Confidently say you stepped in the right direction by snagging a little inspiration from some of these modern staircase designs.
GALLERY OPENING
The centerpiece of the foyer is a translucent glass-and-steel staircase, painstakingly installed by builder Joe McKinstry. A wool rug from Driscoll Robbins Fine Carpets runs to a Joel Brock painting and a sculpture by Philip McCracken in the space, which functions as a vertical gallery. (Tour the home.)
THE MODERNIST’S LINES
One side of this home’s dining room is defined by the dynamic staircase. Dakota Jackson’s Calypso chairs and the Gear ceiling fixture by McEwen Lighting Studio are all from Thomas Lavin in West Hollywood, California. The custom Quinn table by Joseph Jeup is from John Brooks Incorporated, and the rug is from Atelier Lapchi in West Hollywood. (Tour the home.)
ALL IN THE DETAILS
Custom-designed by Michael Scigliano, this stairway comprises walnut treads and a cold-rolled steel frame with Starphire glass panels. The dining room beyond features oil paintings by the Greek artist Garsot. Scigliano also designed the dining room’s cold-rolled steel wall, fabricated by Toledo Iron Works, to conceal the powder room and pantry. (Tour the home.)
BOAT HOUSE
The porto beige limestone that flows through this house continues up the Fred Gemmell-designed staircase with sapele mahogany stringers and railings, supported by stainless-steel balustrades with tempered-glass panels. The reverse acrylic painting on glass by Gemmell is entitled Aro. Bertjan Pot’s Random Light filigreed Fiberglas fixtures at the top of the landing are from Design Within Reach and create a spider web of light at night. The glass railing is by Sorrento Glass & Mirror in San Diego. (Tour the home.)
GLASSY CLASSY
Across from the wine room, a glass and sapele staircase provides a panoramic view of an exterior fountain. A pair of French Art Deco chairs from Jean-Marc Fray, upholstered in mustard leather, creates an inviting conversational grouping. (Tour the home.)
PICTURESQUE
A Montigo fireplace creates a focal point in the living room beneath translucent Kalwall panels from DeaMor. A rug from Homa Fine Handmade Carpets grounds a contemporary coffee table, a Bensen sofa and white MDF Italia chairs, all from Inform Interiors. The painting above the sofa is by Philip Mullen. (Tour the home.)
HANGING OUT
The floating staircase was designed with engineering similar to that used for a suspension bridge. Long vertical cables by Johnson Architectural Hardware support the overall structure, while a glass railing by Zecca Mirror Glass Architectural Metal reinforces safe passage. The rug is by Stark. (Tour the home.)
WELCOMING GUESTS
A limestone wall and central staircase, featuring bronze-and-glass railings, anchor the entry gallery of a Laguna Beach house by interior designer Gary Finley and architect Mark Singer. The painting is by Luc Leestemaker, and the glass sculpture is by Robert Kaindl. (Tour the home.)
THE MINIMALIST
The staircase–executed by Conti Glass Corporation–sets the house’s tone with its modern mix of materials. Wenge wood marks the treads and risers, stainless steel supports the structure and glass railings all but disappear. The painting is by Joel Babb. (Tour the home.)
WINDING DOWN
LED rope lighting gives the spiral staircase a glowing outline, while curved glass sides trimmed with a metal handrail keep the space feeling open and transparent. Porcelain tile flooring grounds the space. (Tour the home.)
CONTEMPORARY WHITE
The double-height living area connects with the upstairs bedrooms via a mezzanine clad in ash flooring that was reclaimed from downstairs. The owners also have the option of using the elevator. Residential designer Martin Litman had carpet on the existing stairway removed, and the steps sanded and stained. (Tour the home.)
MODERN IN CHICAGO
Made from glass and steel, with wood treads fabricated by builder firm Goldberg General Contracting, a stairway connects the three floors of the house and provides a light well that brightens the interior spaces. (Tour the home.)
TAKE A RISK
The introduction to this California home’s interior starts off as more enclosed and secretive, not revealing the knockout view yet to come. It begins with a breathtaking atrium in the foyer, where a skylight sends light spilling down a curving staircase. “The staircase kind of floats in that three-story cavity and just attaches where necessary,” says builder Rick Holz. (Tour the home.)
SWITCHING TO NEUTRAL
A painting by Lamar Briggs is displayed prominently at the top of the entry staircase. The custom white-oak stair treads are by Cattle Creek Cabinets, and the handrail is by Rocky Mountain Steel Works. (Tour the home.)
JUXTAPOSED
Interior designer Tracy Hickman conceived the custom sheer drape, featuring Classic Cloth material from Dessin Fournir and fabricated by Baird’s Drapery Services, to bring privacy and softness to the three-story window in the home’s center atrium. The new triangular-shaped skylight is from Imperial Glass Structures. (Tour the home.)
GRILLED
Irongrain crafted the cantilevered steel staircase, which Architect Andrew Mann designed with custom railings and stainless-steel rod mesh that consistently aligns with the oak treads and risers. The sculpture is by Andy Vogt. (Tour the home.)
