Dave Cooper at Seattle Stair

Seattle Stair & Design Owner Shawn Christman pictured with Dave Cooper of the Stairway Manufacturers' Association

Seattle Stair & Design had the privilege of hosting Dave Cooper of the SMA at the shop today.  We thank Dave for his time and interest in our space. Safe travels!

Olsen Kundig Architects

On September 14^th - Olsen Kundig Architects hosted an AIA Emerging Professional Happy Hour tour at their facility. The presentation offered delightful insight into what makes this firm one on the most sought after small firms in the country. Jim Olsen has been practicing architecture since the 60’s and has strong ties to nature. He has embraced the juxtaposition between the curve and grace of nature and the rectilinear forms of the built world. I loved seeing pictures of his cabin/home in Longbranch, Washington. Tom Kundig is a master fabricator at heart and his design process seems very streamlined and complete, bringing everything together without “extra parts,” exposing the projects elemental form. The magic soup of polarity and shared vision between these two leaders attracts the most amazing talent and clients. During the presentation there was a video on the Shadowbox project. This project defies what most architecture is, being almost equal parts machine and home - walls move, roofs lift off, windows disappear - all of this with the design being in scale and elemental.  I was also fascinated by their new toy – a 3d printer for prototyping parts. Oh boy! What fun we would have with that machine! I look forward to collaborating with them on a project in the future.

- David Shuler

Seattle Stair Tours The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Two years after completing 2,000 feet of curved wooden handrails and 1,000 feet of curved paneling for The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Headquarters, Seattle Stair & Design had the opportunity to tour the space and visit our work.  

As detailed in our previous blogpost and the New York Times article, "In New Office Designs, Room to Roam and to Think," the space weaves ideals of sustainability, mobility and access to daylight with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation mission: the idea that every person, regardless of circumstance, should have the chance to live a healthy, productive life. 

The union of these principals is reflected in every aspect of the campus, and seeing our work play a role in the form and function of the space was truly incredible.  The scope of The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's work is tremendous.  Our contribution is only a minuscule detail in the fabric of the philanthropy, but gives us great joy to associate with such an outstanding cause.  

NBBJ, the architecture firm responsible for the design of the space said it best: "The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is in pursuit of some big goals: eradicating polio, cutting childhood deaths in Africa in half and overhauling the U.S. education system. At its best, the team hopes the design of the new campus has given foundation staff and partners a place to work that feels as dignified as the work they are doing." 

Mary Anne Carter

Assistant Director of Marketing 

Seattle Stair Expresses Our Utmost Gratitude

All involved at Seattle Stair & Design were struck with gratitude upon the arrival of an outstanding floral arrangement from one of our clients. Vibrant lilies and birds of paradise perfectly echo the whimsy and radiance of the staircase we designed and crafted for her, while the enclosed note reflects her enthusiasm, satisfaction, and excitement for her staircase. These words outshine the beauty and significance of any flower, illustrating the fulfillment we hope to inspire through our work.

We express our utmost gratitude and appreciation for both this gesture and our fortune to form such rich relationships with our clients.

Mary Anne Carter
Assistant Director of Marketing

Seattle Stair & Design Gets Signed

Since Seattle Stair & Design was founded over thirty years ago, it has had several homes. For the past eleven years, we have occupied a 10,000 square foot studio in SODO. The expansive space has been ideal for our unique trade and provides a home to both our shop and showroom.

The synergy between the bustling shop and eclectic showroom is exceptionally captivating- the rich scent of freshly milled wood fills the space, while the beat of a clattering lathe provides a natural soundtrack.  In effort to expand the warmth and collaboration that lies within Seattle Stair & Design to the exterior, we sought out local artists and craftspeople to design a new sign for the building.

We advertised the opportunity via Craigslist and were met with many talented candidates. Most compelling was the work of Sven Sundbaum of Old Kustom Signs and Graphics, whose mixed media approach to signage captures the spirit of Seattle Stair & Design.

Sundbaum's mixed media approach to our sign incorporates  a hand painted mural,  metal lettering, and three dimensional flourishes.

Front View

Side View 

Seattle Stair and The Last Frontier II: Conquering the Challenge of a Curved Handrail

Previously this week, we shared a visual tour of Seattle Stair & Design's voyage to the awe-inspiring shores of Juneau, Alaska. Snow-capped peaks and  mussel-encrusted shores set an illustrious backdrop for the crafting of a custom-built cherry handrail laminated and curved onsite. 

The mobility of Seattle Stair & Design's shop built stairs and stair parts is one of the most unique aspects to the company. Over the past thirty years, Seattle Stair & Design's founder Shawn Christman has fine-tuned the process.  Every project provides Seattle Stair & Design the opportunity to expand their reach and capabilities through problem-solving and experience.

 The Juneau project was no different and presented a unique challenge: create a curved handrail and newels for a pre-existing staircase in a city over one thousand miles away.

The number of variables involved in constructing a curved handrail that rises, curves, and fits into a pre-existing space supersedes most handrail projects, propelling Shawn and Christian to laminate and construct the handrail onsite. The process is documented below.

Christian and Shawn flew to Juneau, Alaska with a plane full of materials. Christian assembles a bracket onsite.

Shawn mixes the glue that will bond the cherry planks to form one, stacked handrail.

Shawn and Christian use rollers to distribute the glue across the surface of the cherry planks.

The planks are stacked to form a solid beam. Shawn lifts it up the stairs, which have been outfitted with brackets. The brackets provide both a guide to the curve and a place to clamp the handrail in place.

Shawn and Christian bend the handrail into place.

Once the handrail has been bent to shape, it is clamped to the brackets. The clamps secure the handrail until the glue dries.

After the glue sets, the handrail is transported back to our shop in Seattle for custom profiling. 

Today, we shipped the finished handrail to Juneau where it will be installed.

Mary Anne Carter

Assistant Director of Marketing

Seattle Stair and The Last Frontier

 In previous years, Jackson Hole, Maui, California, and Japan have been among the long distance destinations of Seattle Stair & Design's shop built stairs. Last week, owner Shawn Christman and craftsman Christian Leach trekked past the uncharted territories of Canada to America's Last Frontier: Alaska.

Join us on a visual tour of Seattle Stair & Design's experience in Alaska. 

Seattle Stair & Design's Shawn Christman pilots the flight to Alaska with flight instructor Howard Wolvington and Seattle Stair & Design craftsman Christian Leach. 

Alaska's stunning terrain, nestled in a blanket of fog.

Rugged, snow-capped mountains are visible from every vantage point in Alaska.

The meandering waters of Alaska call to mind the delicate winding of a curved staircase and handrail.

Colonies of mussels adorn Alaska's beaches.

Lush greenery, piercing blue waters, and snow-capped peaks provide an arresting backdrop to the job site. 

Shawn Christman and Christian Leach begin the site lamination process on a custom profiled curved cherry handrail.

For more photos of Seattle Stair & Design's Alaskan adventure, please view our Facebook album. 

Mary Anne Carter

Assistant Director of Marketing