Glass Staircase Home Remodel – Riverside, CT

When the owners of this coastal Connecticut residence started renovations, they decided to dramatically change the atmosphere of the home. They wanted to maintain the structure’s traditional architecture and make the home look much lighter and brighter. To accomplish this transformation, they opened up the interior, opted for modern materials and appliances, and added large windows throughout. They also updated the grey siding to a bright white and introduced dramatic splashes of color throughout the interior.

A major component of the remodel was bringing new life to the home’s main entrance. Before the renovation, the entryway received very little natural light. Furthermore, a massive traditional staircase took up the majority of the space. The homeowners wanted this room to have a welcoming atmosphere and to be the architectural focal point of the home. To achieve this, they knew the entryway had to be completely transformed. Our clients began the designing process with two main goals for the entrance remodel: making it brighter and giving it a more spacious feel.

Modern Floating Stairs:

The architect for the renovations devised a plan to bring natural light into the room. This required gutting the existing staircase that ran right against the wall so floor-to-ceiling windows could be added. The grid-style windows now installed have a contemporary appearance and allow sunlight to fill the room.

With the original stairs gone, the homeowners needed a replacement. Bringing in new stairs proved to be the perfect opportunity to add a touch of modernity to the home. By working with Keuka Studios, the homeowners were able to order a completely custom staircase made to fit their specific needs.

Our engineers designed a glass staircase with a modern and minimalist style. The floating staircase is supported by a single central stringer made from steel and powder coated black. This style of stairs takes up very little space, especially compared to the pre-existing traditional stairs. The staircase makes two turns, both in corners of the room, and incorporates two platforms. For the platforms and stair treads, our clients chose white oak. This popular wood species has a muted appearance that’s perfect for minimalist design schemes.

Glass Staircase Railing:

Keuka Studios designed a railing system that helped to accomplish the homeowners’ goals of making the entryway brighter and more open. The transparency of the glass railing panels allows light to pass through the entire railing system. Paired with the room’s floor-to-ceiling windows, the glass staircase railing allows sunlight to illuminate the entire entryway. Also, if you stand at the top of the staircase, you can now see the ocean in the distance.

To connect the glass panels to the stair treads, we designed custom glass standoffs with a small diameter. To create a modern look and lustrous effect, we crafted the standoffs with stainless steel. For the railing infill panels, our clients chose 3/8″ thick Starphire low-iron glass. Many people choose this type of glass because of its high clarity and blue-green edge.