Why Are Staircases Usually on the Right?
As you walk into many homes, especially in Kenya and other parts of Africa, you’ll notice a curious pattern: the staircase is often placed to the right side of the house. Is this just coincidence? A matter of tradition? Or is there a deeper architectural, cultural, or functional logic behind it?
As a construction or design professional (or a curious homeowner), understanding why staircases are commonly positioned on the right can help you make better decisions when planning your home layout. Here are the reasons;
1. The Human Behavior Factor: Right-Hand Dominance
About 90% of people worldwide are right-handed. This influences not only tool design and furniture placement, but even the way we move through spaces. Humans tend to turn right instinctively when entering a space.
In a house, placing the staircase to the right side upon entry makes it feel more natural and intuitive to access upper floors especially in multi-storey homes. It aligns with our natural walking patterns and sense of flow.
Fun Fact: Retail stores and museums also use this principle (placing focal points or attractions to the right of the entrance) because it’s where most people instinctively look or move.
2. Traditional Design Conventions
In many colonial-era and traditional African homes, staircases were placed on the right, often to separate public and private spaces. This layout allowed the main living spaces to dominate the center or left side of the house, while vertical movement (stairs) was tucked to the side.
Over time, this became the standard for many residential architects and contractors. Designers and draftsmen naturally followed precedent, creating a “design habit” that still continues today.
3. Efficient Floor Planning
Placing the staircase on the right can also help with efficient space utilization. Here’s how:
- Corner Fit: A staircase on the right-hand side can snugly fit into a corner or along a wall, minimizing wasted space in the floor plan.
- Circulation Control: It keeps vertical movement in a controlled zone, freeing up the central area for more flexible uses like lounges, dining, or open-plan spaces.
- Natural Zoning: In modern homes, architects aim to separate “noisy” and “quiet” zones. By placing the staircase to the side, it acts as a natural divider between zones (e.g., kitchen/living vs. bedrooms).
4. Sunlight and Orientation Considerations
In some house orientations, placing the staircase on the right side helps maximize natural light in more used rooms. For example, if the right side of the house faces a boundary wall or gets less sun, designers may place functional elements like stairs there, reserving the sunlit areas for bedrooms, kitchens, or lounges.
In Kenyan homes, where optimizing natural light is key due to power costs and heat management, this placement strategy becomes very practical.
5. Feng Shui and Cultural Beliefs
In some Asian and African cultures, staircases have symbolic significance. Though less influential in most Kenyan homes, some homeowners who follow feng shui believe that stairs should not face the main door directly (bad energy), and placing it to the side (often right) can deflect this.
Other cultures view the right side of a home as the “yang” side, associated with strength and movement, making it a fitting location for stairs.
6. Site Layout and Plot Shape
Most residential plots are rectangular. To maximize space, houses are often designed to hug one side of the plot and leave the other open (for parking, garden, etc.). Staircases end up being placed on the side that’s less externally active, which, depending on orientation, is often the right.
In urban areas like Nairobi, where land is precious, such strategic space planning can make a big difference.
7. Construction Practicalities
From a builder’s perspective, putting staircases on the right may also simplify structural planning:
- Beam and slab layout: Staircases require breaks in slabs and beams. Placing them to the right allows easier segregation of structural elements.
- Service runs: It keeps plumbing and electrical services streamlined on one side of the house, simplifying installations and maintenance.
Should You Always Put It on the Right?
Not necessarily.
Good design should be based on your specific site, orientation, lifestyle, and preferences. While the right-side staircase is common for all the reasons above, it’s not a strict rule. A left-side, central, or even rear staircase may work better depending on your:
- Entry point location
- Room layout
- Plot orientation
- Natural lighting
- Accessibility needs
What matters is that the flow of movement in the home feels natural, balanced, and efficient.
To summarize, Why Are Staircases Often on the Right?
- Aligns with right-handed movement flow
- Respects traditional layout norms
- Supports efficient space usage
- Maximizes lighting in key rooms
- Follows some cultural/feng shui practices
- Matches common plot shapes
- Aids in construction and service planning
So, the next time you enter a home and find the staircase on the right, will you still be surprised? You shouldn’t be!
