Stairs are one of our favorite things to design in a building. There are few other architectural elements that embody so many things at the same time. Stairs need to be designed for function, comfort and safety, but they can also be functional for things like storage. They embody physical movement and guide what people see and experience in a space. Stairs can reflect the personality of the owner or business. They are sculptural and they are intimate like a moving handshake in a building.
The stairs for DeLille Cellars were designed to spatially and experientially connect the three tasting room stories. They allow users to get glimpses of the glass walled wine library, and to overlook the action of the sales desk. Their spiral form is sculptural while their simple welded mesh railings and glulam treads are economical. Similarly the elegant curved rods of the Clearview Wine and Spirits railing (seen at the top of this page) offset the economical use of paralam beams as treads and landing surface.
Economical Office Stairs
We believe stairs don’t have to be expensive to be cool. Like this office stair railing for an online internet warehouse. Similarly the elegant curved rods of the Clearview Wine and Spirits railing offset the economical use of paralam beams as treads and landing surface.
Capitol Hill Craftsman
Some stairs are new but made to look old. Like this paneled stair in a Capitol Hill craftsman that Hinge added a second story to.
Loft Stairs
There is a special kind of stair that we use in minimally occupied spaces like lofts or storage spaces. It is called an alternating tread device. Designed to be easier to climb than ladders, these steep stairs can be made to be very sculptural like this one at Glass Vodka that doubles as a display shelf for bottles at the Distillery entry.
Residential Staircase
The staircase at the Saab Residence uses simple vertical steel rods, and a beautifully crafted wooden ribbon of a top rail to greet guests to the home and to reflect the simple elegant style of the owner and interior designer, Jessica Saab.
SIFF Stairs
Some stairs need to be given a new life – like this Paul Thiry designed stair unearthed at Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) headquarters after being encased in drywall and oak during the 80s. New perforated riser panels and steel rods between existing handrails brought the stair up to code.
Storage Stairs
Some stairs integrate storage like this bookshelf stair done for a Beacon Hill remodel. And some become a library and a play space like this stair right of the kitchen designed as part of a residential second story addition for a young family of book lovers.
Sculptural Stairs
And some stairs are both storage, sculpture and a whole lot of fun. Like this powder coated and combo stair and shelf that wraps the mudroom of a ski loving family’s Lake Wenatchee area cabin. The aluminum railing incorporates a custom perforation pattern abstracted from the ski area map from their favorite ski resort. The peak of the mountain can be seen in the loft railing at the top of the stair
