Posts Tagged ‘architecture’

There are several methods banisters can be arranged on a stairway.  Depending on your preference, banisters may be positioned with an angled top/horizontal base, angled top/angled base, or closed stringing. 
Before I go into detail about the differences in each structure, let me breakdown a beneficial term. Rake or rake angle is the angle of the railing above the horizontal plane. This angle is easily discovered by measuring the rise and run of your stairway. If your rise is 7 ½ inches and your run (tread depth) is 10 inches, then your rake angle is 7 ½ over 10. 
In an angled top/horizontal base arrangement the bases of the banisters are horizontal with the treads. The peak of the balusters mirror the rake angle or the angle of the handrail.  These balusters require the machined segment to fluctuate in measurement from piece to piece to achieve the angle between the tops of the banisters.
Angled top/angled base describes the tops and the bases of the balusters mimicking the rake angle.  Although the general length of these balusters varies, the “turning length” of the banisters is the same.  In other words, the machined portion of the baluster remains the same while the final length varies to sustain the constant angle.
Closed stringer is similar to the angled top/angled base arrangement except the banisters are not connected to the treads. Instead there is a small “knee” wall that rises above the treads so the bases of the banisters are trimmed at an angle permiting the tops and bottoms of the balusters to match the rake angle of the hand rail.  To attain the closed stringer, the banisters are crafted identical to each other.
Alternating banisters is contrary to the discussion but it may be useful to those planning stairway project. One illustration of an alternating banister system would be where the balusters alternate between a spiral and plain.  Alternating banister methods can be build incorporating the angled top/horizontal base, angled top/angled base, and the closed string systems.  It should be noted that if you are constructing this technique, the baluster profiles should be identical.  The only exception should be that one piece has a circular taper while that segment on the second banister includes spirals, twists, or fluting.
I should also insert at this point that banisters can be set up two per tread or three per tread. The count of balusters per tread is not always a matter of selection but, in many communities, a matter of complying with codes.  Some building codes stipulate that a 4 inch sphere cannot be inserted between two banisters (This is because a child’s head is larger than 4 inches and would prevent his or her head from being lodged between two stair banisters).  It is possible to get by with two balusters per tread but, generally, when employing a small banister and a deeper tread, you will be required to use three banisters per tread.
Hopefully this brief article is useful to those in the midst of designing your next staircase project.

In this short article I would like to illustrate thekinds of newels and their use in a staircase. Of course, newels are the main supporting columns in a stairway. They are normally placed at the bottom of the stairs (the “starter”), at the top of the staircase , and at each stairway turn. Others are located on the balcony; their quantity dependent upon the length of the balcony.

Post-to-Post Newels

The handrail in a post-to-post newel stair arrangement ends at each newel. In this function, the newel is taller than the railing. The railing, as such, is sectional. There is a “flat” near the top of each post-to-post newel that “receives” the handrail. Normally there is a turned section above the ”flat” in the shape of an acorn or mushroom or ball. Occasionally there is a finial at the crown of the post-to-post newel.

Over-the-Post Newels

On the other hand, over-the-post newels have the banister resting on top of the newel. These newels are shorter than the railing so that the rail is allowed to sit in place on the tops of each newel. There are dowels at the top of each newel to fasten the railing and rail fittings together. Another term for this staircase stystem is a “continuous rail”: there are no interuptions in the banister. It is indeed continuous. The over-the-post configuation allows you to rest your hand continuously on the rail as you walk up and down the staircase or along the balcony. In my opinion, this staircase proves more stylish even though it poses a greater challenge to set up.

All stairways consist of either “post-to-post” or “over-the-post” newels, though, on occasion an imaginative designer will employ both techniques. In such a case, the “over-the-post” newel would probably function as the starter while the “post-to-post” newels would be used elsewhere.

Box Newels

Box newels have nothing to do with the stair arrangement but are simply a particular newel style. Box newels are “boxy” as opposed to “turned” newels (as described below). Box newels are more akin to the Craftsman look of the early part of the 20th century. Depending on your taste, box newels can be either “post to post” or “over the post”. They can also be adorned with an assortment of caps, flutes, paneling, and skirts. It’s not uncommon to combine box newels and basic square balusters or ”pickets”. Wrought Iron balusters harmonize superbly with box newels.

