Modern Stairs with Stainless Railing – Greenwich, CT

When the owners of this Greenwich home decided to renovate, they soon realized that a full-scale remodel was not an option. Because the house is one of the oldest in the town, the neighbors wanted it preserved. In response, the homeowners decided to leave the structure of the cottage in place and had a connecting addition built. The project won Redwood Construction & Consulting the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Connecticut award for “Best New/Old Home” in 2018.

Modern Staircase with Zigzag Stringers:

The home now includes an architectural staircase that connects three stories. Although they create one unified stairwell, the stair runs differ in structure between the first and second floor and the second and third floor.

Starting at the ground level, the stairwell begins with two risers that lead to a square wood platform. The walkway of the staircase changes direction by 90 degrees and a straight run of closed-riser stairs leads to a second identical square landing. From there, the walkway turns another 90 degrees and a run of open-riser stairs connects the second platform to the second floor.

The next portion of the staircase achieves one 180-degree change in direction. Two straight flights of open-riser stairs run parallel to one another connected by a long rectangular platform. This design is often referred to as a U-shaped stair.

Our clients wanted their staircase to have an ultra-modern aesthetic. To achieve this, they opted for zigzag stringers. The angular stringers attach to the outer edges of the floating stair treads. For a bold look, the homeowners chose black powder-coated steel for the stringers. The dark finish creates a striking contrast to the light white oak treads. As an added touch, we built LED light strips into the underside of the tread nosings. The lights not only contribute to the modern flair of the stairs, they also make the staircase easier to navigate at night.

Stainless Steel Cable Railing:

To complete the modern staircase, we designed and crafted a cable railing system. Our cable railing with thin stainless steel infills pairs nicely with floating stairs. Both designs help maintain the openness of the stairwell and allow light to pass through them. Our clients chose our Ithaca Style posts for the staircase railing. The posts have a sleek and slender design, making them the perfect choice for a contemporary home. To match the posts and stair treads, we designed a narrow top rail with a rectangular profile. In addition to the floating staircase railing, we also designed an identical railing for a traditional staircase that leads to the wine cellar in the basement.

For a modern, chromatic look, the homeowners chose stainless steel for the railing posts. The metal blends seamlessly with the light white oak chosen for the top rail and stair treads. This combination of materials complements the white and cool blue color scheme seen throughout the home interior.