Open floor plans are an especially popular option in current home design, as homeowners are more likely to prefer rooms that flow into each other to those that are walled off from one another. Updating an older home often involves a fair amount of demolition, including the removal of walls, to achieve this more open feel.

For multistory homes or those with basements, it might seem like the staircase is exempt from any changes. You'll need it to access certain parts of the home, after all, and changes to the stairs are liable to be more complex than changes to rooms.

In many cases, however, including the staircase in renovations can play a big role in improving a home's design. Poorly designed or located staircases can restrict traffic flow, create an ugly obstacle in the home, or block natural sunlight.

Moving a staircase might seem like an intimidating proposal at first, but it is not unreasonable to consider it during a larger home remodel. Bridget Otto, writing for The Oregonian, says larger renovations already include a significant amount of rebuilding work. As long as the cost of moving a staircase does not increase the expense of the renovation beyond your means, it's not out of the question.

Aside from cost, there are several other factors you should consider before agreeing to move a staircase. Scott McGillivray, writing for the magazine Style at Home, says you'll have to decide whether to use traditional wooden stairs or a more modern design such as steel or concrete.

In some cases, you may be able to use an existing space set aside for a staircase but still improve the area around it. Otto says reversing the direction of the stairs allows you to relocate the entrance to the staircase and open up the area around the former entrance. This option might also allow you to recycle an existing staircase.

When considering a new location for a staircase, you'll have to make sure there won't be any obstacles in its way. Gecko Hardware, a business in Dallas, Texas, notes that some areas of the house won't be able to accommodate a staircase because it will interfere with plumbing, air conditioning units, or other components that would be difficult and expensive to move.

The new staircase should also be both comfortable and functional. If it incorporates too many twists and turns, it will be difficult to carry furniture and other large items up or down the stairs. McGillivray says the height of each stair should be between five inches and just under eight inches, and that you should leave the necessary room for railings and balustrades.

Relocating a staircase is a complicated process, so it is best left to the professionals. You'll most likely have to cut a hole in the floor to create a new path for the stairs. Mosby Building Arts, a company based in St. Louis, Missouri, says the process also involves creating new supports for the floor, insulated walls along the staircase, and the modification of HVAC components and other obstacles.

You'll have to seal up the opening left by the old staircase. This process includes adding new floor joists as well as new flooring material. You may also have to include a few finishing touches, such as a door at the base of the stairs and staining or painting the new stairs.

If a complete relocation of the staircase is not feasible, you can still take steps to improve the current stairs. McGillivray says you may be able to simply remove the walls around the staircase to help open it up. You can also consider redesigning the stairs in their current opening, using a spiral staircase or floating stairs to create a more modern design.