Love!! That color of wood and white is actually one of my favorite combinations.

So modern...

I am concerned about no handrail though...being the accident prone lass I am.

AMAZING! I pulled out the carpet and re-did the stairs on the non-floating stairs in my condo, and that was hard enough. You're pretty much my new hero!

It is lovely, but is it up to code? Also, while pretty, they can't have small children come of visit with a staircase like this. They have no railing, whatsoever. I know that's the 'look' but a few wire railings with a simple wooden handrail is almost as pretty and just a modern.

http://www.artmetalinc.com/expanded_view.asp?AMI=205

The link above is a floating staircase as well but it's up to code and safe. The staircase shown here is not.

It's so light and bright - love it! Great job!

Very clean and fresh! Good job!

Lovely!

Also, not everything has to be designed for small children? I can think of a million unsafe situations children can get into in up-to-code areas, they're creative that way :) Unless we all go the route of uniform bubble wrap and rounded corners... that'd be a look for sure.

Noelle153 - it's not just about children. My husband broke his arm on wooden stairs that didn't have a hand rail. (Kids are sometimes better off - they're bouncy.)

Get a handrail and consider some kind of arty non-slip strip in the front. Or at least beef up your medical & disability insurance.

You had me at cat scratcher.

Noelle 153,
No, I agree, not everything has to be made for small children. I have a small child and there are many things in the house that really aren't 'child-safe'. However, something as ubiquitous and well used as a home's staircase should be safe for everyone. It can also limit the home's selling value. How many people do you know who are single but have a niece or nephew that they love to have over? Also, it's not about small children. Most people will be in an accident at least once in their lives that limits their mobility for a week or more. Ever had a bad ankle sprain? Imagine going up and down the stairs with a cane or crutch for a week or so - it would feel (and be) unsafe. It's just food for thought...

Oooh, love it! If it were mine, I probably would put in a handrail -- a cool minimalist one -- but only because I am clumsy and have fallen down my own stairs (not floating, but no handrail) a half-dozen times. Great work!

Noelle153,
No, not everything has to be designed and made safe for small children. I have a small child and I have many things in the house that are not 'child-safe'. However, something that is as well used and fundamental to the house as a staircase (especially a main staircase as opposed to a little used cellar or attic staircase) should be safe for everyone. It's also not just about children. Imagine having a bad sprained ankle and using that staircase for a week with a crutch or cane. Not safe or fun. As I said, a visually lightweight or 'invisible' banister is an important feature both for the current resident and for resale value.

Noelle153,
Whoops, sorry! I didn't mean to post twice! When I posted the first response it didn't show up for nearly 10 minutes and I thought I hadn't gone through so I wrote the second one. I do apologize for appearing excessive!

small children will never be part of any consideration I use for improving my living space.

I think they look amazing. My only concern would be that they may be slippery. I have fallen on some pretty wooden stairs myself and it really hurt for a couple of days.
A little safety added and it's perfect.
And wow, $4K quote.
I do wonder how much time it took to do this, then calculate it by what they earn an hour and see how much it really cost them. Time is cost too.

I love the new look, but I'm in the "please install a hand rail" club. I just tumbled down my dad's steps a month ago -- only the bottom three! -- and it took me a good while to feel completely healed. Haven't taken stairs without holding on since. (Holy cow, that makes me sound like somebody's grandmother. But we all know grandmas are smart!)

It's stunning! .. untill they have kids though :))

Love it!!!

Amazing - we too have the cat scratch float stairs. We wanted to get them re-done but also couldn't afford it. I look forward to reading about your process, although I worry that the wood stairs might be too slippery for our toddler.

Really love the stairs. As for the comments about falling and small children...well, I think people just need to be careful..literally..watch your step!:) Haha! If they live in a loft...kids are probably the last thing they are thinking of. Good job! They are beautiful and I'm jealous!

Those brackets are brutal.

This looks amazing - AMAZING!!!; however, I would give serious consideration to putting in some kind of handrail. Like it or not, construction codes exist for a reason.

I'm in the process of a DIY installation of a cable handrail in my own home, because my partner and I have both slipped on our stairs on the way down. I'm an avid DIY-er who also happens to be an attorney and enjoys having friends come over to my home, so I'm always thinking about the potential for injuries/lawsuits on any home reno project I'm working on.

I love the look but my 40 year old, 6'4" tall husband would kill himself on that. We childproof things because he's rarely aware of where his feet are going. I love you honey, if you see this.

As an architect, I can assure you that's not up to code. Better set aside some extra money to this project's budget to fix it before they sell.

