A SUCCESSFUL RAIL REMODEL

Seattle Stair & Design thrives on the opportunity to transform a space through design. We look forward to opportunities to help people re-design their homes to match their aesthetic values. In this Mercer Island home, the intent was to bring a lighter, more modern feel to the family room. The entertainment center had previously been rebuilt and painted, and now it was time to complete the effect with an upgrade to the stair and balcony railing. We came up with a design that allowed us to use the structure that was already in place. The home owner did the demolition of the old railing himself – leaving the original newel posts intact – and painted all of the fascia, stringer and newels before we installed the new balustrade. The new design is inspired by our Context Design Line series. This railing consists of stock 5/8” round stainless steel balusters and a custom red oak handrail in our Arc handrail profile. The handrail will be stained by the home owner to match the red oak treads on the stair.  

What a remarkable change!

When one of my dearest friends told me she was getting married this past fall, I knew I wanted to give her something special – not just a typical registry gift. Working with the awesome craftsmen at Seattle Stair inspired me to design a gift that could be made at our shop. The final product was a set of unique candlesticks that were turned on the lathe by our wood turner Nic Bitting. They are a combination of 4 different woods in a light-to-dark pattern (maple, cherry, sapele and black walnut). The design was inspired by my friend’s own prolific artisanship.  
She was so pleased with this gift and I had so much fun in the process, that when another dear friend was married this past week, I decided to design another set of candlesticks. These have a very different feel – inspired by Art Deco and classical detailing. They are meant to be pulled out for holiday occasions when a long table is set with many people. The materials used for the second set are black walnut with maple in the center, creating a striking detail that emphasizes the lines at the top and base.

Stepping “Lightly” on Steel

Working at Seattle Stair and Design has forever changed the way I see stairs.  I love the concept of using light as a design element. Geoffrey Holton, an architect and friend of mine from Berkeley, CA did just this in his latest remodel. It is a commercial building in southwest Berkeley that has been divided into various office, art and retail spaces. As I walked up the stairs to the 2^nd level offices, I was taken by the awesome patterns of light coming through the treads from the upper flight of stairs. He chose to use a painted grate material on the treads to contrast with the naturally rusting steel risers. Walking up and down under this metal stair is an experience of light, shape and creativity.  

Downtown Condominium Remodel

Today we completed this contemporary railing installation with specialty brackets at a downtown condominium. Key technical aspects were numerous perfectly mitered joints, the unique brackets and their tricky hardware, plus the need for a complete new support system inside the walls to hold up the rails properly. We communicated with the PM and coordinated with the site super as a team on these issues and many more. While we always strive try to be as efficient and clean as possible on the job site, the final goal is an awesome stair or railing system. I continually feel a sense of pride in the team at Seattle Stair & Design.

Phoebe Schraer
Executive Coordinator/Sales & Design Specialist

Custom Wood Turning... in 10 Seconds or Less

Our woodturner is often fed eclectic turning projects. After all, Seattle Stair is the only shop in the area with the capability to turn large scale custom items.  In the past, we have turned everything from tugboat masts to 10-foot "knowledge whorls." This week, our woodturner has had the task of turning nearly a dozen domed cylinders for an art installation.

I caught him in action and created a short video that illustrates the turning project in less than ten seconds.

Check it out here:  http://instagram.com/p/cNKusDh6CG/?igref=ogexp

Mary Anne Carter
Assistant Director of Marketing

From Campy to Classy: The Modern Hotel in Boise

 A recent road trip from Albuquerque to Seattle offered an unrivaled array of eye candy: plunging canyons, wind carved rock formations, star crusted skies, and the occasional modern marvel.  Topping the list of manmade spectacles was The Modern Hotel in Boise, a rehabbed Travel Lodge better suited for craft cocktails than a continental breakfast. 

Fresh white paint and contemporary furnishings lend purity to the traditionally seedy space, while innovative design details give character. The courtyard is dotted with fire pits salvaged from a defunct swimming pool, the balcony is emblazoned with sculptural steel cutouts, and the exterior staircase flaunts an angular wood and metal enclosure. 

