Why are Newels So Important?

In the older homes, the newels of the staircase were the first thing you were to see when you come into the house - the newels were not only a hint to the style of the staircase, but also a hint to the overall style of the house. Back in the day, newels were meant to show exactly what staircase carving was all about - it was the piece into which most of the hard work went into and then it echoed through the designs that were found on the balusters.

Carved newels were mostly used in the homes of more upper-crust, but after the industrial revolution the newels and balusters became more available to the middle class.