Raleigh, NC

Its not every day that a client challenges your willingness to try something over the top. But in the case of the stair for the Barker's home, that is exactly what they did. With an original design that called for two steel stringers and open risers, the question was posed; "Can you make the stair seem as though it is floating off the wall?" Our response: "Most certainly!"

What evolved was a design that involved close coordination with McConnell Studios, Line Modern (Kevin Robledo) and Xylem.

A large tube steel section was buried into the wood framing and was the spine that  supported the cantilevered tubes that create the treads. Those tubes were then covered with custom wood boxes that were fabricated using the same flooring material used on the floors. The minimalist steel railing system provides support for the cable rail while maximizing the sense of openness.

In terms of the plinth on which the stair lands, it was designed as an integral feature to the stair and room and serves multiple functions simultaneously. Most basically it acts as a landing, then it provides additional bench type seating for large functions,
and finally it wraps underneath the stair and provides a bar and service area in what is typically wasted space. In order the make the piece feel integral to the rest of the space, the flooring material wraps up and around all of the surfaces that make up the composition.