The juxtaposition of linear and campy; refined and tired; clean and novel is not inherently good. Yet with proper balance of whitespace and design details, The Modern Hotel manages to defy expectation. This success is more than a visual spectacle- it is a lesson for any home renovation process.  

Any space (even a Travel Lodge) bears the potential to be transformed without a total overhaul. By simply toning down less favorable design elements and investing your resources in a few strong details, you can reconcile and redefine your space. 

Mary Anne Carter

Assistant Director of Marketing

Seattle Stair Featured in The Wall Street Journal

Seattle Stair & Design was featured in The Wall Street Journal on Friday, July 5th as part of an article highlighting the use of exotic wood in home decor. "Exotic Woods for High-End Homes" showcased an American red gum and wenge stair we built for a client in Maui, Hawaii several years ago.

The article reads:

"With rich hues and elaborate grain patterns, exotic woods are growing in home décor. Many rare woods come from tropical climates, where trees can produce more-durable wood products, manufacturers say. Tropical trees also grow taller, with few branches, so the wood has fewer knots and other defects.

Most exotic woods are cultivated in tropical zones straddling the equator, including Central Africa and Latin America. Environmental and human-rights issues related to the exotic-wood trade have led to a certification program, so consumers can check with suppliers regarding the sourcing of their wood. Here is a sampling of responsibly sourced exotic-wood products:

RARE STAIRS

Seattle Stair & Design custom-staircase crafters use exotic wood in a small but growing number of their designs. The staircases are built in the company's 10,000-square-foot Seattle studio and shipped, often fully assembled, to their destinations. This staircase for a home in Maui was built of solid American red gum wood with exotic wenge wood handrails. Wenge is a dark wood that is native to central Africa and used as an alternative to ebony. The cost for a Seattle Stair & Design staircase ranges from $30,000 to $120,000 depending on the size, complexity and materials used.

Cost: $100,000 for the red gum wood staircase, including installation."

We thank The Wall Street Journal for the opportunity to be featured and encourage you to read the full article here.

Mary Anne Carter
Assistant Director of Marketing

Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion

Photo Credit: Seattle Art Museum

Photo Credit: Seattle Art Museum

I had the privilege of attending the opening reception for Seattle Art Museum's current exhibit, Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion and I highly recommend it to design enthusiasts of all trades. 

The exceptionally curated exhibit showcased nearly 100 gowns, runway footage, and artwork derived from the principles of fashion.  It imparted far more than a retrospective of trends, but rather a very concise understanding of fashion as it relates to other design disciplines.

The influence of Japanese Fashion on shape was particularly evident: the clothing challenged proportions, engaged fluidity, and mastered form from multiple vantage points.  Many garments were designed with such attention to shape that they could be cleanly collapsed into flat, rectangular, phonebook-sized masses when they are not being worn.  Others fall gracefully into dynamic geometric shapes.

This acute level of detail and craftsmanship parallels our own design process at Seattle Stair.  Designing a garment that can be easily worn yet still falls crisply into a hexagon is not unlike crafting a staircase that is fully constructed in our shop and then taken in two pieces to site for installation.

The opportunity to view this likeness in a discipline so converse to ours was both unifying and stimulating. Waste no time—and pay Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion a visit for a high dose of inspiration and innovation.

For more information on the exhibit, check out TheSeattle Times review and The Seattle Art Museum's website.

Mary Anne Carter

Assistant Director of Marketing

A Note from a Customer

The handrail features a unique hand-forged iron bamboo sculpture mounted on Brazilian Cherry.

The custom Brazilian Cherry handrail provided an elegant update to their existing staircase.

Today we had the privilege of receiving a very gracious note from a recent client for whom we design and crafted the above balustrade. 

"I just wanted to let you know that [we] are so happy with our new stair rail. It came out just like we had hoped and dreamed about. You and the staff at Seattle Stair & Design do an excellent job and the craftsmanship is superb! Thank you for being supportive and making sure the project went well. It was wonderful working with you," the note reads.

We couldn't be more flattered by the gesture, as superior craftsmanship, quality design and customer satisfaction are at the core of our work. 

Thank you for the reassurance of our craft and enjoy your stair!

Summer Break, Island Style

Today marks the first official day of summer break for Seattle students and we can't help but indulge in the excitement.

