hmmm... one of those things that look great but aren't very practical... or hygienic! I'd be concerned, even just with socks!

No feet on the counter!
It's a neat idea though, maybe with an occasional table or landing strip.

I don't dislike it, but I have to admit, I don't really understand the advantage. I have a hard time imagining using that counter space. You'd have to keep it clear so people could get through and yeah, it would never seem clean. It seems like it would have made more sense to end the countertop next to the stairs and have one continuous staircase.

granted, it's beautiful.
if the counter top had a dividing "lip" demarcating the line between stairwell and work space i'd feel better about it. or better yet, just have a clear sheet of plexiglass reaching from the counter top to the ceiling to divide the space. nothing less than a full barrier between the stairwell and the kitchen would keep foot traffic dirt from getting on the surfaces.

This is probly for rich people who don't use their kitchen. They are the ones on cribs with just energy drink and and alchohol in their refrigerator.

I think this would be better if it was a work desk rather than kitchen counter.

OK we've seen enough of these whack-a-doodle stairs from lands with lax building codes now to realise that they only get posted for the deluge of howling comments about how unsafe, unclean, impractical, and illegal they appear to be. I think it's safe to say that no one wants to walk on their kitchen countertops (shoeless or not) and if this architect's best solution for moving residents up to the loft space requires a brief stroll next to the sink, then it's a poor solution. Unless it's only for cats ;)

I think it Rocks!

Doesn't bother me a bit - it's a clever and efficient use of space.

I don't think it's a "Hygene issue" either (considering how many people allow their cats up on their counters and tables) - it's slick and white which will be extra-easy to clean.

I need to get that platter from Under your feet please!!!

aside from the hygiene issue -- it simply doesn't look safe. can't you just see a small child falling off? forget it.

those stairs look really slippery... if there's a no shoes rule (as there should be when one is walking on their, um, kitchen counter) then I can see people in their socks just flailing about. Fail.

Beautiful, though the detailing of the guardrail at the second floor looks clunky in comparison to the first level.

love the stairs. love the kitchen. love the window.

do not love the combination.

the counter areas, both in front and under the stairs are no longer functional. this is faux space efficiency.

and the hygiene issue is not just feet on the counter (i admit i stand on my counters to get to the top shelves). stairs are among the least maintained areas of most homes...and next to these windows.....dust bunnies and dried bugs with your fettucine anyone?

wow, i love it!

Interesting idea. Despite my hesitations, I'm sure my dog would love it. He's always trying to find a way to get to the food on the counter.

I agree with most people here. Beautiful place. But I don't want to have people's feet on my kitchen counter. Wiping the counter now become part of wiping the stair.

i don't get it. why does the counter *have* to be there?

This is just a BAD solution.

amed studio said it perfectly EXCEPT cats shouldn't be on the kitchen counter either.

The heck with feet on the counter, what happens when you're making cookies and get batter all over your steps??

That said, I love the sculptural aspect and the colors. It looks lovely but impractical.

shoes or no shoes, feet on the counter is a huge NO! better to just end the counter next to the stairs.

I see dead people. From food poisoning to neck-breaking falls, these stairs fail every safety issue you can imagine.

And the bottom steps don't even have a handrail at all. All I can imagine is people slipping in their socks on these slippery steps.