A couple in the greater Philadelphia area had a unique opportunity in their old home to make it spectacular! An old stone ice house that was attached to the old home had lain vacant for many years, and they wanted to do something with it. It was situated close to their existing kitchen, but at a lower level in the house. The plan… to turn it into a beautiful wine cellar!
With the design insight of a Philadelphia architect, Richard Buchanan (Partner in charge and designer with Archer & Buchanan Architecture), they designed an access point through their existing walls. The space, due to its being extremely small, created a challenge in how to get to the lower level of the cellar. So, the idea was presented of a spiral stair to access the lower area.
This custom spiral staircase was designed to keep in tune with the rustic appearance of the stone walls, while having an upscale design statement.
The confines of the space created a serious challenge for the sake of getting the custom spiral stair into the space. So, the possibility of doing a solid welded aluminum custom spiral stair was suggested, due to aluminum being 1/3 the weight of an Iron spiral stair.
For the railings, custom railing design castings were created for the steep angle of the staircase. Additionally, an outside stringer with a trim design was added to the spiral stair to enhance the aesthetic appeal. This outside stinger also significantly contributed to the structural rigidity of the stairs. Once the entire stair was built, it was sand-blasted, pretreated, and powder-coated.
Next, a crew of our Compass team manually carried the spiral stairs into the space and erected them into place. The spiral stair treads, made from 20-year-old barn floor boards, were then attached. These barn wood treads were a huge asset in enhancing the rustic décor of the wine room.
With all the challenges of the confined spaces, there were many design considerations (such as a radiused landing) to make it work. But at the end of the day, this custom spiral stair came out as an awesome architectural masterpiece that will provide convenience for getting a good drink out of a great Philadelphia wine cellar!
Looking for a custom designer spiral staircase? Contact us today to get started on your staircase project.
