CUSTOM HOME January-February 2010 Last Detail Under Appreciat…
CUSTOM HOME January-February 2010 Last Detail Under Appreciation Architect Cathi House relied on rugged, exquisitely detailed woods to bring her staircase design to life. The dark red of Santos mahogany graces the steps and cutout accents. The staircase's underside is fashioned primarily from golden anigre.
David Duncan Livingston
The ebony horizontal slats at the top of the stairs echo the ebo…
The ebony horizontal slats at the top of the stairs echo the ebony detailing featured in other parts of the house.
David Duncan Livingston
House's design demanded tolerances "so perfect you need a c…
House's design demanded tolerances "so perfect you need a cabinetmaker to do it," she says. The Santos mahogany, in particular, was so strong that "it was like cutting steel. The contractors kept going through saw blades."
Matthew Millman
The clients own a rare kimono, which inspired delicate details s…
The clients own a rare kimono, which inspired delicate details such as a floating staircase.
Matthew Millman
A closer view of the staircase.
Benjamin Benschneider
Residential Architect 2011 RADA Steel Stair, Seattle Architec…
Residential Architect 2011 RADA Steel Stair, Seattle Architectural Design Detail / Grand Stair runs fabricated from folded sheets of perforated steel filter light from a skylight above.
Benjamin Benschneider
A steel plate railing provides structural support and a visual c…
A steel plate railing provides structural support and a visual counterpoint to the semitransparent treads and risers.
Benjamin Benschneider
The stair from above.
Benjamin Benschneider
The stair from below.
Todd Mason
CUSTOM HOME January-February 2012 Internal Logic A Phil…
CUSTOM HOME January-February 2012 Internal Logic A Philadelphia city house rethinks the suburban split. Blackened oak storage consoles double as room dividers throughout the house.
Todd Mason
The exterior brick wall continues into the foyer.
Todd Mason
A blackened steel stair frame stitches the levels together, as d…
A blackened steel stair frame stitches the levels together, as do the oiled steel handrails and pickled white oak flooring.
John Horner
Residential Architect November-December 2011 Separate but Equa…
Residential Architect November-December 2011 Separate but Equal 3six0 Architecture removed layers of carpet and acoustical ceiling tiles to convert this factory building into a loft with two separate living areas.
Richard Barnes
CUSTOM HOME 2007 CHDA San Francisco Residence Custom Home 3,0…
CUSTOM HOME 2007 CHDA San Francisco Residence Custom Home 3,000 to 5,000 Square Feet / Merit Award Superbly adapted to its urban infill site, this new row house modulates exposure to neighbors and the street but opens wide to its rear garden and interior courtyards.
Richard Barnes
Anice Hoachlander
Remodeling Magazine October 2010 Best of the Year: Urban Renew…
Remodeling Magazine October 2010 Best of the Year: Urban Renewal The owners of this end row house in Washington, D.C., wanted a more open space that felt like an art gallery. Architects John Burke, Hans Kuhn, and Chris DeHenzel came up with the idea of a light tunnel to bring an airy feel to the center of the house. The remodeled main floor of the home has the quality of a plaza or outdoor space.
CUSTOM HOME September-October 2009 Last Detail Stair at This …
CUSTOM HOME September-October 2009 Last Detail Stair at This The centerpiece of a remodel that joined two existing San Francisco row houses into a strikingly modern residence, this flowing stair provides both circulation and sculptural interest.
Diane Padys Photography
Residential Architect 2012 RADA Chuckanut Ridge, Bow, Wa…
Residential Architect 2012 RADA Chuckanut Ridge, Bow, Wash. architectural detail / merit The design of the Chuckanut Ridge stair is based on traditional Japanese tansu step chests.
Benjamin Benschneider
The stair compartment also holds a small bar area and access to …
The stair compartment also holds a small bar area and access to the family room.
Benjamin Benschneider
While the stair’s form derives from a Japanese archetype, its …
While the stair’s form derives from a Japanese archetype, its red lacquer finish speaks of China.
Neil Landino
CUSTOM HOME CHDA 2012 Wheeler Residence, Scarsdale, N.Y. Cust…
CUSTOM HOME CHDA 2012 Wheeler Residence, Scarsdale, N.Y. Custom Detail Stainless steel rods provide deceptively solid support for a stair that seems to float in space.
Neil Landino
The stainless steel rods are joined by threaded couplings hidden…
The stainless steel rods are joined by threaded couplings hidden within the thickness of the wood.
Bill Timmerman
Residential Architect 2008 RADA xeros residence, phoenix proj…
Residential Architect 2008 RADA xeros residence, phoenix project of the year A sumptuously curving stairway serves as the studio's grand flourish.
Christopher Barrett/Hedrich Bles
Residential Architect 2010 RADA Claremont House, Chicago arch…
Residential Architect 2010 RADA Claremont House, Chicago architectural design detail / merit Occupying a space that extends from the front of a deep, narrow townhouse-form residence to the rear, this stairwell conveys not only people, but also light, air, and even structural stresses in the building frame.
Christopher Barrett/Hedrich Bles
The steel stringers are set flush with the white oak paneling on…
The steel stringers are set flush with the white oak paneling on one side and the plaster surface on the other.
Asa Gilmore
Residential Architect 2009 RADA live, dine, sleep, reno, nev. …
Residential Architect 2009 RADA live, dine, sleep, reno, nev. kitchen / merit Changes in cabinet depth indicate a subtle shift from living space to kitchen.
Asa Gilmore
The metal stair leads from the second-floor main living space to…
The metal stair leads from the second-floor main living space to a reading loft. Custom cabinetry throughout the home stores kitchen and laundry supplies, as well as other secrets.
Brian Vanden Brink
CUSTOM HOME 2010 CHDA Lagoon Pond Pavilion, Vineyard Haven, Ma…
CUSTOM HOME 2010 CHDA Lagoon Pond Pavilion, Vineyard Haven, Mass. Merit Award / Custom Detail A balcony and three bedrooms on the upper level overlook the water and are reached via the house's glass stairs.
Brian Vanden Brink
The glass stair doubles as artwork in the house's central galler…
The glass stair doubles as artwork in the house's central gallery. Its reflective translucency scoops light into the deepest part of the structure, and a steel rod suspension system eliminates obtrusive columns.
Brian Vanden Brink
Looking down into the foyer from the glass hallway.
Greg Hursley
CUSTOM HOME July-August 2005 Last Detail Stair Tribute Not…
CUSTOM HOME July-August 2005 Last Detail Stair Tribute Nothing less than Michelangelo's Laurentian Library steps served as inspiration for the grand foyer stairwell.
Traditionally stairs have been a practical element in the home primarily used to get from one floor to another. Imbuing the clients’ personality or program requirements into a utilitarian space is part of what creating a truly custom home entails. Curvaceous steel, transparent treads, floating steps, and concealed storage are just a few of the inventive twists added to these stairwell designs.
Although architects and designers envision the spectacular elements, the builders, engineers, carpenters, and fabricators are the real heroes in these projects. They must devise perfect calculations for tolerances, strength, safety codes, comfort, and more while also generating innovative support systems and crafting materials into uncommon forms. For example, one three-story, solid steel spiral stair had to be craned into an existing row house while another glass staircase and bridge was suspended from the ceiling to enhance the ethereal effect.
This collection of stairwells showcases how innovative design coupled with crafts people who go above-and-beyond can put the fun in functional.
