We’ve made a decision about our house. Finally. And it’s actually happening. It’s taken us nearly four years and three different extension ideas to get to this point….. we’re converting our loft. Builder found, architect on the case. It’s the exciting bit where we are all full of ideas, requesting samples and spending all of our imaginary money. Always the easiest money to spend isn’t it?
We’ve got a traditional three bed semi. Two large double bedrooms, one family bathroom with separate loo and a teeny tiny box room which is now my small but perfectly formed home office. You can have a nosey parker snoop around our house here. It’s a great size for our family of three. But when it comes to having overnight guests, we’re screwed. We’ve been dragging a mattress down to the living room to make a guest bed for the night. I can attest that it is a) highly inconvenient, b) uncomfortable. Our loft room will become the much needed third double bedroom, give us a second bathroom AND a separate storage space.
So, where did we start? What’s the one bit that HAS to be just right? The piece that affects how the rest of the house flows, functions and feels? The staircase. The new staircase up to our second floor. This post is ALL about staircases people. Stairporn is real. I’m not kidding. Go over to Stair Porn .org and you’ll catch my drift.
Things we don’t want the new staircase to be/do:
- Squeezed in
- Block light
- Eat into the landing too much
- Heavy, chunky, twirly
- Impose
Things we want the new staircase to be/do:
- Feel natural
- Be something beautiful, something you want to look at, but not obtrusive
- Let light pass through
- Have a minimal metal frame with as much exposed as possible
- Blonde wooden treads
- A single integrated piece of “something” to act as the handrail and balustrade on both floors
It’s hard to get out of my head sometimes what i’m visualising, so i’m going to show you some hardcore #stairporn images. Each design has something I just love. A simplicity and a real beauty. I know we could never afford to have anything exactly like these, but they are here for inspiration and will no doubt inform the final design of our new staircase to be.
Design: Naturehumaine – Image: Adrien Williams
Design: Roberto Murgia and Valentina Ravara – Image: Giovanna Silva
My absolute favourite. Kind of need some banisters though.
Design: AS/D Asociación de Diseño – Image: Rafael Gamo
Design: Hera 24 / DMP Arquitectura – Image: Onnis Luque
Tamir Addadi Architecture
I adore that huge sheet of glass that seems to have no fixings whatsoever.
Image: Nicolas Grandmaison
Design: Christensen & Co. Architects.
Design: Andrew Maynard Architects – Image: Fraser Marsden
Awesome idea. A solid staircase made from perforated metal so the light and space isn’t broken.
Image: Hanne Fuglbjerg
The profile on that staircase is like a work of art. So good.
Design Fernlund + Logan – Image Andrew Wood and David Sundberg
Design: Pleysier Perkins – Image Sean Fennessy
Really simple lines and natural materials make for something that’s timeless.
I am so frickin excited about this next project of ours. It’s going to change our home and the way we live in it. We’ve already experienced that real buzz when we had our kitchen knocked through two years ago. But now we’re pulling out the big guns. Loft bedroom here we come. (Insert staircase musical based pun here: “The Only Way Is Up”, “Stairway to Heaven”…)
Featured image: Quick Step Instant Staircases
About time, a fireman’s pole and a trampoline will do for me, as long as there is a bed at the top.
Mattress on the floor…. just for you!
I love the yellow stairs how gorgeous are they! We also live in a typical semi like yours and we were looking to go up into the attic. Other factors about the house have made us decide to move instead. This post would’ve been so helpful if we were staying put albeit I feel a bit more educated now in all things stairs! Thank you x
Well I’m very pleased to have helped on the staircase education. Big learning curve for us still but we can’t wait to get started with the design 👍 good luck with your move Rachel!!
I love all these stairs you have posted, looking forward to seeing your final design.
Good lord. Stairporn indeed. Who knew stairs could be so damn sexy! I especially love the use of perforated steel. It really let’s the light in a treat and looks so good. We live in a small 2 bed flat and at some point our girls will need a room each. When that time comes we’ll either need to move or convert our rather roomy loft. I kind of like the idea of staying put and converting. But stairs will be a big issue. I’ll be watching your project closely to get ideas.
We’re finding the battle between design and building regs difficult right now…. fingers crossed we get away with something that isn’t bog standard!!
I have only just came across your blog and really love it. Some great guidance and ideas!
I know this is an old thread, but who did you get to build your staircase? Was it a local joinery or a company? I am currently about to undertake some work to my flat and I am looking for something along those lines.
Thanks,
Chris
Hi Chris, thanks for your comment. Yes it was a local joinery company, I designed it and they built it.