Millwork and Stair Design

Posted on: July 13th, 2011 | 7 Comments


John and Matthew look at successful examples of millwork storage solutions implemented into staircase designs.



Designers showcased in today’s episode:

splyce design build
Marcy Wong Donn Logan Architects
YH2 Architecture
Battersby Howat
Nimmrichter CDA

  • http://profiles.google.com/srdan.nad Srdan Nagy

    John and Matthew,Just a small question on the materials for this sort of millwork.The last example is built from solid wood (as far as I can see form the photos), but what about first example? Is it also solid wood or veneered mdf? If not from solid wood how practical is that? wood is more durable and you can send it and repaint it, but veneer…. not sure that would work…SN

  • Matthew North

    Hi SN – I am pretty sure that the treads on all the stairs would be solid wood. The material could switch to veneer for the risers (although I’m not sure this is actually the case) and I am sure the cabinetry portion is typical millwork veneer construction. With all of these examples, the success lies in the execution and skill of the carpenter! I would be very interested to hear first hand from the architects who designed these elements what the actual construction details consisted of.

  • http://www.RTSFurnitureDesign.com Ryan

    We absolutely love the use of space in these stairway designs and have shared this with our Facebook fans.

  • Cat

    The first stair by splyce design had no handrail at all?  And does the fireplace not require a chimney?  It was lovely, but I’m not sure I’d be sure-footed enough to use those stairs everyday. 

  • Li-Na

    Along the same lines as Cat’s comment, I often see pictures of stairs with no handrails or with just a rail on top with nothing preventing someone from falling through under the railing. There are also handrails with bars that run horizontally, which Mike Holmes keeps going on about being against code because they are climbable.

    Are these sorts of handrails allowed? How do architects get away with them if they are indeed against code? :) 

    (I’ll try attaching a couple of pictures as examples of what I’m referring to).

  • Millwork Canada

    Millwork is any woodmill-produced building construction interior finish components such as doors, window casing, baseboard, mantels, and crown molding. Traditionally manufactured from milled wood, modern millwork is also manufactured from high-pressure plastics and composite materials.

  • http://www.stairwarehouse.com/ Anna Alfafara

    I find this video helpful. Keep them coming. I always like wooden fixtures and furnitures.

    Anna