Turned Newels

Turned newels are “turned” on a lathe. Instead of the square corners associated with the box newel, turned newels have a cylindrical profile. Turned newels come in a broad range of shapes and sizes and wood species. However, the bottom of the turned newel are frequently square as is the top of the post-to-post newel. The turned newel can be accented with beads, coves, and other cylindrical forms. Additional enhanments are attainable. For example, rope twists and barley spirals and fluting can b e added to the cylindrical profile associated with turned work.

When building a new home or remodeling, stairways can present numerous complex decisions. It is my wish that this article will assist in your next stairway project.

Whether you have a brand new house and you want to construct a raised deck in the yard or you have a Heritage home and aim to refurbish the focal stairway, it is vital to recognize the many parts of a staircase. As they say, knowledge is power and if you are familiar with your stair parts, then you understand what to shop for, and it is much easier to purchase the supplies you want at the price tag you want to dish out for it.
Stair Parts
Tread – the horizontal stair part that you step onto.
Stairway Riser – the back vertical section or “kicker” between each step.
Stairway Tread Nosing – an edge part of the tread that protrudes over the staircase riser beneath. If it is present, this indicates that horizontally, the total “run” length of the stairs is not solely the sum of the stairway tread lengths, the treads actually overlap each other slightly
Bullnose – the first step is called the starting step or bullnose. The first step in a grand hallway, for example, would be wider than the rest and gives an attachment area for the banister and stair newel post.
Winders – smaller steps, frequently angular that are used to vary path such as in a circular or spiral staircase.
Stringer, Stringer board or sometimes just String – a structural stairway parts that supports the staircase risers and treads
Trim – natural wood baseboard, quarter round or crown floor trip that puts the finial touches on the staircase, and is commonly done in a way that harmonizes the stairs with the rest of the house.
Balustrade Parts
The balustrade is the complete system of stairway railings that includes balusters and railing.
Railing – Also identified as the banister or handrail. It is the top portion of the system that is meant for hand holding and safety. There are various types of fittings for the railings including easings, goosenecks, turnouts and volutes.
Baluster – the vertical posts that prop up the hand railing. In America, these are repeatedly called spindles. This is commonly the most ornamental part of any staircase where the balusters are hand carved, wrought iron, stained wood, ornately turned, or sporting a unique paint finish.
Newel – Commonly referred to as a staircase newel, these are the largest columns that hold up the handrail.
The two different variations of railing systems are over-the-post (also known as continuous) rails and post-to-post (also called newel-to-newel) rails. Continuous hand rails run “continuosly” over the newels.  The handrail in a post-to-post configuation, on the other hand, terminates at each newel.
Further terminology that might come in handy while you are refurbishing your stairway project:
•    Flight – an continuous grouping or series of stairway steps
•    Staircase – the stair structure as a group including the railing or banister, balusters, steps and over the post newels.
•    Stairway – the entire staircase and stairwell in total. This term is often interchanged with stairs and staircase.
•    Runner – the mat that is installed over the step and risers of the staircase.

The free spirited nature of the modern-day loft juxtaposed with antiques and open brick; highlighted with extremely large windows and tall ceilings, has made this one of the most up-to-the-minute lifestyle movements in the twenty something bunch across America.

Once chosen by artists and other creative community, loft living has taken on a soul of its own, and is considered to be a pretty prestigious way to live. Numerous lofts are situated within a renewed warehouse or old fix up factory. However, in some cities, new condo or apartment developments are being built that are committed to loft spaces or which have the penthouse floor units as desirable lofts. New condo buyers and renters alike long for each of these.

What a beginning loft resident doesn’t appreciate are the many challenges that come with beautifying and furnishing a expansive, airy loft home. It can be quite a challenge to turn out areas without cramming or boxing in the natural flow of space. You want all spots to be visible to the high ceilings and massive windows to gain from the natural light.

A few tips for accentuating your high ceiling space…

1.    Use big, oversized ceiling fans made from warm woods and shiny metals, to guide the eye up and circulate the air. At once it is practical and inspiring.

2.    Leave all the substantial custom wood beams, mantel corbels, oak newels and original pipes exposed. If you are going to plaster over the most unique facets of your loft space, you might as well relocate to a condo.

3.    Think ENORMOUS when you are selecting lighting for your ceiling in the central living space. You want the lighting to be effective and exciting. Large drum shades and large chandeliers can be exceptional choices.

