R.G. Cowan Design / Fluid Design Workshop Location: Grand Junction, CO, USA Completed in 2017, the Bookcliff Modern home was a design-build collaboration with Serra Homes of Grand Junction. R.G Cowan Design Build and the Fluid Design Workshop completed the design, detailing, custom fabrications and installations of; the timber frame exterior and steel brackets, interior stairs, stair railings, fireplace concrete and steel and other interior finish details of this contemporary modern home.

Organicrete® concrete floating stairway ascending to the upper floor with Ironclad® metal railing.

Floating stairs with wire railing

This contemporary home in Jupiter, FL combines clean lines and smooth textures to create a sleek space while incorporate modern accents. The modern detail in the home make the space a sophisticated retreat. With modern floating stairs, bold area rugs, and modern artwork, this home makes a statement.

contemporary house style locate north of san antonio texas in the hill country area design by OSCAR E FLORES DESIGN STUDIO photo A. Vazquez

Jonathan Little

Custom interior two story stair with hot rolled steel chassis, glass guardrail and walnut handrail & treads.

Tom Arban

Tyler Rippel Photography

A very real concern of many people refurbishing a period property is getting the new interior to sit well in what can effectively be a completely new shell. In this respect staircases are no different and regardless of whether you choose a traditional or contemporary staircase it has to be in empathy with the building and not look like an obvious add on. Executed properly the staircase will update the property and see it confidently through generations to come. In 2014 Bisca were commissioned by Northminster Ltd to work alongside Rachel McLane Interiors and COG Architects in the conversion of a 1930’s car showroom in the heart of York into prestige, residential loft style apartments. There were two clear facets to the redeveloped building, the River Foss facing apartments, which were rather industrial in architectural scale and feel, and the more urban domestic proportions and outlook of the Piccadilly Street facing apartments. The overall theme for the redevelopment was industrial; the differentiator being the level to which the fixtures and fittings of within each apartment or area soften the feel. In keeping with the industrial heritage of the building the main common areas staircase, from basement to ground and ground to first, was carefully designed to be part of the property in its new chapter. Visible from Piccadilly at street level, the staircase is showcased in a huge feature window at ground floor and the design had to be both stunning and functional. As the apartments at the Piccadilly side of the property were fitted with oak units and oak flooring, hardwearing treads of fumed oak were the obvious choice for the staircase timber. The inlaid tread detail provides a non-slip function as well as adding interest. Closed treads and risers are supported by slim and elegant steel structures and sweeping plastered soffits contrasting wonderfully with the warmth of the exposed brickwork. The balustrade is of hand forged, formed and textured uprights capped by a tactile hand carved oak handrail. Bisca have gained a reputation as specialists for staircases in listed or period properties and were proud to be part of the winning team at the recent York Design Awards where Piccadilly Lofts Staircase won the special judges award special award for detail design and craftsmanship

Pietro Potestà

Curved floating stairs at the main entrance of the home., with a balcony cable railing system. Stair and Railings made by Keuka Studios. www.Keuka-studios.com Photography by Samantha Watson Photography

Designed By: Richard Bustos Photos By: Chad Mellon It is practically unheard of in interior design—that, in a matter of four hours, the majority of furnishings, accessories, lighting and artwork could be selected for an entire 5,000-square-foot home. But that was exactly the story for Cantoni designer Richard Bustos and his clients, Karen and Mike Moran. The couple, who had purchased and were in the midst of gutting a home on the water in Newport Beach, California, knew what they wanted. Combined with Richard’s design assistance, it was a match made for swift decision-making and the resulting beautifully neutral, modern space. “We went into Cantoni in Irvine and fell in love with it—it was everything we liked,” Karen says. “Richard had the same vision we did, and we told him what we wanted, and he would direct us. He was on the same level.” Even more surprising: they selected the furnishings before the home’s bones were even complete. They had wanted a more contemporary vibe to capitalize on the expansive bay views and were in the midst of ripping out low ceilings and outdated spaces. “We wanted modern warmth,” Karen says. “Cantoni furniture was the perfect fit.” After their initial meeting, Richard met with the couple several times to take measurements and ensure pieces would fit. And they did—with elegant cohesion. In the living room, they leaned heavily on the Fashion Affair collection by Malerba, which is exclusive to Cantoni in the U.S. He flanked the Fashion Affair sofa in ivory leather with the Fashion Affair club chairs in taupe leather and the ivory Viera area rug to create a sumptuous textural mix. In the center, he placed the brown-glossed Fashion Affair low cocktail table and Fashion Affair occasional table for ease of entertaining and conversation. A punch of glamour came by way of a set of Ravi table lamps in gold-glazed porcelain set on special-ordered Fashion Affair side tables. The Harmony floor sculpture in black stone and capiz shell was brought in for added interest. “Because of the grand scale of the living room—with high ceilings and numerous windows overlooking the water—the pieces in the space had to have more substance,” Richard says. “They are heavier-scaled than traditional modern furnishings, and in neutral tones to allow the architectural elements, such as a glass staircase and elevator, to be the main focal point.” The trio settled on the Fashion Affair extension table in brown gloss with a bronze metal arc base in the formal dining area, and flanked it with eight Arcadia high-back chairs. “We like to have Sunday dinners with our large family, and now we finally have a big dining-room table,” Karen says. The master bedroom also affords bay views, and they again leaned heavily on neutral tones with the M Place California-king bed with chrome accents, the M Place nightstand with M Place table lamps, the M Place bench, Natuzzi’s Anteprima chair and a Scoop accent table. “They were fun, happy, cool people to work with,” Richard says. One of the couple’s favorite spaces—the family room—features a remote-controlled, drop-down projection screen. For comfortable viewing, Richard paired the Milano sectional (with a power recliner) with the Sushi round cocktail table, the Lambrea accent table, and a Ravi table lamp in a gold metallic snakeskin pattern. “Richard was wonderful, was on top of it, and was a great asset to our team,” Karen says. Mike agrees. “Richard was a dedicated professional,” he says. “He spent hours walking us through Cantoni making suggestions, measuring, and offering advice on what would and wouldn’t work. Cantoni furniture was a natural fit.”

This four-level staircase (@ custom home near the nation's capital), permits light to filter down across the stylish and functional living areas (4 levels), and it is also the perfect architectural accent in this elegant and functional home's entrance. The designer/builder managed to create a timeless piece of furniture effect for these semi-floating stairs by selecting a rail-oriented balustrade system, wrought iron round-balusters and painted wooden newels/handrails. CSC © 1976-2020 Century Stair Company. All rights reserved.

@Amber Frederiksen Photography

The Lakeview project looks like an endless supply of stairs and railings, in which it is. Not a single support post or wall to be found to hold up these stairs, all are self-supporting. The main floor post is used as the focal point while the others are simplified and square in profile for a clean look. The handrail is made of Red Oak flat cut and in an "P" profile. The spindles are a plain alternating single knuckle profile in a unique "hammered" effect, in a Textured Black finish. The main post is made at a 4" x 4" dimension with a built-out base at 6" x 6", while the rest are 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" plain square, all in Red Oak flat cut. *featured images are property of Deluxe Stair & Railing Ltd