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March 11, 2021
Traditional European stair-building methods were transferred to the US along with immigrant craftsmen in the early years of our country’s history. The Great Depression caused the stair-building arts to almost disappear. The resurgence of the two-story home in the 1950’s and 60’s caused stair-builders to spring up in most major metropolitan areas across the country with a […]
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January 14, 2021
Traditional European stair-building methods were transferred to the US along with immigrant craftsmen in the early years of our country’ history. The Great Depression caused the stair-building arts to almost disappear. The resurgence of the two-story home in the 1950’s and 60’s caused stair-builders to spring up in most major metropolitan areas across the country […]
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April 17, 2015
Victorian-Era foyers tended to be rather narrow and deep. Despite the frequent space challenges, they managed to fit some amazing stairs and rails into that space. The most prominent feature of a Victorian staircase is a very large starting newel. Victorian newels would have been either turned on a lathe, or, most commonly, built as […]
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November 7, 2012
A squeak in a stair is generally caused as the lumber dries out over time. Hardwoods are regulated by industry standards for a moisture content of 6-8%. This matches the moisture content inside the average home and allows the wood to remain stable under normal conditions. Pine (grades used for basement stairs and stairs to […]
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January 6, 2012
The 1939 film Gone With The Wind features four beautiful staircases that have come to define the elegance, grace and grandeur of interior stair design. The staircase in the foyer of Aunt Pittypat’s home in Atlanta would probably be closer in design and layout to authentic homes of that time than the other stairs featured […]
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January 6, 2012
The 1939 film Gone With The Wind features four beautiful staircases that have come to define the elegance, grace and grandeur of interior stair design. One of the most popular staircases in movie history is the red carpeted stair within the opulent Butler Mansion, on which Scarlett O’Hara sits in the final scene. The staircase […]
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December 30, 2011
The Spiral Staircase at the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe New Mexico is truly an Amazing Stair. The stair winds approximately 760 degrees total, more than two full turns, and is made of Spruce; it ascends a total of 22 ft. from floor to floors. The joinery used on the treads, risers, stringers, and even […]
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December 30, 2011
The 1939 film Gone With The Wind features four beautiful staircases that have come to define the elegance, grace and grandeur of interior stair design. The most amazing staircase in the film is without question the massive central staircase within the Twelve Oaks Plantation. This is the stair that most people refer to as the […]
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December 30, 2011
Designed Stairs was called in to assess and restore a 1874 black walnut curved stair and curved stair rail. Abraham J. Hoffman built the stately River Forest Young Ladies Seminary in River Forest, IL in 1874. The building had many uses before it fell into disrepair prior to the eventual restoration in 1994. Many parts […]
Read Article →December 30, 2011
The Nathanial Russell House (1808) in historic Charleston, SC features two of the most noted curved staircases in the world. The two curved staircases are “freestanding” (no supporting walls beneath the stairs) and rise from the first floor to the 3rd floor in a counter-clockwise direction offering a continuous handrail on the left hand side […]
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December 30, 2011
The RMS Titanic’s “Grande Staircase” refers to a series of six custom staircases designed for use by the ship’s First Class Passengers. The most ornate staircase was the curved stair from the Promonade deck up to the First Class Lounge on the Boat Deck which was lit during the day by a 20 ft. diameter […]
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December 30, 2011
The 1939 film Gone With The Wind features four beautiful staircases that have come to define the elegance, grace and grandeur of interior stair design. Tara, the O’Hara family plantation, features a U-shaped staircase with Georgian style design and a stain and paint finish. The handrail is an approximately 5″ wide and 4″ high “box […]
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