Steps Made of Wood

• Construct well-made wooden steps with handrails. Steps that are solidly built will work well with a brick home, provided the balusters and other component parts of the handrails look upscale. Poorly made steps or handrails will subtract from the home's appearance. High-quality stringers, risers and treads built of hardwood will look high-end and last for many years.
  
  

Masonry Steps

• Brick or concrete steps add a stately feeling to the home's structure. While basic concrete steps seldom enhance the curbside appeal of a house, they can work well with well-crafted railings. However, brick installed over concrete steps will give the house more appeal. You can use brick steps on a simple cottage, but they will work well on a two-story colonial or Tudor-style home as well.
  
  

Design With a Curved Front

• A unique design is sometimes necessary. Steps can curve outward on each level to form a visually appealing structure. Picture this design as layers of a cake with each level getting smaller as you rise to the porch deck. Curved steps work well in brick or concrete covered with cut stones, but they are expensive and their construction is labor-intensive. This is a good design for a tall two-story home.
  
  

Long Steps With Landing

• Steps with a landing can work for a longer set of steps. You can build steps rising in one direction for several steps and angling off to the left or right with several more steps, for example. The two sections of steps are separated by a landing. A beach home with a tall foundation may require a landing for steps running in two directions like this, or one long set of steps leading up to the front door can have a landing half-way up the steps.
  
  

Wide Steps With Rail

• Steps with a center handrail can work with a very large porch. Broad steps that provide easy access to a home's porch can have a central handrail. Anyone walking on the right half or left half of the wide steps can grab the center rail leading up. This rail is typically made of smooth metal as a wooden handrail tends to splinter over time.