I vote for "A railing similar to Gropius' in Supon's Vibrant Kalorama Oasis" -- the Leah Moss photo.

Rather than trying to figure out what you want, then afterwards how/where you're going to get it from - Why not find a local metalworker/craftsperson who's work you enjoy, then work with him/her to create a special design that would work for your home?

all but the last photos are essentially the same 2 railing types, just in different colors.

the black iron railings are more mid-century, and the white railings have a more modern look.

it honestly depends on the type of furniture that you have...but essentially you've found the railing you like...just haven't decided on a color.

personally, i love the black with mid-century furnishings. plus, it reminds me of the brady bunch home! haha

oh...and to clarify, the wooden railing is NOT mid-century or modern (in my opinion). it looks very traditional and bland.

good luck!

I think #4, 5 and 6 have too wide of a space between rails and would not be very safe. If you do not have kids or pets and are not going to ever sell your place then fine.

I like something like this- the slats are flat and horizontal and the rounded wood top rail trim would tie in nicely with the wood floors. They are clean and rather architectural so would add a nice element to your place=
http://www.westedgemetals.com/railings/modernrailtop/

I like the Bernal House railing; if you have an concerns about little heads getting stuck between spindles, this could save you a lot of headaches.

But honestly, all of them are gorgeous! Airy and light but still 'down to earth,' I think any of them would suit your space.

I have the same type of home as you, with the stairway just like that--only I have a waist-high wall wrapped around exactly where your railing is. I've seen a similar home with a similar wall (in place of railing), and they have low bookshelves built into the wall that faces the living area.

I hope my descriptions make sense!

#3 and #7 are my favorite.

I happen to know an incredible blacksmith who does exactly this sort of custom job, if you're at all interested in his contact information!

I really disagree aprilheartsaaron. I think some wooden railings can look very modern, and stand out well. Friends of ours have a very modern house, and turned the railing into somewhat of a focal piece in the house and it looks fabulous! Not bland and definitely not traditional.

I like the railings in the Old Bernal House best, but I love Marchhare's idea of a solid railing come bookcase. Great way to maximise storage, and I think they look great too!

Why not just remove those curly cew parts and spray the rest black.

I mean really it will be a similar look to some of those examples you included.

I like the railings in Cameron & Matt's Bright and Chic Modern House Tour

I would have to agree with b77, some of those have pretty wide spacing in the railings. I live in Canada, and ones with that wide of spacing don't pass inspections because of the safety hazard.

From a safety standpoint, I'd put up a wall there and just have railings on the stairs. Toddlers will try to climb anything. Especially those railing that have horizontal cross pieces. Just like a ladder.

growing up in a split level myself, with my siblings and I wanting to climb everything, my dad put a floor-ceiling fence of 1"x2" wood every 7 or 8 inches, with an ebony stain it was veeeerrrrrry 60s modern. Lovely to drop things out of, too! and impossible to break out by slamming into with your brothers.

Like marchhare, in my 1962 home there are 2 locations (entryway/LR and kitchen/DR) that have half-wall returns with wooden tops about 6" wide. I know it's not as airy as railings, but it might fit into the architecture better, and be far cheaper. That, and kids can't fit their head between the railings...

Go for #3 or #7 or plate glass.

definitely go horizontal

Are the existing railings original to the house? If so, and you replace them with one of the (to my mind bland) options you've pictured, then won't you be detracting from the mid-century character of the house (which you clearly like since you've mentioned in the title that the house is mid-century).

Egads! Some of those photos show railings with WAY to much space between them!

Thanks for all your suggestions!

To all who commented about the spacing between the bars, this is a HUGE concern for me. If I custom make something like any of them I would want the bars much closer together that they are in these examples.

We've considered putting up a wall, but the ceilings are pretty low and we just hate to close off the space.

@maggskh, I would love the name of your blacksmith!

@idontdobeige, the railing may have been original to the house, but it's almost identical to what you can buy off the shelf at Home Depot.

Regarding rail spacing, many of the examples you've posted don't meet current building code. You should be as concerned about that as your toddler falling through the gaps because when it comes time for resale it will be clear you didn't get the proper building permit to do the work and didn't build the rail to code, resulting in your possibly having to pay fnes to the city, municipality, etc. for not getting a building permit in the first place..... that is IF you build one of the railings with wide gaps. If you actually construct a rail that meets building code you won't need to worry about your toddler falling through.

My recommendation: hire an architect who knows the codes to give you recommendations and/or designs for a new railing.

I like 3 or 7. I think it would be too easy for babies to fall through the ones without horizontal rails. Don't put up a full wall like someone suggested, it will detract from the open feel. Kids can find a way to get hurt on anything, so if you're super paranoid, just put up a barbed wire fence, they'll learn.