Although we've long outgrown the student life, our custom staircases have provided a rewarding gateway to summer vacation.  In the past few years, our team (and seven staircases) have had the privilege of traveling to Hawaii many times.  These jobs top our list of favorites, as the spectacular natural landscape not only offers a favorable backdrop for an install, but impresses a vivid appreciation of the rare and exotic on the residents.  As a result, the boundaries of design are pushed, experiment is embraced and some of our most distinctive, rewarding projects are born.

Check out a gallery of our favorite Hawaiian staircases on our Facebook page.

The Cuban Staircase

This image was taken by a friend of mine who is also a professional photographer, Mario Serafin, on a recent trip to Cuba. When I saw it in his folder of pictures, I was immediately struck by its beauty and curious to learn more. I asked him for the story behind the image and this is what he told me, “To make a long story short, that picture was taken in a building where a friend of mine from Havana used to live. I met him three years ago. He had gangrene and ended up loosing a leg. Unfortunately he passed away last year. I took this photo last month when I went to that building looking for him. He used to live alone and when he was alive he use to spend most of his time on the streets, wandering around in his wheelchair. Everyday his neighbors would take him up and down those stairs so he can enjoy his life in the streets. Amazing guy, amazing neighbors and amazing stairs.”

This stair is a piece of art, captured by a talented photographer, with the many textures of aged wood, Spanish tiles and chipped paint. You can still see the beautiful lines of the original stair – that I imagine is close to 100 years old at least.  It is also representative to me of Cuba’s history and the endurance of its people. The spiral is being supported by a 4” x 4” and still used to this day - with the ability to support the weight of 2 adults at once. This story reminds me of my trip to Cuba in 1996, and the 14 flights of stairs I had to climb to a friend’s apartment every time we returned due to an indefinitely broken elevator.  I am grateful to Mario for sharing this picture and its story with his community.

-Phoebe Schraer

Seattle Stair Wins 7th National Award at SMA Conference

Seattle Stair & Design's white oak and hand forged blackened steel stair won Best Spiral Stair at the 2013 SMA Awards. The spiral stair complements a winding main stair that recently won second place for most innovative design component at the 14th Annual Northwest Design Awards.

Seattle Stair & Design Vice President David Shuler returned Sunday from the 25th Annual Stairway Manufacturers Association Conference in New Orleans. Although his experience commenced with a redeye commute, monsoon-like rainfall and a delayed flight, it quickly rebounded with both the receipt of our an SMA design award for Best Spiral Stairway- our seventh SMA award in six consecutive years- and the opportunity to connect with a vast network of fellow stair builders.

This year's conference included the annual staples- demonstrations, seminars, certification classes, and the peer judged design competition- as well as several opportunities to partake in local culture.

"It was such a unique experience," said Shuler, "you often are asked what your profession is, but rarely do people really 'get' stairs.  It is incredible to be surrounded by dozens of professionals who not only understand, but do what you do."

We are thrilled to be apart of this annual tradition and look forward to next year's event!

Mary Anne Carter
Assistant Director of Marketing

Seattle Stair Steps into Swing

Seattle Stair & Design, goes with Irish coffee parties like coffee goes with Irish whiskey. Our Third Annual Irish Coffee Event was almost a month ago and we still can't stop talking about it, as it was was tremendous fun for all involved.

Don't believe me? Check out this video of the Seattle Stair crew sampling swing dance lessons.

Seattle Stair Steps into Swing from Seattle Stair & Design on Vimeo.

Irish Coffee Party Prizes

Clever? Competitive? A collector of beautiful things?  Then check out the gorgeous ornaments we handcrafted on the lathe for all of our Irish Coffee Party winners.

We extend another round of congratulations to Jennifer Chase, Buu Christman, Lyn Quickslund, Art Burt, and Dave Lisch for their skill and participation- and invite you to participate next year for a chance to grab your own swag.

Mary Anne Carter
Assistant Director of Marketing

2013 SMA Conference

Our winning submission for The SMA design competition in 2012.

For the past six years, Seattle Stair & Design has participated in the annual Stairway Manufacturers' Association Conference.  The conference provides a unique platform to connect and collaborate with fellow stair builders as well as participate in a peer-reviewed design competition.

