Large elegant carpeted straight wood railing staircase photo in Portland with carpeted risers

This is a recent remodel we completed. Unfortunately no before picture but it was a very dated traditional oak railing system. We used Hammered Iron Spindles and a custom Turned Newel Post. The wood is Clear Alder.

Alder wood ceiling, masonry fireplace, wood mantel, and built-in custom cabinetry highlight this living room. Stone fireplace and wall is the Chilton Woodlake blend. Large expansive windows look out onto a private lake. Engineered hickory wood flooring leading to wood newel post & railing with iron baluster stariway. ( Ryan Hainey)

Lake Front Country Estate Reclaimed Newel Post. Photography by Rachael Boling
Inspiration for a timeless light wood floor staircase remodel with white walls

Orange armoire and newel posts designed and built by Rick Romano of Papi & Romano Builders, Portland, Maine. Photo: Rob Yagid for Fine Homebuilding.
Transitional wooden u-shaped staircase photo in Portland Maine with painted risers

Staircase was already there, we just created custom posts to match existing staircase and to meet code. Instead of just slapping in some standard posts, we customized these to really go well in the space.

K4013 Large turned newel posts 7" beech

We love to be creative and this project in Park City, Utah encompasses that quality! While this stair layout is typical, the guardrail and newel posts are anything but. The guardrail infill is made up of individual baluster grids, milled from Clear Alder. The handrail is steel and the custom newel posts are a combination of both Alder and steel. Each newel post is actually five posts in one. Starting with the 5 smaller vertical Alder posts we then mortised steel square bar horizontals between them. The base and caps are steel, in between which the smaller posts were sandwiched. After the steel base was bolted down to the floor the parts were assembled like a puzzle with a length of all-thread passing up through the base, center post, and cap to cinch the whole assembly together. It makes for one strong post! The skirts, risers, and aprons are Knotty Alder with solid White Oak treads, bull-nosed shoe plate and cove. All the steel components received a powder-coat finish.

We love to be creative and this project in Park City, Utah encompasses that quality! While this stair layout is typical, the guardrail and newel posts are anything but. The guardrail infill is made up of individual baluster grids, milled from Clear Alder. The handrail is steel and the custom newel posts are a combination of both Alder and steel. Each newel post is actually five posts in one. Starting with the 5 smaller vertical Alder posts we then mortised steel square bar horizontals between them. The base and caps are steel, in between which the smaller posts were sandwiched. After the steel base was bolted down to the floor the parts were assembled like a puzzle with a length of all-thread passing up through the base, center post, and cap to cinch the whole assembly together. It makes for one strong post! The skirts, risers, and aprons are Knotty Alder with solid White Oak treads, bull-nosed shoe plate and cove. All the steel components received a powder-coat finish.

We love to be creative and this project in Park City, Utah encompasses that quality! While this stair layout is typical, the guardrail and newel posts are anything but. The guardrail infill is made up of individual baluster grids, milled from Clear Alder. The handrail is steel and the custom newel posts are a combination of both Alder and steel. Each newel post is actually five posts in one. Starting with the 5 smaller vertical Alder posts we then mortised steel square bar horizontals between them. The base and caps are steel, in between which the smaller posts were sandwiched. After the steel base was bolted down to the floor the parts were assembled like a puzzle with a length of all-thread passing up through the base, center post, and cap to cinch the whole assembly together. It makes for one strong post! The skirts, risers, and aprons are Knotty Alder with solid White Oak treads, bull-nosed shoe plate and cove. All the steel components received a powder-coat finish.

We love to be creative and this project in Park City, Utah encompasses that quality! While this stair layout is typical, the guardrail and newel posts are anything but. The guardrail infill is made up of individual baluster grids, milled from Clear Alder. The handrail is steel and the custom newel posts are a combination of both Alder and steel. Each newel post is actually five posts in one. Starting with the 5 smaller vertical Alder posts we then mortised steel square bar horizontals between them. The base and caps are steel, in between which the smaller posts were sandwiched. After the steel base was bolted down to the floor the parts were assembled like a puzzle with a length of all-thread passing up through the base, center post, and cap to cinch the whole assembly together. It makes for one strong post! The skirts, risers, and aprons are Knotty Alder with solid White Oak treads, bull-nosed shoe plate and cove. All the steel components received a powder-coat finish.

