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At the crossroads of architecture and home design lie stairs. They serve an important and practical function and they can serve as important design elements, but as this aptly named Facebook group loves to point out, they can also be downright deadly without the appropriate safety considerations.

Honestly, it takes some talent and creativity to make stairs that are as unsafe as some of the masterpieces on this list. Some seem downright uncomfortable while others present clear tripping hazards or even fool the eyes into hiding individual steps. Let us know which ones you think you’d trip on in the comments.

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    #2

    When The House Lights Go Down, Good Luck

    When The House Lights Go Down, Good Luck

    Arlo Dykstra Report

    Stairs may seem deceptively simple at first. How hard is it to design a set of stairs? Just make a bunch of steps and you’ve got it, right? Not quite. In addition to whatever architectural regulations there may be, there are some basic geometric rules that ought to be followed.

    #4

    Left, Picture Of Stairs From Top-The Wood Planks Run Parallel To Stair Edges Seemingly Forming A Flat Surface. Right, Steps Viewed From Bottom After Fall

    Left, Picture Of Stairs From Top-The Wood Planks Run Parallel To Stair Edges Seemingly Forming A Flat Surface. Right, Steps Viewed From Bottom After Fall

    Stanna Sims Edwards Report

    #5

    This Made My Stomach Swoop

    This Made My Stomach Swoop

    Adrianne Robbennolt Report

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    WindySwede
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    just install the 'Stairerslide' strait down to the beach!

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    #6

    The 'Stairs Of Death' Are A Section Of Stone Steps Built By The Incas, Which Lead To The Top Of Huayna Picchu, In Peru, Which Is One Of The Steep Mountains That Overlooks Machu Picchu

    The 'Stairs Of Death' Are A Section Of Stone Steps Built By The Incas, Which Lead To The Top Of Huayna Picchu, In Peru, Which Is One Of The Steep Mountains That Overlooks Machu Picchu

    The peak of the mountain is 2,693 metres above sea level and has Inca ruins on top.
    You couldn't pay me a billion dollars to walk up that

    SuperSoul Ever Report

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    The ideal rise and run for a single normal step is 7” rise and 11” run (~18cm x ~25cm). However, other ratios are possible for other types of steps. There are tons of sites online that break down the rules of stair design, and that’s all before you get into the fancy ideas highlighted in this post.

    #7

    I Just Fell Down These In My Mind And It Sounded Like Someone Hitting A Gong In A Very Uncoordinated Way

    I Just Fell Down These In My Mind And It Sounded Like Someone Hitting A Gong In A Very Uncoordinated Way

    Victor Merriam Report

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    The Original Bruno
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The half-stairs seem vastly superior to ladders as a steep climb. However, I presume that guard rails were eventually installed.

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    #8

    I Wanna See Someone Try This In Heels

    I Wanna See Someone Try This In Heels

    Maria Lewandowska Report

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    Edda Kamphues
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think there is a fair reason why stairs and escalators feature very prominently in my nightmares.

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    Fortunately, most jurisdictions do have some sort of requirements for stairs, and we suspect that they haven’t been followed in many of these examples. In addition to rise over run requirements, step and stair regulations may determine banister shape and height, step edge shapes, step layout, rotation characteristics for steps that turn, and other factors - all of which can determine how likely it is for a set of steps to cause accidents.

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    #10

    “Stairs” Designed By Francesco Librizzi. It’s Really More Of A Treacherous Ladder. I’d Consider Going Up These. Would Not Be Interested In Going Down Them

    “Stairs” Designed By Francesco Librizzi. It’s Really More Of A Treacherous Ladder. I’d Consider Going Up These. Would Not Be Interested In Going Down Them

    Eve Bensky Report

    #11

    A Set Of Steep Stairs Each Step Alternates So That You Can Only Really Put One Foot On A Step At A Time. It's Also Nearly A Straight Down Angle

    A Set Of Steep Stairs Each Step Alternates So That You Can Only Really Put One Foot On A Step At A Time. It's Also Nearly A Straight Down Angle

    Martin Ellis Everett Report

    #12

    Oh No, I'll Jump, Thanks

    Oh No, I'll Jump, Thanks

    Bec Collier Report

    #13

    An Unusual Cuboidal Stairway In The Little Village San Augustin Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico (Vernacular Architecture) They Are Made Out Of Red Stone And In Six Alternating Columns. The Ankle Twister

    An Unusual Cuboidal Stairway In The Little Village San Augustin Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico (Vernacular Architecture) They Are Made Out Of Red Stone And In Six Alternating Columns. The Ankle Twister

    Nanners Foster Report

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    Serenity Now!
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think there may be some skeletons at the bottom of these, um, stairs.