Many lofts have a unique stairway that ascends to the master bedroom area that is not a bedroom – but simply an fashionable sleeping space that has open views to the living space below. This design layout can also offer challenges but proposes the best chance to accentuate the high ceilings. For your hand railings, choose either natural solid wood that is stained to work with the inviting exposed brick, or use cast iron which is in keeping with the roots of the building. For the baluster parts, definitely consider made to order wrought iron that come in straight or curved, decorative or basic, large or chic balustrades.

If you are fortunate enough to be the owner of a loft, you already know that you have somewhere very exceptional to live. Now be unafraid in your decor decisions and make it the most stunning space it can be. You chose an alternative home style – why settle for ordinary in interior design?

Many American houses that were erected in mid 20th Century have the typical stairway that you see as soon as you enter the front door. Many times that staircase is not wide enough and looking up; the hallways leading to the second floor can appear very dark. A great, inexpensive option to renew a dated staircase is with paint. Painting wooden stair parts is straightforward as long as you prepare properly and never cut corners when it comes to the quality of materials you use.

Very popular paint finishes for a set of stairs include high gloss in bright white or a creamy winter white to visibly brighten up the staircase. For a sleek, modern look, use darker colors and choose a paint product with an upscale matte finish. Rich chocolate brown is very fashionable right now.

Here are a couple of key points for painting a staircase with success:
It is critical that you get rid of all decrepit paint or stain so you have the bare wood to work on.
After all the final remnants of paint and stain are gone, sand the wood stairs and spindles and hand rails using a fine grit sandpaper to get a smooth, ready to paint surface.
Be sure you choose the best quality floor paint you can afford. If you are uncertain, speak with a paint pro at Home Depot, Lowe’s or your local home decor store and get advice. You want a long lasting, strong product that is a snap to keep clean, will offer you the color shade you want and will hold up for many years.
Always apply a high quality primer coat to all stair parts including the wood steps, the wooden risers, the balusters, newels and railings. If you find that the wood really soaks in the primer severely, let the first coat dry completely and apply a 2nd coat of primer. Allow to dry for a full 24 hours.
Use superior quality paint brushes to ensure a perfect finish and brush on the first coat of paint. If possible, allow twenty four hours between paint coats. If you have stripped and sanded properly and chose a high quality floor and staircase paint, you should only need to apply two (2) coats. In certain circumstances, you may need to apply a 3rd coat, which is often true for deep base colors such as blood red and royal blue.
Never allow people or pets to walk on the painted staircase until it has completely dried. For fun, apply the last coat of paint on Friday and then get away for a family weekend away and come back to a brand new staircase.

The best thing about painting is that is affordable, you can do it as a weekend project, and it is never permanent. If you really don’t like the final look, you can easily start again!

Unlike an old house that is often riddled with renovation issues, one of the best aspects of acquiring a new house is that it will be a trouble free experience. However, a modern house can often be a little impersonal, depending upon the square footage, construction and layout.

A home decorating trend that originated in the wild west of America and has stretched across the country is the use of cast iron inside the house to inject warmth, personality and charm. Everyone used to choose real wood as a decorator accent material, but iron is a creative choice that is embraced by nearly every room in your new residential property.

Foyer. Starting from the first time you enter your new house, you can use iron details that will visually embellish the entrance to your new home. Metal balusters on the formal staircase are a good launching point.

Living Room.  If you have a formal salon or living room, cast iron accents can still work to infuse a splash of the unanticipated and perchance give the room a little more warmth, and a little less seriousness! Wrought iron or metal crown moulding can be incredible in a big room, or have a custom built fireplace screen constructed to match the other decorator accents in your living room.

Family or Great Room.  This family friendly hub of your residence is a outstanding place to add wrought iron décor items. As you may know, iron is hard wearing and durable so it can face anything your kids or pets can subject it to. Wrought iron and natural wood tables are a charming yet laid back concept for your family room. You can also inject iron on or around your fireplace mantel shelf or on any built-ins that may be present in the area. The art is to make everything look like it is a part of grouping. Depending upon the location of your family room, this could include wood stair parts or boxed newels as well.

