Iron railings can stand for centuries, meaning that once you choose your railing you'll likely never have to change it in your lifetime. This set-it-and-forget-it component can be a real boon, but it also means you need to give thought to what you want your railing to look like not just now but several decades down the line.

So don't just go with the first railing design you see; be sure to give it some thought so you end up with the railing that's best for you and one that you won't get tired of looking at. Here are a few general style groupings to choose between.

1. Minimalistic

If you're choosing railings for an institutional setting and you really want them to blend into the background, a simple railing with straight lines and no ornamentation may be what you're after. These railings are highly functional and can work well for ramps, steps, walkways, and other areas where you need a simple, functional, and extremely strong railing option.

2. Victorian or Gothic

As you can imagine from the name, Victorian or Gothic style railings tend to be heavily ornamented, with plenty of scrollwork and dramatic, intricate designs. Often, these railings will have one rail at the top and another at the bottom, connected by largely vertical pieces (spires and pickets) in between. This structure provides the framework for decorative elements.

The vertical spires and pickets tend to be heavily decorated with additional decoration, and the finials (the tops of the vertical rails) may be decorative as well. Scrolls, spirals, twisted columns, and similar decorative accents are also common in Victorian and Gothic styles.

3. Modern

Modern iron railing designs are available as well. These more modern designs tend to have clean, sweeping lines and geometric shapes. They tend towards the minimalistic, but can often be more elegant and may even have curved lines in some cases.

Modern iron railings actually offer quite a bit of style variation, so if you're going for a more modern style, you may be able to find modern railings to fit with it. If you want a more severe style, you could choose geometric designs like concentric rectangles. If you're looking for a more luxurious aesthetic, you may want to choose arched or curved outlines.

As you can see, iron railings can be broken down into different styles and even sub-groupings within those styles. Once you have a general idea of how each style looks and feels, you can talk to your iron railing contractor about the aesthetic, style elements, and other design components you'd like to see in your iron railing design.