When we were on the market for our last house we toured over twenty homes before settling on the house that we eventually bought. We saw some very elegant additions to homes, from gorgeous built in entertainment walls to gloriously tiled bathrooms. One particular feature that stood out in the home we eventually bought was the stair rods on the grand staircase. The stairs have a beautiful turkish inspired carpeting running down the wooden stairs, and on each step there is a beautiful brass stair rod attached at the base of each step. The rods we have are a delicate brushed brass with a pineapple sconce on the finials – the part that attaches to the stair at the edge of the carpeting. I love the brushed brass because it does not show scuffs, and doesn’t need to be polished. The staircase is usually the first thing my guest comment on, probably because the stairs are there in the entryway, but the rods do make a great conversation piece and makes a graceful first impression.
I recently saw an episode of This Old House in which they were installing stair runner carpeting and rods, and it looked like quite an easy addition to the stairs, certainly worth the charm they add, and much easier than installing the carpeting. It may not be for every home, but in many home styles this simple addition adds so much character to otherwise drab wooden stair cases. It goes perfectly in our early 1900s Craftsman home, but would fit just as well in any classy home with a wooden stairway.
Of course, stair rods are also functional. Instead of installing the carpeting with tack strips, the rods simply hold the carpeting in place, keeping it from sliding up and down or side to side with use. Tack strips used on stairs, or any high traffic area, can cause the carpeting to break down quicker – not what you want on an often used stairway, especially one that is the first thing your guests see in your home.
For the nominal cost of the rods, it is worth it to add subtle elegance and antique style to your carpeted stairways. An average sized stairway would cost less to outfit in rods than buying a new solid front door. And nothing can replace the beauty they add to your home.