I think this is absolutely beautiful. But here, it wouldn't meet code standards as there is no handrail in either side.

Are handrails pretty? No, but there are some nicer ones that aren't just the standard round wooden ones.

whoa, the brackets are hinges? that is nuts. man, don't spread around dangerous DIY projects like this. geez louise.

I don't like the look of handrails, either, and we did take them off the staircase to our master bedroom (which doesn't get any traffic but we homeowners).

A cautionary tale: friends removed the railing off their deck, which was just a couple of feet off the ground (and there was a set of steps), for aesthetic reasons, with the plan to re-install when they eventually sold. Then a close friend tumbled off and shattered his arm in three places. That was a bad day.

The wood looks much nicer than the berber carpet, but the hinges make me cringe in a bad way. It's almost like it's a booby trap- hinged bare wood stairs with no railing... yikes!

"Won't somebody PLEASE think of the CHILDREN!!?"

Who knew that Helen Lovejoy wrote under so many pseudonymns in AT comment threads?

That said, I'd actually like to see a wooden handrail. Not to keep the safety fascists quiet, but to bring the wood "up" and make the design more cohesive.

It's a big improvement over the old Attack of the 80s style, however.

They are gorgeous! But I agree that wooden stairs can be slippery. The combination of socks and wooden stairs are especially bad. I have gone down twice (hard!) on my stairs, and I'm glad there was a rail to catch me.

I have to agree. Gorgeous, but not to code. And that code's not just for protecting little kids and old people. Everyone stumbles at some point, whether it's from being clumsy, sleepy, a previous injury, or having one too many Look into more visually appealing railings.

Funny (weird, not haha) since I only know adults who have hurt themselves on staircases....there must be a safety rail for a reason.

It would be super easy to install a railing on the wall side and still keep the floating look. WOW on the makeover, the wood stairs look amazing with the floors and white paint, really really nice job!

Looks great. Is it noisy without the carpet?

Fantastic work!

I too agree on a handrail, both for safety reason and for the look of it, I think a wooden handrail (at least attached to the wall - that way it would still be floating) would look great.

I also dont get the thing with those brackets (?). Why are they black? They make it seem like it is not finished. I would definitely paint them white, because they make it look unfinished.

It looks a good idea, but:
1) the brackets look terrible
2) it's not safe without handrail
3) I hate the carpets and I would remove it from everywhere else in the house but the staircase: it IS noisy without carpet!

Did contractor warn you about the code issues?

They make me cringe to think how quickly I'd fall down them. Ow!

But then, I am a klutz, and have terrible depth perception.

Love the change!

As an architect specializing in renovations, I can tell you that "code" only applies to newly constructed elements. It does not include decorating choices. Although this stairwell does not meet current code, it does not have to. Nor would it have to be amended for a sale. Building codes changes regularly. A building built ten years ago doesn't meet current code.

I believe it depends on the city. I remodeled an 1890 victorian. Kept the original stairs. Inspector made me put a handrail in for the small section surrounded by two walls. DC doesn't use the word 'Grandfather'.
Besides the children's safety, what about older adults? Beautiful job on the stair, but my mother couldn't visit - maybe that's a good thing :p

I would no doubt fall to my death (too much?) on these stairs, but they weren't designed for me. And, provided the owners are significantly more graceful than I, the stairs are a wonderful accent to what seems like a light and airy space. Well done!

You may not care that your staircase doesn't have rails, but I'd certainly hope that you have a BIG homeowners umbrella policy if you entertain.

I like it. I think a handrail is unnecessary, although depending on your area might be a code requirement. If so I would put it on the wall. The ceiling is low enough on the open side that no one is going to fall through. But you will probably get messy handprints on your walls if there is no handrail.

Agreed on the handrail. I'm 28 and if I were purchasing a place like this, it would come with the requirement that the seller install a hand rail. It's just not safe, regardless of age.

But I agree, it looks great! A low-profile wall painted handrail along the full wall would be an easy fix.

I would fall down that staircase in a heartbeat, just because it looks really slick and I'm a huge klutz.

And it really doesn't matter that it's not child-friendly or child-safe...if you don't have children or don't expect to have children visiting. We have lots of things that aren't child friendly and I warn my friends that if they bring their kids over, they have to make sure to keep them away from the hazards.

We removed a handrail on our staircase to build a more useful cabinet in the space. But had not built one, we'd have left it as it was. That said, I cannot imagine coming down this flight with an armload of laundry, or carrying a squirming cat for whatever reason.

