Stainless Steel Staircase
Newport, RI
Part of a new home design, this stainless steel, wood and glass staircase is a stunning focal point in this Newport, RI property and one of our most asked-about projects.
Architect
Amanda Martocchio
Builder
Brookes + Hill Custom Builders
Highly valued for its strength and resistance to corrosion, stainless steel is used in everything from cookware and appliances to surgical instruments and industrial equipment. But in addition to being durable, it can also be quite beautiful as this modern, floating staircase design showcases so well.
Part of a new home design envisioned by architect Amanda Martocchio, this stainless steel, wood and glass masterpiece serves as a focal point in this Newport, RI property designed for entertaining, but with an eye toward blending with its natural surroundings.
The Modern Metal Solutions team was brought in by builder and frequent collaborator, Brookes + Hill Custom Builders , specifically to oversee the stair project.
“Brookes + Hill is often involved in some very complex projects, and we’ve had the pleasure of working on several of them,” comments Chris Aubrey, Founder and Principal Designer at Modern Metal Solutions. “They call on us regularly for these kinds of projects not only because of our knowledge of metalworking, but because of our project management expertise. They know we will manage the multitude of moving parts of these jobs and get things done on time, on budget and to the project specifications.”
From design to fabrication, Chris personally had a hand in the entire process. Modern Metal Solutions provided the final drawings that were used for the design and the team coordinated with the millworker and glazier on the fabrication of all elements of the structure. Since the irregularly shaped pieces couldn’t be put through a machine, over 200 hundred hours of hand finishing were required to obtain the non-directional finish on the stainless steel stringers. Once finished, the 1500 pound pieces were then carefully wrapped and transported to the property where they were carefully installed using a custom rigging system to maintain their pristine finish.
“Many times, a good portion of our work is in the install, especially protecting the finish,” adds Chris. “One wrong move and hundreds of hours of finishing could be ruined in a moment.”
To further maintain the seamless look desired, the entire staircase was constructed mechanically with concealed bolts.
“Any weld seams would have ruined the desired look so we took great lengths to create the desired finish in the shop and construct a seamless design on site,” Chris continues.
The final design was an outstanding success with not only the property owner, but with almost all who see it.
“This is probably one of our most popular projects,” smiles Chris. “I have many clients draw inspiration from this design and ask me to replicate it in one form or another in their homes.”