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7 Simple Modern Railing Ideas To Elevate Your Style and Transform Your Home

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Luxury cable rail install with decorative stainless post top detail.

Powder coat, cable, glass? Where do you start when selecting a custom-designed modern railing system to spruce up your style and update your space? At AGS Stainless, we know that home is where the heart is. Therefore, we are committed to providing our clients with unique railing style choices and help and advice from trusted professionals who fully understand the industry and the needs of our clients.

Read on to discover our top recommendations for customizing your railing system and creating a high-end interior or exterior railing design project to delight and inspire.



Simple modern upgrades that will set your railing project apart:

  1. Stem Reducers — Modern ornamental handrail support brackets
  2. Base Plate Covers — Railing accessories to conceal the post bottom
  3. StarLights — Attractive solar-powered accent lights
  4. Powder Coat Options — Personalize with custom color choices
  5. Mirror Finish — Denotes luxury and improves corrosion resistance
  6. Top Mount, Side Mount and Core Drill Posts — Custom mount options
  7. Custom Infill Material — Stainless railing with cable, rod, or glass


  1. Stem Reducers | Decorative Post-top Detail

    Round metal handrail and post top detail create a unique modern railing design.A stem reducer is TIG welded to the post top and hand-finished to provide a stylish modern post top detail.

    Ornately carved newel posts, pretty finials, modern end caps, and railing posts designed to beautify a staircase or deck is nothing new. However, the sleek simplicity of stainless steel and cool neutral tones add a modern minimalist twist to a timeless classic railing idea.

    TIG welded elegant post-top handrail supports or stem reducers are a popular railing accessory for custom homebuilders and architects because luxury homebuilders know that the difference is in the details. High-end features and high-quality products create a sought-after distinctive appeal that cements professional reputations and enhances a home’s desirability.

    Modern stair architecture. Unique stair architecture sets this project apart.Above, the designer created a one-of-a-kind modern stair railing design using cable and hardware.

    You can create a high-quality custom-designed stair railing perfect for your project by choosing AGS railing systems. Our designers work with you to help you bring your ideas to life — no matter how complex. AGS modern ornamental railing systems are prefabricated in the US and shipped with everything you need, ready to install.

    Our experts can manufacture posts with stem reducers for cable, rod, glass, or panel railing systems. AGS Stainless’ railing products are designed to be exceptionally versatile.

    One-piece railing posts are seamless and provide a beautiful look. Alternative lower-quality railing products require assembly from multiple railing parts. Close up, the difference in quality will be evident visually and to the touch. Solid construction looks great and feels great as high-quality stainless steel glides through your hand.



    Custom Railing Sample

    Ordering a railing sample for a commercial railing install is always a good idea. Custom railing manufacturers send you samples of railing to help you demonstrate the quality of the product to your clients.A high-quality made-to-order handrail design will offer a good selection of railing design detail options from the post top to the bottom. The image picturing a railing sample above displays various cable fittings alternatives, a stem reducer, base plate covers, and infill options. AGS Stainless railing systems offer limitless options for customization.


    2. To discover more about how AGS can help you make your vision a reality request your

    FREE Railing Design Consultation



  2. Base Plate Covers

    Base plate covers give the base of the railing post a clean look, which is particularly desirable for sections of short railing on a pony wall or half wall where the post base is more visible.

    Pony wall cable rail. Custom height railing posts make installing this balcony half wall easy. The custom-built curved railing design looks stunning.Base plate covers are a great way to add a touch of luxury to surface-mount posts.


  3. StarLights

    Most people love nothing more than to relax on the deck with an ice-cool beverage and soak up the sun on a beautiful sunny day. However, making the most of your outside space does not need to be limited to the summer months or daylight hours.

    StarLight solar-powered accent lighting will add a touch of sparkle to your home’s curb appeal and make the outside space feel inviting for evening soirees with friends and family. StarLight accent lighting will create a casual but elegant lighting scheme perfect for making memories.

    Solar powered accent lights for stairs, decks and patios. LED deck stair lighting can be attached to posts. Alternatively railing with microlights embedded to create handrail lights, may be an option.Like all AGS products, StarLights are designed to be versatile. The attractive deck lighting can be surface mounted or placed around your yard on stakes to illuminate paths and steps.


  4. Powder Coat Railing Options

    Creating a signature look doesn’t need to be complicated. AGS railing systems are designed to combine the luxury lifestyle with simplicity. Choosing a powder coat custom color is a perfect way to create a look that’s exclusively yours.

