their staircase a stylish focal point in their home — they're also a favorite of architects. That's because when they're built right, they can do a good job of marrying form and function. Depending on a home's layout, floating staircases can maximize space and play with the natural light that floats freely through the stairs.

But floating staircases also require that builders stick to rigorous safety standards. Unlike supported staircases, the floating ones need to be meticulously engineered to hold the weight of users without foundations like beams or pillars. Another building issue is that some designers put minimal or even no handrails on at least one side of the staircase. This makes it visually stunning, but makes spills more likely, especially for kids or older adults. Poor lighting and improper maintenance can increase those fall risks.

The right builder with the right knowledge, budget, and time can make a relatively safe floating staircase — but not every builder has all of those. Plus, homeowners have noticed other impracticalities about the staircases, like dropping things through the stair holes. Staircase trends come and go, but going forward, you might see more people opt away from a floating one and more towards bold design ideas to give it a new look.