This is an example of a large modern wood u-shaped staircase in Austin with wood risers and metal railing.

This entry hall is enriched with millwork. Wainscoting is a classical element that feels fresh and modern in this setting. The collection of batik prints adds color and interest to the stairwell and welcome the visitor.

Design ideas for a mid-sized wood curved staircase in London with wood risers and wood railing.

Large transitional u-shaped staircase in Boston with wood risers, wood railing and panelled walls.

Aesthetic Value: Client required an upscale classical European look with minimalist features. Spiral became dramatic feature in customers home office. Stair Safety: All the local municipal codes were followed and met. Quality of Workmanship: Twelve sided mortised center column with minimalist engineered outside sawtooth stringer which is a very rare type of spiral stair. Technical Challenge: It was the owners lack of vision at beginning of project that challenged us to make numerous aesthetic suggestions and mock ups until owner finally feel in love with the sawtooth spiral with 12-sided column design.

Foto: Tanja Löser
Inspiration for a modern wood l-shaped staircase in Dusseldorf with wood risers and wood railing.

Loft Bedroom with oversized cornice & timber staircase
Photo of a small modern wood straight staircase in Sydney with wood risers.

Alise O'Brien Photography
Traditional wood curved staircase in St Louis with wood risers and mixed railing.

Corey Gaffer
Design ideas for a transitional wood l-shaped staircase in Minneapolis with wood risers and mixed railing.

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary wood u-shaped staircase in Orange County with wood risers and wood railing.

Architect: Peter Zimmerman, Peter Zimmerman Architects Interior Designer: Allison Forbes, Forbes Design Consultants Photographer: Tom Crane
Design ideas for a large traditional marble curved staircase in Philadelphia with wood risers and metal railing.

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Eric Roth Photo

John Neitzel
Inspiration for a large transitional carpeted l-shaped staircase in Miami with wood risers and wood railing.

Photo of a country wood l-shaped staircase in Minneapolis with wood risers and wood railing.

Chris Snook
Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional wood u-shaped staircase in London with wood risers and wood railing.

Raumspartreppe als Bolzentreppe in Buche weiß lackiert. Geländer Edelstahlstäbe stehend, Holzhandlauf. Brüstungsgeländer Glas VSG 10 mm klar, mit weißen Punkthaltern auf die Stahlrohre verschraubt

Photo of a mid-sized country wood straight staircase in Denver with wood risers and wood railing.

Slightly Curved Stair Runner with Cotton Wide Binding. Custom Template Created and Installed to Fit Perfectly.
This is an example of a mid-sized transitional wood curved staircase in Chicago with wood risers.

These homeowners are well known to our team as repeat clients and asked us to convert a dated deck overlooking their pool and the lake into an indoor/outdoor living space. A new footer foundation with tile floor was added to withstand the Indiana climate and to create an elegant aesthetic. The existing transom windows were raised and a collapsible glass wall with retractable screens was added to truly bring the outdoor space inside. Overhead heaters and ceiling fans now assist with climate control and a custom TV cabinet was built and installed utilizing motorized retractable hardware to hide the TV when not in use. As the exterior project was concluding we additionally removed 2 interior walls and french doors to a room to be converted to a game room. We removed a storage space under the stairs leading to the upper floor and installed contemporary stair tread and cable handrail for an updated modern look. The first floor living space is now open and entertainer friendly with uninterrupted flow from inside to outside and is simply stunning.