There is denying the balustrades have come a long way since the days of a few logs tied together with rope or string. The progress that has come in the form of orate wooden tops with masterfully carved stone bases is beyond debate. As is so often the case with mankind: just when you think that things cannot be improved upon any more, some very clever individual comes up with a concept that makes everything else seem archaic and outmoded. The wooden balustrade will always be remembered as the one that the hero or heroine gracefully descended into his /hers lovers’ arms, yet it is the steel balustrade that has taken modern architecture by storm. Steel balustrades have not been around for that long but in the short time that steel balustrades have become more and more visible in commercial buildings, and more recently the affluent homes, they have become more graceful and daring in both design and finishing.
Steel balustrades will never have the romantic charm of wooden balustrades but this does mean that they are in any way less beautiful or enhancing to an entrance hall or any other space for that matter. The beauty of steel balustrades from a design point of view, is the immense strength that is harnessed by them. No longer is it necessary to have a solid wooden or concrete base on which you could then have your beautiful balustrade. Now because of the strength of steel balustrades, designers can now let their imaginations run riot in the quest to build the most beautiful structures. The floating staircase is now a real possibility or as much of a reality as mortals can achieve. The lightness of steel is also one of the big pluses from and design and construction point of view because again those sitting at the design table only have their minds as a constraint now.
For its beauty and obvious practical advantages the steel balustrade will never win over all the fans of the old fashioned wooden ones. Just like a beautiful person is not always the first choice when it comes to choosing a partner, the beauty of steel can leave one feeling rather cold.