Today, our own David Shuler arrived in New Orleans to represent our team at this year's conference and compete for our seventh SMA award.  As the only member to have won an award every year, we are beyond flattered by our success and thank the SMA community for their support of our work.

Whether this year brings our eighth win or simply a rich opportunity for networking and education, we are enthused to participate in the festivities and reconnect with familiar faces!

Mary Anne Carter
Assistant Director of Marketing

A Farewell to Kevin

French Compagnon Kevin Lion has spent the last year and a half imparting his fine craftsmanship to our work in exchange for the opportunity to sharpen his English skills and immerse himself in America. Kevin's expertise was central to the construction of one of our most technically challenging stairs, which features a complex paneled soffit. 

The dramatic geometry of the stair mirrors the unique passion Kevin brings to woodworking.  His conviction and fervor permeated every aspect of his work, and this stair was no exception.  Upon completion he enclosed a tool, a pen, and a bottle of French Bourgogne wine: an iconic time capsule rooted in French tradition, discoverable only upon demolition of the stair.

"It is a gift," he explained.  "You cannot work without a drink… it's like a thank you for whoever finds it."  

Although Kevin does not anticipate the wine to be discovered for the next two hundred years, his legacy has already begun to make its effect on all of his coworkers at Seattle Stair.  We wish him the best of luck upon his return to France and thank him for his exuberance and friendship! 

View the Facebook Album for a glimpse of the stair from conception to completion.

Mary Anne Carter

Assistant Director of Marketing

Irish Coffee Contest Winners

Each March, we gather the Seattle Design Community to celebrate collaboration, craftsmanship and St. Patrick's Day.  This year's Irish Coffee Event was a tremendous success- much to the spirit and participation of our guests.

In addition to fine Irish Coffee, flaming bananas foster and woodworking displays, our guests indulged in a variety of games.

We congratulate all of our winners and thank everyone for their participation. Each winner will receive a Seattle Stair & Design tee-shirt and hand turned ornament.

Go For the Gold: Jennifer Chase and Buu Christman

Find the Clovers: Lyn Quickslund

Best Dancer: Art Burt

Limerick Contest:  Dave & Andrea Lisch

Our guests were challenged to verse us in stairs and St. Patty's day traditions in the form of a limerick. Although not all of the entries were in true limerick style, we'd never heard a collection of poetry with as much affection for stairs.  Here are a few of our favorites.

First Place: 

When I walked in the door, the shop did look good

I was impressed by all the fine stairs made of wood

With an Irish Coffee to drink

My cheeks turned all rosy and pink

And I counted all the shamrocks I could.

-Dave & Andrea Lisch

Honorable Mentions: 

There were some stairs built in Seattle
To install it was such a battle
With swishes and swirls made their way East
And now reside on the shores of Sammamish
-Lyn

Mouse in a house
On a couch he went on a stair
I went too
He went up
I went up too.
I caught him in a shoe.
-Anonymous Child

On this St. Patty's Day
So happy and gay
Let us play a game of musical chairs
For who gets to do what when we go upstairs
-Ryan Christman

At the foot of the stairs
I can feel my cares
As I climb each flight
My worries become light
So at the top all is fair

-Ken Myers

What's Your Story?

Our passion for staircases is overshadowed only by our passion for The Story. The Story compiles the history, ambitions and interests of our client and their space, allowing us to design details that set our staircases apart. 

The story arrives in several ways: it often unfurls over the duration of the project, evolving as a client becomes more aware of their needs and desires. Conversely, The Story itself can be the catalyst for the project- the driving force behind the need for a custom stair.

Such was the case for an elegant black walnut stair we built last year. The classic, straight stair was commissioned for an upscale apartment building and resonated with us immediately. It was to be the showpiece; a work of art that evoked a sense of place, comfort, permanence and awe in an otherwise nondescript space.

The request called to mind the work of Fred Anhult, an architect famous for creating distinguished apartment buildings in Capitol Hill. His work emphasized the entryway and recognized it as an opportunity to lend a lasting impression on every guest.

