Spiral Staircases are used in spaces where you need to introduce a twist (even literally) or where the designer wants the staircase to bring in a different feel to space. Also, a staircase railing is the unknown soldier in any stairway, let alone the aesthetic features it can possess to become the focal point of any interior. Check out what a staircase railing can do to an interior. Sometimes, a circular staircase is added when there is limited space. Spiral staircases have a sense of appeal to them, that draw your attention and make it almost impossible to look away. The curved stairs are known to bring in a sense of luxury and art. Throughout architectural history, spiral staircases have been used inside places of luxury—mansions, palaces, churches. Though they made brief cameos in the 5th Century BC, spiral staircases didn’t get a proper role in architecture until one was used in the Trajan Column in 115 AD. In the modern era, they have slowly become a part of the residential world.
Photography: Christian Beirle González
Photographers, movie makers, and Instagram travelers have all been taking advantage of the photogenic side of the spiral staircase. The curved stairs create a more romantic atmosphere than the regular ones, and therefore there have been numerous spiral-stair shots in movies with symbolic meanings.
What is a Spiral Staircase?
A spiral staircase turns around a central axis and rises as it goes around. It is one type of round or circular stairs in which the riser is connected to a central column. Unlike a spiral stair, helical and curved stairs do not have a central column. Interestingly, the majority of the spiral staircases that are present at homes are actually helical staircases. For a staircase to be truly spiral, the steps should revolve around a central point, but, on the other hand, helical stairs revolve at a certain distance from the central point.
Spiral Staircase:
Photography: Paragon Stairs
Helical staircase: 
What are the different types of Spiral Staircase?
Spiral staircases are of two different types: indoor and outdoor. Generally, the indoor staircases are made of materials like wood or forged iron, while the outdoor ones are made of materials that will bear the wear and tear of the weather, like galvanized steel. Check out the wooden spiral staircase by Tron Meyer.
What factors affect the design?
While it is simple to define a spiral staircase, there are a few factors one must consider when looking into its design.
- Height: To construct a spiral staircase, knowing the finished floor to floor height is extremely important.
- What is the angle of rotation? One needs to see how many degrees have to be covered to reach the next floor with the steps going around the central axis.
- What is the diameter? How big would each side of the spiral staircase be? Is this enough for a person to get through?
- Where is the spiral staircase going to be located?
- Is it going to affect the feel of the space? If so, how? And how will this be reflected into the balustrades, handrails, and materials that will be used in the spiral staircase?
Why do we use spiral staircases?
1. Space Efficient
A spiral staircase saves many precious square meters. The vertical nature of the stair ensures that its footprint is not massive as compared to other staircases. Creating a space efficient home is the battle of every house owner, and a spiral staircase is extremely useful to that end.
Photography: SV Design
2. Access
Homeowners end up having a lot of dead space in their house because they are difficult to get into. While a traditional staircase will not fit into small spaces, propping up a ladder is not a daily solution either. However, full flexibility is definitely a plus when it comes to installing a spiral staircase.
3. Customization
A spiral staircase can be entirely customized to meet the needs of homeowners and their visions of the space in which the staircase is to be located.
4. Economic
This staircase is the best option for a homeowner as it has a low cost of installation and ownership. However, it adds much more value to any hall or house that contains it.
Photography: Mark Cocksedge
How much does it cost to install a spiral staircase?
Spiral staircases are usually associated with grand and luxurious spaces. As a result, it is believed that spiral staircases are extremely expensive to construct, but that is not exactly the case. There are a lot of factors that affect the pricing of a spiral staircase: materials used, height covered, embellishments included, finishes, etc. Spiral staircases can cost anywhere between $600 and $100,000.
What are the different ways to design a spiral staircase?
1. Open Spiral Staircase
Open spiral staircases have a minimalistic and open feel. Using them in areas where there is lesser space will help make a room look bigger than it actually is, for spiral staircases are anything but opaque. Also, they present one way to add some exquisite geometry to stark white spaces.
2. Closed Spiral Staircase
Spiral staircases can still be closed off, following traditional designs. However, if the homeowner and designer go for this option, they need to make sure that space does not feel more cramped. Closed spiral staircases can be made to feel more luxurious through the use of rich materials, which should be chosen based on the atmosphere of the surrounding space. Also, greenery can be integrated into their designs to give them an extravagant touch.
3. Industrial Spiral Staircase
For a space to give off rustic or industrial vibes, an industrial style spiral staircase would be a brilliant addition. However, designers need to pay attention to the material of the riser, in order to maintain the style.
4. Functional Spiral Staircase
No homeowner would probably introduce a spiral staircase to their house without any function to it, yet it is still worth noting that they can be included for particular purposes. A spiral staircase can be used to connect two levels inside a room. For example, the upper level of a library or of a guest room can be connected with its lower level using a spiral staircase.
5. Embellished Spiral Staircase
Embellishments added to and engraved into a spiral staircase become part of its charm. They add on to the effect created by the spiral staircase in a room or space. There are a wide variety of embellishments that can be added to a spiral staircase, including intricate designs on balustrades, treads, risers, etc.
6. Square Spiral Staircase
As unusual and maybe impossible as it sounds, this type of spiral staircases is actually being built in homes. Being more square than circular, it can be used as an alternative to the traditional staircase. It has wider tread than the conventional spiral staircase but does not occupy as much space as the other staircases.
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