Front door is a pair of 36" x 96" x 2 1/4" DSA Master Crafted Door with 3-point locking mechanism, (6) divided lites, and (1) raised panel at lower part of the doors in knotty alder. Photo by Mike Kaskel

When Cummings Architects first met with the owners of this understated country farmhouse, the building’s layout and design was an incoherent jumble. The original bones of the building were almost unrecognizable. All of the original windows, doors, flooring, and trims – even the country kitchen – had been removed. Mathew and his team began a thorough design discovery process to find the design solution that would enable them to breathe life back into the old farmhouse in a way that acknowledged the building’s venerable history while also providing for a modern living by a growing family. The redesign included the addition of a new eat-in kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, wrap around porch, and stone fireplaces. To begin the transforming restoration, the team designed a generous, twenty-four square foot kitchen addition with custom, farmers-style cabinetry and timber framing. The team walked the homeowners through each detail the cabinetry layout, materials, and finishes. Salvaged materials were used and authentic craftsmanship lent a sense of place and history to the fabric of the space. The new master suite included a cathedral ceiling showcasing beautifully worn salvaged timbers. The team continued with the farm theme, using sliding barn doors to separate the custom-designed master bath and closet. The new second-floor hallway features a bold, red floor while new transoms in each bedroom let in plenty of light. A summer stair, detailed and crafted with authentic details, was added for additional access and charm. Finally, a welcoming farmer’s porch wraps around the side entry, connecting to the rear yard via a gracefully engineered grade. This large outdoor space provides seating for large groups of people to visit and dine next to the beautiful outdoor landscape and the new exterior stone fireplace. Though it had temporarily lost its identity, with the help of the team at Cummings Architects, this lovely farmhouse has regained not only its former charm but also a new life through beautifully integrated modern features designed for today’s family. Photo by Eric Roth

Looking at this home today, you would never know that the project began as a poorly maintained duplex. Luckily, the homeowners saw past the worn façade and engaged our team to uncover and update the Victorian gem that lay underneath. Taking special care to preserve the historical integrity of the 100-year-old floor plan, we returned the home back to its original glory as a grand, single family home. The project included many renovations, both small and large, including the addition of a a wraparound porch to bring the façade closer to the street, a gable with custom scrollwork to accent the new front door, and a more substantial balustrade. Windows were added to bring in more light and some interior walls were removed to open up the public spaces to accommodate the family’s lifestyle. You can read more about the transformation of this home in Old House Journal: http://www.cummingsarchitects.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Old-House-Journal-Dec.-2009.pdf Photo Credit: Eric Roth

A distinctive box newel post.

The very old newel post is actually an antique wrought iron fence post that has been repurposed as a newel post using all new stair railing and spindles. Photo credit: Anita Joyce

This area really comes together by not drawing too much attention to one item. Mixing materials and colors really makes for a unique entrance into the home.

When Cummings Architects first met with the owners of this understated country farmhouse, the building’s layout and design was an incoherent jumble. The original bones of the building were almost unrecognizable. All of the original windows, doors, flooring, and trims – even the country kitchen – had been removed. Mathew and his team began a thorough design discovery process to find the design solution that would enable them to breathe life back into the old farmhouse in a way that acknowledged the building’s venerable history while also providing for a modern living by a growing family. The redesign included the addition of a new eat-in kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, wrap around porch, and stone fireplaces. To begin the transforming restoration, the team designed a generous, twenty-four square foot kitchen addition with custom, farmers-style cabinetry and timber framing. The team walked the homeowners through each detail the cabinetry layout, materials, and finishes. Salvaged materials were used and authentic craftsmanship lent a sense of place and history to the fabric of the space. The new master suite included a cathedral ceiling showcasing beautifully worn salvaged timbers. The team continued with the farm theme, using sliding barn doors to separate the custom-designed master bath and closet. The new second-floor hallway features a bold, red floor while new transoms in each bedroom let in plenty of light. A summer stair, detailed and crafted with authentic details, was added for additional access and charm. Finally, a welcoming farmer’s porch wraps around the side entry, connecting to the rear yard via a gracefully engineered grade. This large outdoor space provides seating for large groups of people to visit and dine next to the beautiful outdoor landscape and the new exterior stone fireplace. Though it had temporarily lost its identity, with the help of the team at Cummings Architects, this lovely farmhouse has regained not only its former charm but also a new life through beautifully integrated modern features designed for today’s family. Photo by Eric Roth

Octagonal lighthouse newel post featuring marine colored paint and wooden top, hand turned.