You can do what we did:

http://blueantstudio.blogspot.com/2007/02/diy-wire-railings-for-stairs-part-1.html

and part 2:

http://blueantstudio.blogspot.com/2007/02/diy-wire-railings-for-stair-part-2.html

Ohmygod. Can we all look at the pics for style, and let Sarah worry about code?

And for the record, in some areas, there are more restriction placed on horizontal rails than on vertical.

p(too):

I pointed out code issues because Sarah obviously hadn't taken that into consideration since she is considering railing options that certainly don't meet code.

Just trying to be helpful so Sarah can prevent potential problems down the road.

FORGIVE ME!!

Glass

How about 1/2 walls below and glass windows above? And a door that opens (and closes) for kid safety and temperature control? I have saved this in my 'someday' virtual scapbook:
Christian Liagre's red entryway , 1/2 down the page:
http://remodelista.com/posts/simply-red
I think it would be awesome in a split, with something big and arty over the doorway.

I would either do plexiglass, permanently, (the illusion of no separation would be modern), or how about, 1x4s, turned at a slight angle, and lined up vertically to span the space. You have both privacy, but at a certain angle, you can see right through. My neighbor did it, and I was shocked how good it looked, and it was CHEAP, which I think is why she selected it in the first place. But it looked great, and very modern.

Ok so the Q-house style is definitely out. I haven't read through all of the comments yet so I don't know if anyone suggested it yet but there is also the possibility of mixing and matching salvage antique railing. A lot of the older ones were meant to stand the test of time. I think this would be a great way to not only spruce things up but to add some character too. Just make sure to get a second party involved that can help with installation and code bs. There are a lot of salvage shops that sell old railings that are gorgeous and tough as nails.

I also like the idea of plate glass as well. It has a look that keeps with the modern look of the house and you wouldn't have to worry about spacing. Come to think of it, when I see that photo that's what I envision./Users/aliabistranin/Desktop/Glass Railing Stairway.jpg

I agree with peachpie - seems like if you lost the decorative pieces off your railing, you'd essentially have the railing you want. Then just paint it black or rust colored if you are worried about resale - but if you plan to be there for the next 50-or-so odd years, then paint it whatever.

@ChrisGal @peachpie

Friends have suggested removing the decorative pieces as well! It's a good idea, but the main problem is that the railing is starting to fall apart, becoming wobbly and unsafe. Since we aren't crazy about it anyway we'd rather find something we really love that will last longer.

I second the horizontal suggestion. If you've settled on going custom, then its totally doable. The overall stance of the space would be much flattered by reinforcing the long horizontal lines (more flattering for the lower ceiling height).

Maybe something wider, more plank-like, probably wood — will probably feel more modern and mid-century — would satisfy the safety concerns without sacrificing the aesthetic.

Can't wait to see the end result ;-)

The railing looks really odd to me. I think you need something more substantial and solid, maybe more like a low wall with some sort of countertop. Or maybe a wall with some narrow storage cabinets?

"Uncomplicated, modern and harmonious"? I say - glass rail! I think it would look great, maybe with a wood top rail. But honestly, it's hard to make a recommendation without knowing what your style is and how you plan to furnish the room adjacent to it. For sure, that existing railing has got to go (even if it was structurally sound). If you're not into glass, I also really like Gropius's railing ("apostrophe-s" AT, please!). BTW, the Uniform Building Code requires pickets to be not more than 4" apart, if that helps.

Also, almost as important, I would replace that light fixture thingy with a beautiful pendant as soon as possible. You can't go wrong with a Nelson or a Louis Poulsen.

I love the wood railings. My condo complex has walnut railings that are very similar to the last photo, except ours go from the upper railing (narrow squared posts with a large board for a hand rail...approximately 6" high by 1.5" wide) all the way to the floor of the first floor. It is a really neat effect. This is from 1975. It looks warmer than metal, but still gives the overall mid-century feel. Here's a photo from my entry hall... link

Daily Nuance--

I read a reference to safety in her intro, and was under the impression she posted these samples for style, not for absolute as-is replication.

I was just trying to give her some credit.

Daily Nuance - Sarah posted a comment saying she was aware and concerned about safety. This is about style suggestions, not giving life advice/asserting your superiority. I'd suggest reading replies/comments before getting your attitude on!

Sarah,

Considering you are concerned with safety (spacing between railing), i'd go for option #7. We had a similar client express the same issues, so we offered her a horizontal railing design, which meets code, and she was happy with the result.

If you're interested, you can take a look at our stuff:
www.bellastairs.com/products/ to get a better idea.
Goodluck on your search!