Seabrook Revisted

Photos: David Shuler of Seattle Stair & Design

Last August, we at Seattle Stair & Design shared our affinity for this expansive staircase we found cascading down the dunes of Seabrook, WA. We revisited the staircase last month and were again taken by its majesty. While its rough form is not unlike other beach staircases we have seen, the size, scale, and durability of the structure are utterly impressive.

Seattle Stair & Design Featured on MSN

Seattle Stair & Design is thrilled to have had two of our staircases featured in MSN Real Estate's slideshow, "Now That's A Staircase, 11 Eye-Popping Designs," last weekend.  

The slideshow illustrates a variety of inventive staircases from around the world including our Hawaiian-Themed staircase, crafted from sheets of acrylic and resin with grass fibers curved with heat, and our Disappearing Act staircase, built with treads created to appear as if they are floating, finished with a steel handrail wrapped in leather. 

In addition to a glimpse at our portfolio, the article provided insight into the design process and spirit that fuels Seattle Stair & Design through interviews with Shawn Christman and David Shuler of Seattle Stair & Design. 

This slideshow, coupled with Seattle Stair & Design's 5th consecutive win at the National SMA StairCraft Awards this month and other recent press, is highly flattering to all involved at Seattle Stair & Design. 

Mary Anne Carter

Assistant Director of Marketing 

Seattle Stair & Design Wins National Award

Seattle Stair & Design is pleased to announce that we have been awarded “Best Straight Stair” at the 2012 Stairway Manufacturers’ Association (SMA) StairCraft Awards.

This recognition is particularly exciting for the staff and craftsmen at Seattle Stair & Design, as it is our fifth-consecutive award at the national, peer-judged Stair and Stair Railing design competition.

The chosen staircase, which was selected and judged for its “aesthetics, stair safety, quality, workmanship, and technical challenge,” is a Brazilian cherry hardwood structure with anigre highlights embellished with forged iron—jewelry in a form that is both craftsman and contemporary.

For a detailed view of the design and construction process of the staircase from conception to completion, please view our Case Study Video.

Mary Anne Carter
Assistant Director of Marketing

Seattle Stair & Design Heads to National SMA Conference

Seattle Stair & Design’s Shawn Christman will join fellow stair builders at the National Stairway Manufacturers’ Association’s Conference in Reno this weekend.

Expanding on the SMA’s mission to foster the “growth and prosperity” of the stair building industry and craft, the annual conference provides educational seminars, opportunities for networking, and a peer based design competition.

The design competition, in tandem with the SMA’s legacy of preserving the aesthetic of the stair through building code reform, has been a large draw to the conference since its conception.

“When Seattle Stair & Design joined the SMA, we thought we may have a chance at the design competition,” explains Christman. “We are currently four-for-four. No one else has won four in a row—so I suppose we were correct in our hunch.”

Regardless of this year’s design competition outcome, Christman looks forward to the opportunity to “touch base stair builders I have met across the country” and indulge in his craft.

For more information on Seattle Stair & Design’s involvement in the SMA, please visit the following blog posts and press:

http://seattlestair.blogspot.com/2009/06/winners-of-another-national-award.html

http://seattlestair.com/live/collection/news

Mary Anne Carter
Assistant Director of Marketing

Seattle Stair & Design in The New York Times

Last week, Seattle Stair & Design's work graced the pages of The New York Times- in conjunction with the article “In New Office Designs, Room to Roam and to Think.”

The article and corresponding multimedia slideshow provide a glimpse inside The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Headquarters, which is outfitted with thousands of feet of striking curved wooden handrails and paneling custom crafted by Seattle Stair & Design, as well as a reclaimed solid ash stool designed by Meyer Wells and turned on the lathe by Seattle Stair & Design.

Photo: Joshua Trujillo for Seattle PI

Photo: Stuart Isett for the New York Times

The spacious mezzanine of The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation features a suspended staircase outfitted with 2,000 feet of curved wooden handrails and 1,000 feet of curved paneling custom built by Seattle Stair & Design.

Photo: Stuart Isett for the New York Times

The “diving board” style hall leads to a panoramic corridor sparsely furnished with two chairs and a reclaimed solid ash stool designed by Meyer Wells and turned on the lathe by Seattle Stair & Design.

The tandem of utility and radiance captured in the staircases and stool permeates the essence of the entire space, which is defined in the article as a forerunner in the staggering trend of businesses abandoning the traditional work environment.

Indulging their employees in boundless ceilings, sweeping panes of glass, and the freedom to migrate, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has recognized the different “modes” of their employees and created a variety of spaces that cultivate creativity and respect personal preference.

For more coverage of our involvement with the construction of the staircases in the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation headquarters, please see the additional blogposts and articles.

http://seattlestair.blogspot.com/2011/06/staircase-railing-of-new-seattle.html

http://www.seattlebusinessmag.com/article/stair-master

Mary Anne Carter
Assistant Director of Marketing

Irish Coffee Contest Winners

Guess work, name-calling, and doodling were encouraged at the Irish Coffee party where guests tried their hand at “Name that Tool,” “Draw an Oval,” and “Guess How Many Screws” for a chance at a handmade prize crafted in house at Seattle Stair. Each prize includes a Seattle Stair & Design It’s Not Just Luck tee shirt designed by our own Sarah Lam and an ornament hand turned on the lathe by Christian Leach with forged copper detailing by Phoebe Schraer.

We are pleased to announce this year’s winners:

How many Screws are in the Jar?
Winner: Mark Olson of Unique Art Glass
Guess: 281
Actual: 287
Honorable Mention: Bridgette Kingsbury of Luxe Magazine
Guess: A lot

Name that Tool:
Winner: “Sir Flats A lot” by David Lisch of Dragon Fly Forge
Honorable Mentions:
“The Nuzzler” by Ryan C.
“The Catastrophic Converter” by Rob Bell

Draw an Oval:
Winner: Howard Wolvington
Honorable Mentions: Scott Robins, Bridgette Kingsbury of Luxe Magazine, Keith Miller of Miller Interior Design, and Susie Rogers

We thank all of our guests for their participation and attendance!

Mary Anne Carter
Assistant Director of Marketing

Yoga Truck

Yoga Truck

Driving off the freeway ramp, I was about to turn into my place of work, and there across the street was a scene playing tricks on my eyes. It was a semi-truck that had partially flipped – actually had twisted - while turning the corner. Only the back of the semi fell to the side, while the cab was still upright, leaving a dynamic twisting effect in the body of the metal trailer that was reminiscent of a spiral stair! The scene was very calm and there were no onlookers at that time besides the driver and police, so in a way it felt like – as one friend coined it – like a truck in a yoga posture! Still, peaceful, and waiting until the next pose. And for us at Seattle Stair, it was hard to miss the similarity of a spiral stair and the look of the twisting of the metal trailer. Being directly across the street from Seattle Stair, ironically it was fitting. Seeing the Yoga Truck was a little piece of the unexpected in a usually predictable commute to work.

* As a side note, I want to mention that we all felt for the driver of the truck and his company and are truly grateful that no one was hurt by this unfortunate incident.

Phoebe Schraer
executive coordinator