Fork River Residence by architects Rich Pavcek and Charles Cunniffe. Thermally broken steel windows and steel-and-glass pivot door by Dynamic Architectural. Photography by David O. Marlow.

Example of a mid-century modern wooden open and glass railing staircase design in San Francisco

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OVERVIEW Set into a mature Boston area neighborhood, this sophisticated 2900SF home offers efficient use of space, expression through form, and myriad of green features. MULTI-GENERATIONAL LIVING Designed to accommodate three family generations, paired living spaces on the first and second levels are architecturally expressed on the facade by window systems that wrap the front corners of the house. Included are two kitchens, two living areas, an office for two, and two master suites. CURB APPEAL The home includes both modern form and materials, using durable cedar and through-colored fiber cement siding, permeable parking with an electric charging station, and an acrylic overhang to shelter foot traffic from rain. FEATURE STAIR An open stair with resin treads and glass rails winds from the basement to the third floor, channeling natural light through all the home’s levels. LEVEL ONE The first floor kitchen opens to the living and dining space, offering a grand piano and wall of south facing glass. A master suite and private ‘home office for two’ complete the level. LEVEL TWO The second floor includes another open concept living, dining, and kitchen space, with kitchen sink views over the green roof. A full bath, bedroom and reading nook are perfect for the children. LEVEL THREE The third floor provides the second master suite, with separate sink and wardrobe area, plus a private roofdeck. ENERGY The super insulated home features air-tight construction, continuous exterior insulation, and triple-glazed windows. The walls and basement feature foam-free cavity & exterior insulation. On the rooftop, a solar electric system helps offset energy consumption. WATER Cisterns capture stormwater and connect to a drip irrigation system. Inside the home, consumption is limited with high efficiency fixtures and appliances. TEAM Architecture & Mechanical Design – ZeroEnergy Design Contractor – Aedi Construction Photos – Eric Roth Photography

This home features a hand-hewn timber frame staircase with custom metal railing, which leads to a finished basement complete with a home gym, a guest bedroom and bathroom,

Taggart Sorensen
Example of a huge minimalist wooden u-shaped open staircase design in Houston

Example of a large trendy wooden floating open and glass railing staircase design in Detroit

Example of a large minimalist wooden u-shaped open staircase design in Denver

This striking floating staircase brings contemporary elegance to a transitional home. Thick maple treads feature a two-tone finish—walnut brown stain from the front, while the other sides match the mono-beam stringer below. The open-riser design maintains complete transparency, allowing natural light and architectural finishes to shine through. The extended glass panels, secured to the treads with stainless steel pins, create a seamless transparent balustrade. A graspable handrail rises with the stairs, providing both safety and comfort. The switchback configuration rises through the space with minimal visual interruption, proving that structural innovation and elegant simplicity can work in perfect harmony. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

This residence was a complete gut renovation of a 4-story row house in Park Slope, and included a new rear extension and penthouse addition. The owners wished to create a warm, family home using a modern language that would act as a clean canvas to feature rich textiles and items from their world travels. As with most Brooklyn row houses, the existing house suffered from a lack of natural light and connection to exterior spaces, an issue that Principal Brendan Coburn is acutely aware of from his experience re-imagining historic structures in the New York area. The resulting architecture is designed around moments featuring natural light and views to the exterior, of both the private garden and the sky, throughout the house, and a stripped-down language of detailing and finishes allows for the concept of the modern-natural to shine. Upon entering the home, the kitchen and dining space draw you in with views beyond through the large glazed opening at the rear of the house. An extension was built to allow for a large sunken living room that provides a family gathering space connected to the kitchen and dining room, but remains distinctly separate, with a strong visual connection to the rear garden. The open sculptural stair tower was designed to function like that of a traditional row house stair, but with a smaller footprint. By extending it up past the original roof level into the new penthouse, the stair becomes an atmospheric shaft for the spaces surrounding the core. All types of weather – sunshine, rain, lightning, can be sensed throughout the home through this unifying vertical environment. The stair space also strives to foster family communication, making open living spaces visible between floors. At the upper-most level, a free-form bench sits suspended over the stair, just by the new roof deck, which provides at-ease entertaining. Oak was used throughout the home as a unifying material element. As one travels upwards within the house, the oak finishes are bleached to further degrees as a nod to how light enters the home. The owners worked with CWB to add their own personality to the project. The meter of a white oak and blackened steel stair screen was designed by the family to read “I love you” in Morse Code, and tile was selected throughout to reference places that hold special significance to the family. To support the owners’ comfort, the architectural design engages passive house technologies to reduce energy use, while increasing air quality within the home – a strategy which aims to respect the environment while providing a refuge from the harsh elements of urban living. This project was published by Wendy Goodman as her Space of the Week, part of New York Magazine’s Design Hunting on The Cut. Photography by Kevin Kunstadt

Example of a trendy metal spiral open staircase design in Milwaukee

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Custom Home Staircase with stadium seating concept at entry hall
Staircase - mid-sized contemporary wooden u-shaped open and mixed material railing staircase idea in Los Angeles

OVERVIEW Set into a mature Boston area neighborhood, this sophisticated 2900SF home offers efficient use of space, expression through form, and myriad of green features. MULTI-GENERATIONAL LIVING Designed to accommodate three family generations, paired living spaces on the first and second levels are architecturally expressed on the facade by window systems that wrap the front corners of the house. Included are two kitchens, two living areas, an office for two, and two master suites. CURB APPEAL The home includes both modern form and materials, using durable cedar and through-colored fiber cement siding, permeable parking with an electric charging station, and an acrylic overhang to shelter foot traffic from rain. FEATURE STAIR An open stair with resin treads and glass rails winds from the basement to the third floor, channeling natural light through all the home’s levels. LEVEL ONE The first floor kitchen opens to the living and dining space, offering a grand piano and wall of south facing glass. A master suite and private ‘home office for two’ complete the level. LEVEL TWO The second floor includes another open concept living, dining, and kitchen space, with kitchen sink views over the green roof. A full bath, bedroom and reading nook are perfect for the children. LEVEL THREE The third floor provides the second master suite, with separate sink and wardrobe area, plus a private roofdeck. ENERGY The super insulated home features air-tight construction, continuous exterior insulation, and triple-glazed windows. The walls and basement feature foam-free cavity & exterior insulation. On the rooftop, a solar electric system helps offset energy consumption. WATER Cisterns capture stormwater and connect to a drip irrigation system. Inside the home, consumption is limited with high efficiency fixtures and appliances. TEAM Architecture & Mechanical Design – ZeroEnergy Design Contractor – Aedi Construction Photos – Eric Roth Photography

Large trendy wooden floating open and glass railing staircase photo in Detroit

1 3./4 Solid Oak Tread with 1 3/4 closed stringers both sides with shallow groove carved in for glass. Solid oak f style rails in 3 1/2 plain square posts and f cap to match rail profile.....1 3/4 face on nosing to match tread profile

Curved Western Stair with Carpet Treads and Open Risers. Wood Railing complete with Metal Spindles in a Clean Modern Design. Iron Spindles include 1/2" square blanks and 1/2" x 1 1/2" blanks (taylor bar). photos by Joshua Kehler Photography

Curved Western Stair with Carpet Treads and Open Risers. Wood Railing complete with Metal Spindles in a Clean Modern Design. Iron Spindles include 1/2" square blanks and 1/2" x 1 1/2" blanks (taylor bar). photos by Joshua Kehler Photography

Large trendy wooden curved open staircase photo in Vancouver