5 Benefits of Adding a Glass Staircase

Architecturally, you cannot get more unique than a glass staircase, linking one floor to another with transparent elegance and eye-catching interest.

But we also recognise that choosing and installing a glass staircase is not a decision our clients take lightly; it is often the product of lengthy considerations and conversations. You yourself might be in the process of planning a new building, renovating an existing one or restoring something that has stood for centuries, but are yet to be convinced that a glass staircase would be suitable for your design.

Our opinion is that a glass staircase can enhance any design. To illustrate that fact, we have put together a list of five benefits associated with doing so.

Let’s start with our favourite subject: natural light.

Benefit #1: A glass staircase increases the natural light

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: natural light is good for you. It helps our bodies to produce vitamin D and makes us happier and healthier, leading to an increase in productivity of 30-40% and an increase in creativity of 15%. The more you can welcome into your space, the better. Unlike traditional staircases, which can create shadows and dark corners, a glass staircase allows natural light to flow through the property – it enhances light distribution, making rooms feel brighter and more inviting.

Benefit #2: A glass staircase makes a space feel bigger

Set aside the fact that a glass staircase can significantly increase your level of beneficial natural light for a moment. Instead, consider the fact that by installing one, you are making a room feel bigger because you are removing the visual obstructions that might otherwise have been present. We would all like our homes to be a little bigger – it’s one of the leading causes why over a million UK homeowners move every year – but increasing that space takes a substantial amount of work to alter the building’s form. A glass staircase, on the other hand, has the desired effect without knocking down walls or arranging removal vans.

It sounds obvious, but arguably the best characteristic of a glass staircase is the fact that it’s transparent, obstructing your interpretation of a space far less than its traditional wooden counterpart. If it is the one thing standing in the way of your dream open-plan kitchen, you don’t have to move the staircase (something that would cost almost £3,000) but you can replace it with something that retains the open-plan feel.

Benefit #3: A glass staircase provides a talking point

How many dinner parties have you been at where you’ve run out of things to talk about? In these instances, your eyes might wander from one object to another, searching for something that will spark conversation. With a glass staircase, you don’t have to look very far at all. For some it is a statement of curiosity, others see a marvel of engineering or the elegance of a piece of architecture that often gets overlooked. For us, it’s all three – and we love to talk about it at length. Maybe that’s why we don’t get invited to many dinner parties.

More than just a talking point for guests, your glass staircase can also be focal point. After all, one of the cardinal sins of interior design is neglecting a visual anchor. As a result, the occupant’s attention tends to drift and they may even feel slightly unsettled in your space. Installing a glass staircase provides that necessary focal point, allowing all the other forms, furniture, colours and details to flow round it.

Benefit #4: A glass staircase is very versatile

A glass staircase is a modern architectural feature, no doubt about that. But due to its unobtrusive transparent nature, it is also highly versatile, slotting into the restoration of a rustic farmhouse, for example, just as easily as it might slot into the reception area of a modern skyrise in central London. The same is true for almost all specialist glazing products – whether it is a glass box extension, a glass floor, wall or roof, they are all highly adaptable so long as they have been designed, produced and installed by experienced specialists who can translate your vision into reality.

Why are they so versatile? Well, when you add stylish modern elements to something more traditional, you are enhancing the original characteristics, encouraging the occupant to fully appreciate them for what they are without overpowering them. On the other hand, if your building fits squarely into the 21st century, a glass staircase, extension, wall or roof can simply help to tie the different elements together – a win-win no matter what style of building you have or are planning to have.

Benefit #5: A glass staircase increases property value

According to online property platform Zoopla, the home improvements that add the most value to a building include a loft conversion (15%), a new kitchen (also 15%), a basement (10%), and an open plan living room conversion (5%). While a glass staircase doesn’t specifically feature on that list, it is still something that can increase the price tag of your property significantly – by as much as 2%!

While we are certainly not recommending that you go and install a glass staircase with the explicit intention of increasing the value of your property, its positive effect on the price tag is still a tangible benefit that comes along for the ride. 

Are glass staircases safe?

Yes. Glass staircases are very safe because their design and installation has to adhere to UK building regulations which are some of the strictest in the world – the same is true for balconies and verandas. To limit injury from any potential shattering, for example, the glass must be tempered or toughened, meaning that its shards are a uniform cube shape, rather than sharp shards. As a further example, a balustrade must be used if the difference in floor level (from one to the other) is either grater than 380mm or has more than two risers. If you are in any doubt over the safety of any of our glass products, speak to a member of the Cantifix team today.

A glass staircase won’t double your house price, and it won’t make your commercial property bigger. Instead, it will simply be a stylish addition to any project, demonstrating an unparalleled ability to adapt to any design and an uncanny ability to make a space feel brighter and far more airy.