Spiritual Symbolism
According to the Long Island Press, this superstition stretches back hundreds of years, to an era when spirituality and architecture were closely connected. Staircases, linking the floors of a home, were thought to symbolize the passage between different realms — the earthly and the spiritual. Some even viewed them as potential pathways for spirits traveling between worlds.
To ward off harmful or mischievous entities, carpenters began inverting a single baluster within an otherwise uniform staircase. The reasoning was based on the belief that evil spirits could only move along straight, uninterrupted paths — so by disrupting that order, the craftsman could prevent them from reaching the upper rooms.
Beyond the supernatural aspect, the upside-down spindle carried a spiritual humility as well. Many religious builders used the intentional imperfection as a reminder that only a divine being can achieve perfection. The flawed detail was a quiet nod to human fallibility and reverence for the divine.
Duality and Design
Outside of its mystical interpretation, the inverted baluster also embodies ideas of duality and harmony. A staircase naturally represents transition — the movement between above and below. Introducing a single element of imbalance, such as the reversed spindle, subtly reinforces this concept of balance within contrast. The deliberate imperfection becomes a visual reminder of equilibrium — between the physical and spiritual, the perfect and the flawed.
A Tradition Found in Historic Homes
This unique design choice is far from rare in older houses. In 2020, HGTV and DIY Network host Scott McGillivray drew attention to the phenomenon when he posted a photo on Facebook showing a staircase with one upside-down baluster near the middle of the railing.
“One of these things is not like the other,” he captioned — and the internet took notice.
Thousands of comments poured in. Some suggested it was intentional, rooted in tradition:
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