Looks great. If it was all one uniform color I think it would look even better and even take attention away from the brackets. As for the children...keep them off the stairs.

I could careless bout a missing handrail, those brackets are what ruin it. surely there was a way to paint them, hide them, or replace them.

@redbellybutton ... maybe. But it could also depend on how your buyers are financing. For instance, we purchased a home with a VA loan and a requirement prior to approval is fixing any and all safety violations. Including adding extra bars to the existing janky stair and deck railiings, in our case.

Personally I can appreciate all the work that went into it but I don't get the idea of a "floating" staircase with visible brackets.

@redbellybutton
As an architect that does both new construction and renovation projects, often in historic districts, I don't think you're completely correct there. "Code" is there for mainly health and safety reasons; yes it doesn't cover decorative issues, but a stair handrail qualifies as more than just decoration. Renovating older homes that don't meet current code is a case-by-case issue, but allowing non-code elements is usually tied to preservation. This project clearly isn't trying to preserve an old stair, clearly removes code-compliant elements that were already in place, and clearly has the space and capacity for compliant handrails. It most certainly DOES need to meet code, and any realtor worth their salt would make them amend it for sale.

All that said, there's no reason that handrails have to be ugly, like the ones they removed.

Wow, beautiful! Contrary to the above poster, I actually like the brackets.

And I think it's fine without a handrail, just tread carefully when carrying things!

Maybe consider a wall-mounted wood rail.
That way you keep the beauty of the open stair, but still allow something to grab on to in case of a fall.

And seriously get in touch with someone with some legit building-industry credentials regarding those brackets/hinges. If those really are door hinges, they are definitely not intended to handle such a load in such a way, and you could end up with bigger problems than slippery treads and no handrails...

I like how it looks.. but not the exposed support brackets. Find a way to minimize that and it will look immensely better.

Gorgeous!

You could also put a pile of floor cushions on the ground below the stairs. I'd rather fall into a huge pile of pretty pillows than live with an ugly railing! Or, just not fall in the first place. ;-)

While the treads are pretty, I can't support this project for reasons already listed. I am klutzy and have serious back issues, and I am far from alone. A home is not a sculpture to be viewed from a safe distance, it's a place that must function as well.

The hinges are a terrible idea, both aesthetically and functionally. The treads need slip-resistant surfaces (I think there are some that are almost invisible, but smooth varnished wood is fool-hardy.) The lack of a railing is downright dangerous, unless the are professional acrobats who never entertain.

I have carpeted stairs in my home. They aren't necessarily as aesthetically lovely as beautiful wood, but my cats and rabbits are tiny creatures for steps of that height, and they need the traction. So do I.

If the homeowners go shoeless as many of us with hardwood floors choose to do, then they risk slipping and sliding on the steps. If they wear shoes, those pretty treads will get scuffed rather fast.

Points given for trying, points taken for not thinking it through enough.

We had wooden stairs with a handrail and all four of us managed to fall down some to all of them in spite of the rail. The only one who was injured enough to require a doctor visit was our daughter. Hand rails aren't the be all end all.

Amazing work! And it's true it doesn't really matter too much in residential.

As someone with a first floor kitchen, second floor bathroom and third floor family room and deck, I'm going up and down my (extremely steep) carpeted stairs all the time. I dream of bare wood floating stairs, but then I remember how often I slip on the carpeted ones. And I really appreciate the cushioning carpet provides -- not just for when I slip and come down hard on my bum -- but on an everyday basis just stepping down from one tread to the next. My knees LIKE the carpet.
If my stairs were not as steep or if I didn't use them so much, I rip off the carpet in a heartbeat. As it is, I'm still thinking about it -- some days the pros win and others the cons.
Does anyone know of another option that would provide the cushioning of carpet without the "ick" factor?

Holy Dangerous batman, though it does look nice.

Is that actually a loft? It looks more like a (town)house to me.

My stairs don't have a rail either and so far (touch wood!) no one has tumbled to their death. You can touch the walls whilst going down and up.
I think the brackets should be painted with a high gloss white like the wood they are attached to and it'd be quite lovely.

very pretty wood stairs, but a rail on the wall is better than no rail at all. agree w/ code comments; no insurance adjuster would cover that & tripping is common in every age.

It looks SO much better. I might like to see the sides wood-toned as well. I have no kids (yet!), but I think a small, thin rail attached to the wall on the left (I envision just some long strips of stained wood), would make me feel a whole lot better. I think the stairs are a wee bit scary w/o that.