Project Description
Priorities
• Create a contemporary staircase for a whole-house remodel
Solutions
The owners “loved the contemporary, open nature of [their] home,” says
designer Jeff Nicholson, “but wanted to upgrade all the finishes and
take it to a new level” with their whole-house remodel. That “new level”
included the design of a sculptural stair that combines bamboo, steel,
and drywall to reach each of the home’s four floors. The owners
recognized that in a four-story house the stairs are a central
circulation element that will repeatedly be used each day, so they
wanted to create a stair that was aesthetically pleasing as well as
functional.
The original stairs were not up to code and were
built using standard materials, so Nicholson and the team at Quartersawn
demolished the existing stair and started over. During a previous phase
of the project, Nicholson had removed a few walls around the basement
flight to enhance the open feeling and prepare for the installation of
these upper stairs. The design also has stringers placed closer to the
center so that the stairs appear to be floating.
Nicholson opted
to use bamboo because it was available in solid stock for building the
treads and risers, and was available in flooring as well, which he
specified for the fourth floor. The material came from an importer that
brought it in from China.
The treads are made from 1¼-inch solid
stock bamboo, that Nicholson says is consistent throughout in color and
grain, and is able to be cut and worked like plywood. He says that the
stability of the bamboo stock made it easy to achieve a high level of
craftsmanship. “It offered a lot of benefits compared to natural wood,
due to its stability,” he says. A small kerf cut on the face of each
step hides the joint between each tread and riser. The stainless steel
railing was fabricated in a local shop and needed only a few on-site
welds to fit into place.
Judges’ Comments
The judges commented the design integrates well into the floor plan and the “honest materials” add to the modern feel.
In
response the the questions in the comments below, we asked QuarterSawn
for clarification on the cost. The cost does not include the basement
stairs, which were completed in a previous phase of the remodel. The
cost of the railings was $12,300 (installed), and the bamboo was sourced
directly from China for $3200. Installation, finishing the bamboo, and
the mark-up takes the cost to under $25,000. The company also notes that
the comments about code compliance are inaccurate. All aspects of the
railing were reviewed by the local building official prior to
fabrication and approved after installation.
Products
Flooring: vertical strand bamboo
Railing: custom, stainless steel