It's not difficult to appreciate the beauty of architecture from the past.

It is possible to learn a lot about the past by looking around an older home. Beautiful features such as phone niches can reveal many details about the society and technology of the past.

If you've ever looked at an old staircase, you may have seen details such as corners made of brass or rods for stairs. Take a closer look at these details to learn more about their use and discover staircase designs to build your own staircase.

Dust Corners

Before the invention of vacuum cleaners, the task of removing dust from the corners of stairways was a huge issue. Dust guards for stairs were developed in the early 1890s in order to ease the task of sweeping.

This isn't their only purpose; they also add elegance to wooden stairs. Consider adding them to odd areas in your house, for example, such as between the wall and the fireplace molding.



Stair Rods

As per The Victorian Emporium, a remodeling company that specializes in historic homes, stair rods were utilized to hold runner carpets to staircases made of wood.

The distinctive design was initially focused on form and function. Nowadays, the stair rods have become more of an ornamental piece because a carpet is usually fitted by adhering it to the flooring beneath. It's better for both you and your runner to ensure the carpet is installed correctly!

One Upside-Down Baluster

A baluster, also known as a spindle, is an integral part of the support system. They are used to support the handrail. If there's a baluster upside-down on your staircase that's been in use for a long time, you can blame the belief in superstition.

Some say that builders deliberately installed a baluster in order to show that "only God's creations are perfect," others point to an English belief that an upside-down baluster stops Satan from climbing the steps and sending anyone to their deathbed. In any case, this feature is believed to be a sign of an underlying power.