Do you need a railing to not fall off?
I'd be inclided to leave the railing off if this were my space.

For a railing, I would go with tempered glass or a thin wire nautical railing. Something that keeps the open feeling you currently have going.

What a great space though. Now I am just curious, what is in the the larger cube next to the lofted area?

Get something metal that folds down - like you see on yachts. When up, it's part of the railing, when down, steps.

I think you've done a nice job of creating separate areas but keeping an open feeling. Like Alex, I'd also be inclined to leave the railing off. Unless you are planning on doing lots of drunk music-making (not a negative thing, by any means!) I would just skip the railing to keep things open. I like Maxwell's idea of a step structure with spring loaded casters. That way if you rearranged the loft area and wanted the stairs on the other end you could move them, or if you had a party and needed that area open you could push the stairs out of the way.
Could you tell me what your dining chairs, I really like them.

Cooper, I believe that is the bedroom they built.

I am 100% sure this is in my building. Since the storage doors slide open I would go with a ladder built onto the wall of the bedroom. Essentially a nicer looking step ladder that is fixed to the wall. You could then push it "up" to collapse it and get it out of the way of the storage.

kik-step.

Some people may be advising against the railing, but to be in accordance with building code, you MUST have one. Leave it off and you'll pay for it when it comes time to sell your place. Did this not require a building permit? You must not have gotten one, because the building officials would never have allowed that raised platform without a railing. If you want to do it correctly, I believe your railing must be a minimum of 36" high, be designed such that a sphere no larger than 2" in diameter could roll over the edge and onto the area below, and must have pickets or other means to not allow any larger than a 4" sphere through below that minimum required 36" height.

Add the railing.... of some sort.

I'd do exactly what you have beneath it... wood framed frosted glass, or, if need be, clear glass... but I vote for frosted... otherwise, you're staring up at a lot of wires. I'd have it be the same shape, size and alignment of the doors beneath it.

For stairs, think unconventionally... a swimming pool ladder, or some sort of truck salvage. Or, a straight-to-the-ceiling ladder that is mounted ceiling and floor, in tracks. Like a library ladder, but completely vertical. Otherwise, install some actual steps, but eat into the first storage bay on the left. Otherwise, stairs will jut out into circulation space.

But not exactly sure how you got to such a finished stage *without* figuring out the steps situation...!

Check out "Kirk's Amazing Memory," the Smallest Coolest Apt. just a couple of posts above this one. The first picture of his might give you some ideas.

Why not match the size and materials of the cabinet below it, with the steps being something that folds up via a horizontal hinge and hides behind a matching panel? That would create an interesting geometry in relation to the bathroom cube and would also hide the bottoms of the furniture on the balcony.

My first reaction is that you're storing excess furniture on something like a kitchen counter - any type of railing would result in the platform "reading" as a room. Also, seeing everything on the platform seems like visual clutter in such a clean-lined room - it needs to be eliminated and integrated.

Overall, a nice job.

Hello! I've been inspired by the stage you built with sliding doors and am thinking of doing something similar for my place. Could you give me a brief on how one might go about building a stage?

I actually don't believe you need a railing within your private residence. Certainly, a developer must comply with the Fair Housing Act in apartments (not ADA - which applies to public areas such as corridors, fire stairs, lobbies), but I don't believe an individual is required to keep the own home or apartment to the standards of this act while he is living in it. However, I could be wrong about this, but I've seen some pretty specatular stairways published in homes/apartments without railings - which is essentially the same condition. If you are concerned about friends falling off (even drunk) or babies crawling off, you may what a railing to avoid liability purposes.
The work appears to be essentially new walls and casework - which would not require a building permit in most jurisdictions.
Stay away from aluminum picket rails - this will look tacky in your space. Two options ....First, Tempered glass rail in wood frame to coordinate in profile and proportion to the trim on the casework below. Second, A cable tension wire system - the potential problem with this is what is called laddering which allows children to climb up and over - e.g. avoid if you have a two year old