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