A Step Up

STAIRS ARE NOT JUST FOR STEPPING ON – THEY CONNECT SPACES AND CAN DEFINE THE LOOK OF YOUR HOME

THEY SIMPLY TRANSPORT YOU from one floor to the next, right? Wrong. There is a lot more to a staircase than meets the eye (thought when it comes to creating impactful interiors, they can often be the most impressive feature in a home.) Before you begin overhauling yours, it’s important to know what you’re working with. Staircases are made up of the following components, according to Malcolm Mack of Angus & Mack: “Treads (the part you stand on),  risers (the part that joins the back of one tread and the front of the next read up.

Not all staircases have these, which would be referred to as an open riser staircase) stringers are the structural elements that join all the treads and risers together, usually viewed as a diagonal timber running up the side of the staircase), newel posts (these are the vertical posts that support the handrails and balustrade) and balustrades (these are the components that make up the barrier under the handrail and can be timber or metal spindles or even toughened glass).” Banish any thoughts of futuristic, hands-free designs, bannisters are non-negotiable for most staircases in Scotland; “Scottish building regulations stipulate that a banister or handrail must be present on any staircase with a rise of over 600mm and follow the pitch line of the staircase at a minimum height of 850mm,” says Mack.

Handrails and balustrading are also important factors when it comes to houses with young children. “There is a fashion not to have a balustrade, but for safety you need it– if you don’t like the look of the traditional balustrade then detail it away,” says Stuart Cameron of Cameron Webster Architects.