    Black cable rail with black handrail and black base plate covers creates a beautifully cohesive modern rail design.Consistency is key to designing a successful railing installation. The railing system above is a black powder-coated cable railing with a matching black handrail. The design also features black base plate covers that provide the finishing touch. The consistent color scheme looks beautiful, set against the white stucco building.

    AGS railing products allow you to customize your design as much or as little as you like. We specialize in made-to-measure railing systems that will provide you with the best selection of custom rail options to make subtle design changes or create a completely new look.

    Unique interior commercial rail design installed in a restaurant. Custom railing features create a one-of-a-kind railing install.Specifying a made-to-measure railing will provide you with the best selection of custom rail options for your installation.

    A mesh panel railing installation with a powder coat color sets the tone for the above-pictured restaurant, perfect for a commercial railing installation. Elegant stem reducers support the warm wood handrail. The unique railing feature is integral to the success of the property’s interior design and inviting look.





  5. Mirror Finish

    When it comes to upscale living, a mirror finish railing system is the ultimate in luxury and beauty. An exclusive property in a premier location demands custom features. Anything less than the best may not be a wise investment.

    Polished railing or mirror railing is electropolished to give a very shiny appearance. Shiny handrails in luxury properties create a distinctive high end look.A luxury railing with a mirror finish will create a look of unmatched elegance and provide superior corrosion resistance — An option for oceanfront locations.


  6. Top Mount, Side Mount and Core Drill Posts

    Much like a smart suit, a railing system will look infinitely better if it fits perfectly, and often, a little customization goes a long way when first impressions matter.

    A railing install with surface mount posts, side mount posts and angled top mount posts was custom-build for this unique luxury property. Top mount vs. side mount posts - a well designed railing should allow you to switch between the options as needed.The photo above demonstrates how a railing designer may specify several different post mounting methods for a single installation.

    With a railing, utilizing the best mount method for each railing post is essential to the system's overall appearance. Especially when steps or stairs are involved, switching between top and side mount posts is a hallmark of a well-designed railing system. At AGS highly skilled designers work with you to determine your installation's best post-mount method and design.

    Side mount / fascia mount

    Top mount / surface mount

    Core drill mounted



    To learn more about railing mount methods, please visit the following links:



    7. Ready to get started?

    888-842-9492



  7. Custom Infill Material

    When selecting a railing infill material, choices are abundant but if you've decided on a high-end stainless steel railing system, always ensure ALL the railing components and parts are manufactured from marine grade 316. It offers the best corrosion resistance and durability. Lower quality parts may develop rust and streak, leaving unsightly marks.



    • Rainier Vertical Cable Railing

      Rainier cable railing is a popular infill choice for custom homes. Well-located properties often benefit from minimal visual obstruction to the view. A vertical cable railing is an excellent option for homeowners looking for a classic but distinctive look.

      Vertical cable rail is perfect for this modern balcony rail design. The modern metal handrail mimics classic railing ideas to combine the old and the new.Vertical cable railing with stem reducers and base plate covers creates an upscale classic look.


    • Rainier Horizontal Cable Railing

      Rainier horizontal cable railing with stem reducers and side mount posts creates a designer look. It's not just a safety barrier but an essential feature and intrinsic part of the building's design.

      Cable commercial stair rail looks amazing. The double handrails, switchback stairs and elegant posts create a modern beautiful cable stair railing.Custom handrail design adds an attractive sculptural appeal to a commercial railing installation.


    • Glacier Glass / Panel Railing

      A glass railing is the ultimate infill choice to create a modern look that blends into the background. Installing tempered glass panel railing is the secret to maximizing the feeling of space and openness as natural light fills the internal space. Glass panels minimize boundaries making the space feel larger.

      Glass handrail for balconies and stairs is a great way to create light and bright space.In the photo above, base plate covers complement the minimalistic aesthetic and clean lines.


    • Olympus Rod Railing

      Olympus rod railing has a robust look and modern appeal. The tube infill is reminiscent of wrought iron railing but offers a smart, bright alternative to an old classic railing design style.

      Tubular or rod railing has a classic yet modern railing look. Horizontal rod railing or vertical rod railing are fantastic railing styles for patios and decks.The elegant metal handrail and rod infill material give the above railing system a look that simply looks right. The stainless steel railing blends beautifully with the landscape and architecture, and the linear lines add to the visual appeal.