Mid-sized traditional carpeted u-shaped staircase in Essex with carpet risers, wood railing and decorative wall panelling.

Mid-sized beach style wood l-shaped staircase in Boston with painted wood risers and wood railing.

Inspiration for a mid-sized country carpeted u-shaped staircase in Houston with carpet risers and wood railing.

Balancing modern architectural elements with traditional Edwardian features was a key component of the complete renovation of this San Francisco residence. All new finishes were selected to brighten and enliven the spaces, and the home was filled with a mix of furnishings that convey a modern twist on traditional elements. The re-imagined layout of the home supports activities that range from a cozy family game night to al fresco entertaining. Architect: AT6 Architecture Builder: Citidev Photographer: Ken Gutmaker Photography

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary carpeted straight staircase in Denver with carpet risers and metal railing.

This is an example of a mid-sized modern wood u-shaped staircase in Montreal with open risers.

Erich Spahn
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern wood floating staircase in Munich with open risers.

Staircase of the new home construction which included installation of staircase with wooden railings and wooden tread and light hardwood flooring.
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional wood curved staircase in Los Angeles with wood risers and wood railing.

Glass stair rail installed using 1/2"tempered glass and offset mounts by Q-Railing. The mounting posts were through bolted to the LVL Stringers. The result is a modern, minimalist stair balustrade.

This gorgeous glass spiral staircase is finished in Washington in 2017. It was a remodel project. Stair diameter 67" Stair height : 114"
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary glass spiral staircase in DC Metro with open risers, glass railing and wood walls.

Willet Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional carpeted l-shaped staircase in Atlanta with painted wood risers and metal railing.

The new wide plank oak flooring continues throughout the entire first and second floors with a lovely open staircase lit by a chandelier, skylights and flush in-wall step lighting. Kate Benjamin Photography

Make a grand entrance into the mudroom with Porcelain, Parquet Floor tile. The look of wood without the maintenance.
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional wood straight staircase in New York with painted wood risers and wood railing.

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary carpeted u-shaped staircase in Seattle with carpet risers and metal railing.

David Frutos
Photo of a mid-sized modern metal l-shaped staircase in Alicante-Costa Blanca with metal risers and metal railing.

This modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income. FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own. SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio. MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch. SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf) RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property. COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort. ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements. OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income. PROJECT TEAM ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry Lisa Finch - Original Artwork European Architectural Supply - Windows Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional l-shaped staircase in San Francisco with wood railing.

David Belamy
Photo of a mid-sized modern glass curved staircase in New York with open risers and metal railing.

This is an example of a mid-sized modern wood u-shaped staircase in Other with open risers and glass railing.