When you think of a basement you probably think of dark and gloomy, perhaps old wobbly wooden stairs that have not been treated in years and which you always step on the creaky bit when going down them with your hands full. However with a little thought and idea you can turn your basement around and make it a more habitable and easier to navigate place.

As it is the stairs that cause the majority of basement accidents and broken bones a lot of thought should be given when it comes to basement stair design ideas, here are just a few of the ways to brighten and make a safer stair.

The first consideration should be the safety of the stairs after all you are going to be walking up and down them many times and probably with your hands full. Fixing them or totally replacing them may be necessary before you even consider what you can do to actually spruce them up.

Lighting your Basement Stairs

Basements are always dark and gloomy even with the light on, this make manoeuvring down the stairs tricky. There is a relatively easy way you can make your journey down them a lot safer and brighter by installing lighting on the stairs, if you choose lighting that has sensors attached to them then they will automatically turn on as you make your way down, which with full hands is a Godsend.

Lighting can be attached to the under stair or run down the railing which not only makes it lighter and more attractive but also safer and more practical than having to stumble reaching for light switches as you go.

Another way you can brighten up your stairs without going to the extreme of installing lighting is to paint them with a very light colour or even better getting a florescent paint.

If you don’t want to paint the whole of the stair in day-glow green then just paint the lip of the stairs, this way you will be able to see the very edge of the stairs as they will show up in dimly lit conditions which lessens the chance of you missing your step and slipping.

Making your Basement Stairs Safer and Non-slip

If you wish to make your basement stairs a much safer place then consider laying carpeting down on them, a heavy duty cord carpet can greatly help when it comes to making the stairs less slippery. Never be tempted to put such as vinyl down on the stairs as this can have the opposite effect and act like an ice skating ring.

If carpeting is your option then it goes without saying you have to ensure that the carpet is firmly attached to each stair and should be checked over a regular period of time to make sure it has not come loose. Again a light carpet would be better or if you must have a dark carpet do not take it right to the outer edge of the stairs and paint the sides on the stairs in brilliant white paint down both sides.

If your basement stairs do not have a handle rail down the side then attach one. A simple railing which you can hold or grab onto should you trip is very easy to construct and attach to pre-existing basement stairs.

A lumber yard will be able to supply the wood to size for you along with the doweling posts and some DIY stores even have kits ready made for this job which makes it even easier as they come with complete fixing instructions.