We're in the shop here today showing you an alternating-tread staircase that's' going to a job-site in Napa tomorrow. I'm standing on the landing which is at exactly mid-floor level. It's going into one one these 100-year-old houses with a steep roof and lots of attic space. The homeowner called me last month saying he wants to access this large attic area with something better than a ladder. He didn't have room for a conventional stair but this alternating-tread space-saving stair was a perfect fit. It's all Red Oak which matches the hardwood floors throughout the house. Once these are installed at the site we'll put a handrail on top of the stringers on the open side. I'll tell you a little about the alternating-tread staircases. It's built in a way that is nearly as easy to climb as a conventional stair. When we walk up a convectional stairway we normally use half of the stair tread at a time, placing one foot on the right half and the next foot on the left half. The idea of an alternating-tread stair is make half of each tread wide enough for your foot and then alternate the wide end of these paddle-shape treads from left to right. You still have your 10 inch minimum tread depth plus a 1 inch nosing projection. This give you 11" of support for each foot, just like a conventional stair. We normally make the risers a max of 7-3/4", but code allows us to go as high as 9 inches. This one is 7-3/4" which is very comfortable. We installed a metal bar across the middle of each open-riser to limit the open space to less than a 4 inch gap. Anyway, I just wanted to give you a quick shot of this. Tomorrow morning we get to go to the job-site and install this. I'd can't wait to see the look on the customer's face when we have this installed. I'll let him do the bragging :-) Last but not least, I'd like to give glory to God and special recognition to a Jewish carpenter named Jesus. I don't know for sure if He built stairways as a carpenter, but I am happy to say that He is my LORD and I want to live my whole life for Him. God bless you! And please contact me if you want any type of custom stairs. Clyde 520-895-2060 or 916-991-9700

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The attic in this Victorian seaside house was massively renovated to make a guest room that takes full advantage of all the roof lines and dormers. The fir matchboard ceilings and hickory floors make this space old and new at the same time. In other words, timeless!

Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring paired wit a Modern Stair Rail System, Under stair desk, Karnadean Flooring
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This Medford, MA attic renovation features a custom winding staircase leading to a newly finished attic living space and home office. The staircase includes stained wood treads, white risers, white balusters, traditional wood newel posts, and warm wood handrails, creating a seamless transition between the original home and the new upper-level attic conversion.

This Medford, MA attic renovation features a custom winding staircase leading to a newly finished attic living space and home office. The staircase includes stained wood treads, white risers, white balusters, traditional wood newel posts, and warm wood handrails, creating a seamless transition between the original home and the new upper-level attic conversion.

Photo: Sean Litchfield
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Designed to make every square foot of this custom home addition functional and accessible, this remote-controlled electric attic ladder provides convenient access from the three-car garage to a large finished living space above the garage. Unlike a traditional pull-down attic stair, this motorized ladder features wide stair-style treads and dual handrails, creating a more comfortable and practical way to reach the upper-level bonus space. Operated by remote control, the electric retractable ladder lowers and raises effortlessly, allowing the homeowners to take advantage of the expansive above-garage living area without sacrificing valuable garage floor space to a permanent staircase. The upper level provides flexible square footage that can serve as a bonus room, guest room, home office, hobby room, storage room, or multipurpose living space as the family's needs change. This thoughtful feature was incorporated into a larger Redmond, Washington home remodel and addition that included a three-car garage addition and expanded living spaces designed around an active family's lifestyle. The combination of motorized access, space-saving design, wide treads, safety handrails, and finished bonus space above the garage demonstrates how thoughtful custom construction can turn traditionally underused square footage into valuable, easily accessible living space.

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Grand attic staircase that makes this attic feel like a 3rd story rather than an attic space. Chris Veith Photography
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To provide adequate storage and access to the attic play loft, we designed a built in ships latter with closet, drawer and open shelf storage for this bedrooms.

The entry leads to an open plan parlor floor. with adjacent living room at the front, dining in the middle and open kitchen in the back of the house.. One hidden surprise is the paneled door that opens to reveal a tiny guest bath under the existing staircase. Executive Saarinen arm chairs from are reupholstered in a shiny Knoll 'Tryst' fabric which adds texture and compliments the black lacquer mushroom 1970's table and shiny silver frame of the large round mirror. Photo: Ward Roberts

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Attic garage built in Elkton VA 22827
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HOBI Award 2013 - Winner - Custom Home of the Year HOBI Award 2013 - Winner - Project of the Year HOBI Award 2013 - Winner - Best Custom Home 6,000-7,000 SF HOBI Award 2013 - Winner - Best Remodeled Home $2 Million - $3 Million Brick Industry Associates 2013 Brick in Architecture Awards 2013 - Best in Class - Residential- Single Family AIA Connecticut 2014 Alice Washburn Awards 2014 - Honorable Mention - New Construction athome alist Award 2014 - Finalist - Residential Architecture Charles Hilton Architects Woodruff/Brown Architectural Photography

Hoachlander Davis Photography
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