Taking cues from Anhult, turn-of-the-century stair design, the story conjured by the client, and a little bit of ingenuity, we crafted the stair pictured above.  Its stately box newel, hand-turned balusters, and curved Juliet balcony, and black walnut structure proudly greet residents and guests.  

Does your entryway make an impression?

Mary Anne Carter
Assistant Director of Marketing

Remodeling? Step Up Your Staircase

A custom rail transforms the space while making use of their existing stair.

Although remodeling your home is rarely described as "predictable," the initial decision making process is fairly standard. There are three key interests that drive homeowners to remodel: increased practicality, increased aesthetic quality, and increased value. Consciously or otherwise, it is generally the projects that meet at least two of these interests that drive the budget.

Granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and walk in showers are frequent sellers, as they facilitate day-to-day activities while lending a sense of luxury and quality. As a result, many begin and end their remodel with the kitchen and bath.

For the most part, this trend is rational. These spaces are visible, used daily by the homeowner, and occasionally by guests. Your revamped powder room could be the centerpiece of your next dinner party, and your new refrigerator will be able to hold twice the leftovers the next day.

The problem with this approach is its polarity. While investing in the kitchen and bath lends value to your home, its value is contained within those individual rooms and only reaches its full potential on special occasions—the aforementioned dinner party scenario, for example.

Consider instead remodeling a space that lends both immediate and lasting value to your home—a space that fulfills all three interests of aesthetics, function and value with the added gift of cohesion.

Consider a space that does not lie in wait for a dinner party to cast its debut, but rather interacts with both the guest and dweller on a daily basis.

Consider the entryway.

The entryway takes charge of the first impression. It is there that every guest is greeted, whether or not they have an invitation to view the rest of the home. With the proper components, it has the potential to convey more than a style, but a sensation. After all, it serves as a literal transition from the chaos of the exterior world to the controlled, safe, interior world.

In many homes, the chief component of the entryway is the staircase. Equal parts form and function, the staircase uniquely reconciles the realms of art, architecture and physics. Its visual splendor is complemented by its practicality, ranking high on the list of wise remodeling investments.

Why, then, isn’t a custom staircase the most common remodeling request?

Most often, it comes down to a stereotype that staircases are both expensive and inconvenient.

But like any other accessory, appliance, or home furnishing, there are options.

Cost, material, and style should be dependent on the needs of the clients rather than those of the stair builder. At Seattle Stair & Design, we strive to facilitate not only your vision but your budget as well. Our passion for staircases overrides our interest in any particular style or product—resulting in a diverse portfolio of staircases and stair parts, equal only in quality.

In the past year, we have had the privilege of transforming the homes of dozens of clients. Our work has ranged from paneled soffits that challenge geometry and hand-forged iron balusters inlayed with stained glass to simple remodels that transform a staircase with just a few new stair parts.

Each of these projects—regardless of scale—is valuable to us. Have you discovered the value of your stairway?

Mary Anne Carter
Assistant Director of Marketing

2012: An Illustrated Review

As the New Year takes hold, we pause to reflect on our many experiences and accomplishments in 2012.  Once again, we thank our incredible community of clients, associates, friends and family for all of your support and wish you the best in 2013. 

For more information on the events depicted in our timeline, we invite you to review the following press and articles:

• March The Second Annual Irish Coffee Party Video 
• March The New York Times features The Gates Foundation
• April MSN Features Seattle Stair 
• May Barkitecture in Stop Motion 
• June Seattle Stair and The Last Frontier  
• June Seattle Stair and The Last Frontier II
• September In Memory of Marilyn Christman 

Mary Anne Carter

Assistant Director of Marketing 

Break the Silence of Your Staircase

At Seattle Stair & Design, we are firm believers that the best staircases tell a story. My recent journey to New Mexico exposed me to several narratives: the first took place in the famed Loretto Chapel; the second in a sprawling adobe home resting at the base of the Organ Mountains.

While both stairs were spectacular, the latter conjured a story of universal significance. Taking cues from both the natural environment and local culture, each element told a tale of art, history, or geography. The materials—salvaged wood and iron—provided both a rustic aesthetic and spoke to the barren landscape where resources are few and must be conserved. The hand carved risers added elegance and demonstrate an appreciation for indigenous art. The whimsically curved handrail called to mind native jewelry sold in the plaza of the nearby town of Las Cruces.