Kitchen and Bath.  Think about less obvious cast and wrought iron accent pieces in these areas, such as the hinges, handles and knobs on your kitchen and bath drawer fronts. If you are applying metal trimmed baseboards or metal crown moulding, keep this theme going into the kitchen. Other decorator techniques using black metal might include a hanging pot rack or a grouping of decorative metal track lighting framing the bathroom vanity or kitchen island.

Inside or outside, formal or casual wherever you choose to include wrought iron in your home will be an interior design success. It is a material that works well with all other materials, antique and modern, wood, plastic, or glass. It is an affordable and durable way to add emotion to an otherwise bland, modern house.

Especially in the current economic climate, each and every dollar that we invest in renewing or interior decorating for our personal spaces must really pack a lot of punch. We want functionality, durability, aesthetic appeal and we desperately want it to be cost effective. Based on the new American future, it makes complete sense that most of us have chosen decorative black metal home decor accents.

Cast iron is also referred to by many people as wrought iron and although they are not necessarily the same things – they are often difficult to tell the difference in decorating accessories such as home furnishings, knick-knacks and decorator accents.

For larger house projects that include renovating or redecorating your house, cast and wrought iron is making a wonderful comeback in every room of your house.

Decorative black metal fireplace accents such as a metal fireplace mantel surround or decorative fireplace mantel shelf look great and will last as long as the house. If you have a down down den or family room, consider installing iron stair parts such as a cast iron hand rail with paint grade balusters for a eye popping effect.

For your family home’s staircase, consider replacing wood balusters with wrought iron for a fresh, new look. As you may have seen in high end furniture retail stores recently (specifically with pub and bar sets), decorative black metal looks stunning paired with satiny woods such as cherry, maple, mahogany and dark oak.

To accentuate the walls and floors of your home, you can enhance your existing crown molding baseboards and trim molding with metal rosettes and wrought iron accented corners.

In the busiest rooms of your family home – the kitchen and family bathroom – you can effortlessly add a custom cast and wrought iron pot rack or fancy hotel-style towel bars. Metal hinges and dresser knobs complete the look and will pull the whole space together. Don’t be scared to install several hardwood corbels in your kitchen for aesthetic interest. If you have an open concept kitchen and family area, use the over-sized wood corbels to create a discernible division between the 2 rooms.

The nice aspect of decorating with decorative black metal is how gracefully it ages – it only gets nicer over time! It will add value to your property, is easy to keep clean and can stand up to everything your busy children can throw at it!

Annually, just like cars, house decorating trends come and go. One year, colorful and funky is all the rage, and the next year it is off white, chippy and comfortable chic. 2009 is no different and here are our strong front runners for hot interior design treatments for 2009.

1) Decorative Black Metal is Making a Strong Comeback – A great number of homeowners are turning to metal, and specifically cast iron in their homes. This can be home decorating accents done in decorative black metal such as a pot rail in the kitchen, towel racks in the bath and powder room. It can also be further enhanced with the use of cast iron on door and cabinet hinges and pulls; exterior house elements in metal instead of the customary painted wood and creating a fireplace surround or staircase banister out of decorative black metal for a unique yet elegant decorator touch.

2) The Lovely Mix of Wood and Metal – In 2009, many families, house building and home renovating companies are bringing together the richness of wood with the modern elegance of metal. This treatment is popular on stairwells, decks, fireplace mantels and even the front porch. Not only is this treatment visually stunning to look at, but the hard wearing factor means it is a sound investment that will last for decades.

3) The Outdoors Revival of Corbels – Coming back in 2009 is the use of hardwood corbels and large wood corbels on the exterior of a house. So many people are restoring old houses in trendy and historic cities, and the use of antique corbels and over-sized, large corbel embellishments is a must to bring back to life the true splendor of an old home.

4) The Featured Staircase – In the 80s and early 90s, staircases in house design were not important and a design element meant to blend into the background. This year and into the future, the stairway as a feature of the house is experiencing a big comeback. This styling includes the daring use of wrought iron and real wood balusters and railings, as well as interesting takes on paint finishes for stair parts.

Infusing your interior design scheme with any of these treatments to your home will be a good investment. In addition, these are not just trends that will be in today and out of style tomorrow. Instead, these would be considered interior design treatments that will serve your home and family well for many years.

