If you want to sell your house fasterforget curb attraction — 2026 it is year of the statement staircase.
Yelp’s 2026 Trend Forecast found that “stairs will lose their strictly utilitarian reputation and receive more design attention in the coming year.”
Frances Katzen, founder of The Katzen Team at Douglas Elliman, said we’re seeing a clear shift from first impressions outside the home to the first emotional impressions that happen the moment a buyer walks through the door.
“The curb appeal of the home is still important, but the interior is now doing the heavy lifting and stairs have quietly become one of the most powerful visual anchors in a home,” says Katzen. “They are often the first architectural element that buyers experience, and they set the tone for everything that follows.”
Why statement stairs are increasingly becoming a selling point
Rupert Cowley, sales specialist at Multi-Turn, a company that makes bespoke staircases, added that stairs have gone from being purely functional to being a ‘front door’ of sorts, making them a powerful differentiator in the market.
“A striking staircase can convey craftsmanship, quality and thoughtful design from the moment someone steps inside, often before experiencing the rest of the space.”
Another reason is that a large or beautiful staircase can convey a feeling of luxury.
Joaquin Rodriguez, co-owner and marketing director of vacation rental and property management company Stay in Costa Rica, underscored another point: Modern real estate searches are digital, and an attractive interior photo can be the first thing that prompts a buyer to put their feet on the grass.
“It is only fair to admit that even a perfectly implemented architectural element indoors provides a sense of eternally acquired luxury that freshly cut grass will never be able to reproduce in the long term,” Rodriguez said.
Other experts, such as Alexander Zilberman, founder and principal architect of Alexander Zilberman Architecture, echoed this sentiment, saying that a staircase can be approached as a piece of furniture or as conceptual art.
“This is because stairs are not functional. Vertical circulation, structure and spatial sculpture tend to be more prominent features in luxury homes that greet guests and potential home buyers. There are more opportunities to create an extraordinary moment,” he said.
Finally, there is another reason for this shift that is more pragmatic and clear: the stairs usually tell you how old a house is and how much care it has received.
Dean Bennett, residential contractor and president of Dean Bennett Design & Construction, said the kitchen and bathrooms may have been updated and new buyers appreciate modernized homes, but the stairs can signal age.
“This is because it has traditionally been expensive and difficult to renew or redo stairs, and because the work requires a specialist contractor. As a result, stairs are rarely updated,” he said.
Which styles resonate with buyers?
Yelp’s 2026 Trend Forecast shows homeowners embracing “bold fabrics, wood refinishing projects and playful accents like tiled risers and bold paint colors.”
These include stair runner installation (up 402%), custom carpet installation (up 835%) and stair refinishing (up 26%), according to Yelp.
Experts also revealed a slew of additional styles that may appeal to buyers. For example, Erin Remington, director of sales and curator at Saatchi Art, said she prefers bold abstract art, a dramatic black-and-white photography piece, or a unique mixed media work for a staircase.
Additional favorites include open and floating staircases, because “they maximize light and space and create an airy and modern aesthetic that appeals to contemporary tastes,” according to Cowley.
Mixed materials, such as combining wood, glass, metal or stone to create contrast and texture, are also favorites, as are custom details, he said.
“Stairs that are sculptural, illuminated and deeply personal elevate stairs to experiential design moments,” said Cowley.
A (stairs) cupboard that played a decisive role in the buyer’s reaction
Scott Hustis and Mark Jovanovic, co-founders of Paradigm Advisory, represented art dealer Barbara Gladstone’s former mansion in Chelsea (344 West 22nd St.). It sold for $13.1 million, $1.105 million more than the asking price, in a fierce bidding war and a contract was signed within 12 days, marking a record price per square foot for a Chelsea townhouse, they said.
“At 344 West 22nd St., the staircase is the first emotional moment in the home and sets the tone before you ever step into a living room. It shows how interior design has become the new appeal, with buyers immediately responding to how a space makes them feel as soon as they walk in,” they said.
They added that it was designed by Annabelle Selldorf as part of the Gladstone renovation, and that the staircase acts as the architectural heart of the house – ‘equal parts circulation and sculptural statement’.
Does this feature deliver real sales value?
Hustis and Jovanovic of Paradigm said a statement trap, if done carefully, can deliver real resale value. While it may not appear as a line item, it increases perceived value, strengthens the emotional connection during showings, makes a home stand out among competing listings, and can shorten time on market. In today’s market, that differentiation interest often turns into action, she added.
Several experts agreed that, from a resale perspective, this trend is not about over-personalization.
Katzen noted that statement stairs, when executed with restraint, photograph exceptionally well, increase the perceived quality of a property and make a listing stand out in a crowded digital marketplace.
“In competitive markets, that visual impact translates directly into stronger buyer engagement and, in many cases, faster sales and better deals,” she said.
Overall, many say this trend reflects broader changes in home design priorities and the way buyers value space and experience.
“People are increasingly prioritizing interiors that feel personal, expressive and Instagram-worthy, not just homes that look good from the street,” says Cowley.
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