The strength of this stair is in the sum and cohesion of its elements. Consider your own stair and your own story. Does it so vividly depict your heritage, passions and style? Or does it misstep?

Mary Anne Carter
Assistant Director of Marketing

The Loretto Chapel: Land of Enchantment

Piercing blue skies and a sprawling desert landscape awarded the state of New Mexico with the moniker "The Land of Enchantment."  And justly so—with every visit, I find countless opportunities for enchantment.

A recent visit in December brought a flood of familiar pleasures:  luminarias lined every path and wall; adobe homes glistened with fresh snow; the fragrance of pinion firewood was piped from every horno and chiminea.   

The distinctiveness of New Mexican culture is unmistakable—bred from Native American, Mexican, and Spanish founding fathers, the state’s lineage is all but traditional. The traditions of each culture have permeated those of the next, birthing an original language of beliefs, rituals and celebrations. Perhaps the richest—and undoubtedly the most fascinating—is the legacy of faith and superstition.  

In effort to engage such superstition, I trekked to the heart of Santa Fe (The City of “Holy Faith”) to the famed Loretto Chapel.  The gothic structure was built in the late 1800’s to mirror King Louis IX’s Sainte-Chapelle in Paris but lacked one crucial feature: a staircase.  Legend has it that Sisters of Loretto, desperate to access their choir loft, prayed relentlessly to St. Joseph, Patron Saint of Carpentry. 

After nine consecutive days of prayer, a craftsman arrived and agreed to build them a staircase.  His craft remains unrivaled—the stair makes over two complete 360-degree turns, stands 20' tall, has no center support, and was built without nails. Immediately following the completion of the stair, the craftsman disappeared and was never again seen.

The complexity of the stair, coupled with the disappearance of its builder was fertile ground for native superstition.  Many continue to believe that St. Joseph himself constructed the stair.

Having spent the last year observing our skilled craftsmen challenge gravity and physics without divine intercession, my impression of the stair was not without bias.  I did, however, garner two profound truths from my visit:

1) A truly magnificent staircase has the power to transcend function and inspire the realms of art, myth and religion

2)  Hiring a master stair builder at the start of your new construction or remodeling project prevents costly design flaws (or in this case, nine consecutive days of prayer)

Mary Anne Carter

Assistant Director of Marketing

Ancient Stairway to The Masada

Last fall I had the pleasure of traveling to Israel for the first time. I was deeply moved by the Dead Sea Region, and most importantly The Masada, a compound on the top of a plateau surrounded by canyons and river runs with steep drop offs. The Masada is thousands of years old and ripe with history. In order to reach the entrance you have the option of ascending 700 stairs that are cut into the mountainside at sunrise, or wait until 8am and catch the trolley. I of course chose the 5am hike – and was so moved that I did it a second time the next day!

This is an experience I would recommend to anyone. Highlights are the visual beauty, the stillness of the desert as she fills with light, the many layers of history, and of course the contemplative walk up.  As I climbed those stairs I couldn’t help but think of my place of work—Seattle Stair—and the amazing stairs we create for our customers. The richness in the history of building stairs is also full of layers that incorporate tradition and artisanship. I couldn’t help but think of how much my associates would appreciate the climb (and the view!) as I stood there on the top step looking out at the Dead Sea. The journey up these 700 stairs is most definitely the most impactful climb I have yet to take. 

Phoebe Schraer 

In Memory of Marilyn Christman

Marilyn Christman

March 8, 1954 - September 6, 2012

As the New Year commences, we are called to reflect on the previous year. Paramount in our memory is the passing of Marilyn Christman, beloved wife of Shawn and central member of the Seattle Stair team. For thirty-four years, Marilyn's abundant compassion and fortitude propelled Seattle Stair to reach its fullest potential. In her passing, she left us with the final words, “We can do it.” It is in these words and her beloved memory that we embrace the opportunities and challenges of the New Year.

We thank our friends, family and colleagues for their support this past year, and wish you the best in 2013. We can do it.