When you think about summer memories, most of Americans will think about blue skies, endless summer days spent with friends and loved ones on the front porch – enjoying a glass of ice cold beer and letting the world go by. We all love to hold tight to our memories, and those parts in our personal history that are important to us; for many of us, that includes a sprawling front porch with its hospitable staircase, hand worn railing and battered turned spindles and newel posts.

Some architectural home design styles would be less wonderful without the use of a front porch – Arts and Crafts, Georgian, the traditional clapboard farmstead and of course, the grand Victorian are just a few of the most popular.

A porch should be big enough for at least a few people to gather on – that is the basic definition. However, in America a front porch is typically large enough for a patio set, a porch swing and potted plants. A lot of porches are front and center under the front entrance, others take up the whole front of the home, and many wrap around 3 or 4 sides of the house.

Regardless of the house style or what year it was built, a front porch has numerous common design and structural components. Any porch is made of up four main components:

1.    Newel Posts – Box newels, over the post newels, and ornate newels. There are many different kinds of newels available if you are upgrading solid wood balusters on your current porch or building a new one. Cherry and oak wood newels are well liked because of the wood’s beauty and durability.

2.    Balusters – The balustrade are often made of solid wood, but recently have been replaced with black metals such as wrought and cast, or tempered glass. Solid wood porch decorative balusters still remain popular as they give that warm, familiar feel and can be very affordable. A cast iron baluster in a sleek design pattern can be lovely on a contemporary residence.

3.    Railings – Top and bottom banisters are often made of solid wood. These are the parts of your porch that often take the most ‘human’ abuse. You will touch the railings, hang flowering plants from them and paint railings. Your family will lean into the railing and your children will sit on top of them. Therefore, the railings need to be well built and hard wearing to ensure your porch lasts for many, many years.

4.    Floor or Base – Essentially the component of your porch that gets the most wear and tear, there are many modern options for a porch floor. Old porches have wood or concrete floors and these options are still available today. There are also other new materials on the market such as non slip exterior granite that would also be aesthetically pleasing and hard wearing.

Although not discussed in the list of four above, stairs would be a close fifth. Not all porches, particularly if they are constructed at ground level or on a 2nd level off an upstairs sitting room, for example, will not have stairs. However, most conventional porches that lead to the front door of a residential property do include a small staircase.
Although the front porch did lose popularity in house construction after WW2, it is experiencing a significant comeback. Maybe this is because Americans long to return to a simpler era when it was okay to take time for you andn your loved ones without having to dart off to our work. maybe the front porch represents a stronger family unit when families did things together – a time before video game machines, personal computers and cell phones.

Who doesn’t like a Romeo and Juliet Balcony? This charming miniature version of a portico was made noteworthy by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. In the greater share of cases, a Juliet style Balconies is constructed of a concrete slab, natural wood floor and handmade wrought iron handrails.

Not everyone knows what a typical Romeo and Juliet Balconies looks like and if you have invested in an Character Home, and looking to bring back a balcony back to its previous state, it would be vital to understand what style of balcony you have. Here is a outline of a few of the most important and uncommon features of a Juliette Balcony:

•    A Juliette balcony does not extend from the facade as a traditional terrace, balcony or deck would. On a Juliet balcony there is often very little room – often just enough for a person to to take in the view outside.

•    A Juliet balcony is NOT a French balcony, which is a phony balcony without any room to walk out (essentially just a gaudy handrail).

•    A Juliet balcony is nearly always positioned on an upper floor (2nd or higher) and at no time on the ground floor of a true heritage or character home.

•    A Juliette balcony has balusters only at the foreground. In nearly all circumstances, the ends are like walls and are braced by fancy yet tremendous corbel style supports.

Many residences in stylish Manhattan, NY are seen sporting the trendy Juliette balcony on their outside façade. Many are original to the era of the century home but more and more are being crafted new “to look old” and installed on older buildings to bolster visual attraction and individuality.

Whether you are repairing an old balcony or adding a new one to your home, your options are vast in terms of materials. As long as you keep true to the fundamental features of a Juliette balcony (as outlined above), you can pretty much pick whatever materials you want.  For example, you may choose hand crafted wrought iron balusters with solid cherry side walls and antique corbels stained to match the shutters on your home.

The best advice I can offer is to take a walking or driving tour around any heritage neighborhood. Check out many original styles of Juliette balconies, and be sure to capture some digital photos of what you like for future reference. Then choose the features you love best and have a hand crafted railed balcony made for your century home.