Stair Expansion Layton UT

Source: CUSTOM HOME Magazine
Publication date: January 1, 2005

By Shelley D. Hutchins

Expanding the breadth and width of treads at the bottom of a staircase for effect as well as ad hoc seating is a practice dating back to ancient Greece, observes architect Steven House. Architect Jan Gleysteen looks back to 1880s Shingle-style houses for support of his theory that “the widening of the lower treads does two things: It creates a flourish that helps establish the stair in a hallway or entryway, and it gives the illusion that the stair is bigger than it actually is.” Practical benefits abound as well, such as providing a place to set down briefcases or books, extra seating for big soirees (with room left over to actually climb the stairs), and an attractive way to mask bulky air vents. Plus, the concept can be applied to virtually any building style.

Photo: Sam Gray

Grand Illusion

It's not the main entrance, but this mud room entry is the one most frequented by the homeowners, so architect Jan Gleysteen felt it deserved a casual grandeur of its own. To make more out of the compact back stairwell, he wrapped the bottom stairs to create a double return design often used for sweeping entrances to public buildings. “Each stair returns on itself,” explains Gleysteen, “which encourages people to approach from both directions and also to lounge on them.

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