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    #14

    I Can Already Feel The Concussion

    I Can Already Feel The Concussion

    Greta Peterson Report

    #15

    My Shins Hurt Looking At This

    My Shins Hurt Looking At This

    Ria Josephine Report

    #16

    When You Don't Have Enough Space For Stairs! Brilliant Child-Friendly Space With An Observatory Tower Incorporated By Arch. Hiroshi Okamoto

    When You Don't Have Enough Space For Stairs! Brilliant Child-Friendly Space With An Observatory Tower Incorporated By Arch. Hiroshi Okamoto

    Kahli-Ann Douglas Report

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    Zara VP
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Maybe leading to a 'secret' loft but not as my main stairwell!

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    #17

    Stairs For People Who Aren’t Afraid To Die And Who Enjoy The Nauseating Feeling Of Vertigo

    Stairs For People Who Aren’t Afraid To Die And Who Enjoy The Nauseating Feeling Of Vertigo

    Devin McLachlan Report

    #19

    Love My New Apartment But These Are The Stairs Leading Up To The Loft. They Feel More Like A Ladder Because Of How Steep They Are. Don’t Get Me Started On How We’re Going To Move Furniture Up There

    Love My New Apartment But These Are The Stairs Leading Up To The Loft. They Feel More Like A Ladder Because Of How Steep They Are. Don’t Get Me Started On How We’re Going To Move Furniture Up There

    Beth Carmen Report

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    Kimbowa
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Move the furniture out the front door instead and get your deposit back.

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    #20

    Honey What's Wrong, You Haven't Gone Down The Stairerslide Today

    Honey What's Wrong, You Haven't Gone Down The Stairerslide Today

    Victor Merriam Report

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    nari<333
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    my butt hurts js looking at this..5 year old me on the other hand is dying to try it out

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    #21

    Imy Online Civil Engineer Major Is Starting To Pay Off, Another Satisfied Customer

    Imy Online Civil Engineer Major Is Starting To Pay Off, Another Satisfied Customer

    Dario Ferrari Fuenzalida Report

    #23

    The Chair There So People Can Sit And Watch The Injuries

    The Chair There So People Can Sit And Watch The Injuries

    Brad Blackwell Report

    #24

    It Looks Like A Human Spine To Me

    It Looks Like A Human Spine To Me

    Móni Barajas Report

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    More!
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Walk them enough and you might eventually get the chance to compare them with your human spine…

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    #25

    I Would Like To Have A Word With The Architect Of This Building

    I Would Like To Have A Word With The Architect Of This Building

    Bia Cambraia Report

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    Mattias Svensson
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is an art istallation by Lang/Baumann (brilliant, if you want my opinion) and doesnt belong here

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    #26

    Ventilation Grill At The Bottom Of The Enclosure Suggests That Installing Air Conditioning Was More Desired Than A Usable Stairway. Or These Are Cat Stairs

    Ventilation Grill At The Bottom Of The Enclosure Suggests That Installing Air Conditioning Was More Desired Than A Usable Stairway. Or These Are Cat Stairs

    Catherine Tait Report

    #29

    Do These Count? They Are In My Son's Room Btw, And I Quite Like Them

    Do These Count? They Are In My Son's Room Btw, And I Quite Like Them

    Marek Wói Report

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    Zara VP
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Looks like it's leading to a loft/ hang out area. Not bad for that purpose.

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    #30

    The ‘V’ In The Design Is For Very Dangerous

    The ‘V’ In The Design Is For Very Dangerous

    Melinda Owen Ramsey Report

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    Aileen Grist
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Lots of older houses in the uk had these for when the bedrooms were opposite one another. You get used to them very quickly.

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    Note: this post originally had 84 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.