Plain Talk on Modern Stairs: What They Are and Why You Might Want Them

What exactly is a “modern” staircase?

Now, that’s a tricky question to answer straight out. To tell you the truth, defining a “modern stair” can be a bit tough because what looks modern to one person might not look that way to the next. But here at Great Lakes Stair, we’ve got over 35 years of history under our belts, so we’ve got a pretty good handle on what separates the modern style from the traditional.

In our experience, a modern staircase isn’t about fussing over every little nook and cranny. It’s about a design that’s clean, symmetrical, and just flows right.

Seeing the Whole Picture

Think of it like this: with a traditional colonial staircase, your eye gets caught up in the details—the intricate carvings and those specific little pieces of wood. But with a modern stair, you’re looking at the whole thing as one big, flowing element. Everything blends together nicely without a tremendous amount of exacting detail cluttering up the view.

You’ll notice that instead of those complicated, obtuse shapes you see on traditional stairs, modern ones stick to simple shapes—rounds, rectangles, and cylinders. And more often than not, you’ll see folks choosing paint-grade woods and bold colors rather than traditional wood stains.

A Rose by Any Other Name…

We’ve worked with plenty of customers on these projects, and we hear all sorts of names for this style. Whether you call them “Contemporary,” “Simplistic,” “Clean-lined,” or even “Avant-Garde,” it usually boils down to the same thing.

One thing to keep in mind, though: “Modern” describes a specific type of build, not just whatever happens to be trendy this week. We often hear people say, “I see stairs doing this lately,” but that’s just a passing style, not necessarily the modern type of stair.

Openness and Honest Pricing

Another big difference is the view. A traditional staircase is usually something you just look at from the top. But a modern stair? It’s often finished on all sides. You might have open rises or glass sides that let you see right through the staircase, letting it flow openly with the rest of your house.

And here’s a bit of good news for your wallet: because modern stairs skip the fancy, ornate architectural details, the labor can sometimes be a little less expensive than the traditional stuff. Simple fabrication methods can save you a buck or two, though using high-end glass can balance that out.

Why Folks Choose Great Lakes Stair

What sets us apart is pretty simple: we’ve been at this a long time—over 35 years!. We aren’t guessing at how to build these things; we’ve designed and installed a huge variety of modern stairs over the years.

We can use that history to help you get exactly what you’re envisioning. Odds are, we’ve already built something similar to what you have in mind, and we can show you photos and details to help guide you in the right direction.

Ready to Chat?

If you’ve got an idea for a modern staircase, we’d love to hear about it. Give us a holler at 330-225-2005 or fill out our Free Project Review Form. We look forward to speaking with you!.