A StairBox staircase (and associated case study just like the one you’re reading now) had caught his eye and he could really imagine how this product could transform the entrance area to his Buckinghamshire property.
Simon revealed: “We were searching around for weeks for the right product and when we saw a staircase on the StairBox website we knew it was the one. Then, in March, we visited the company’s stand at the Homebuilding & Renovating Show at the NEC in Birmingham. This gave us a great opportunity to speak to the team about our requirements and see a design ‘in the flesh’.”
Opting for a contemporary, chunky-style oak staircase with open risers and glazed panels, Simon wanted to create a feature point to an entrance hallway. The current staircase in situ was a stark contrast, featuring traditional, turned spindles with cupboards underneath. A transformation of this dimly lit area into one filled with light was a requirment and the new StairBox staircase design would fulfil this brief exactly.
“I had a clear idea of what we wanted and so, having a background in engineering, after the show I produced my own CAD designs,” said Simon. He continued: “We went through my plans with the StairBox team and initial designs progressed pretty quickly. We matched my CAD designs to StairBox’s own design programme and adapted them along the way because at this point there were certain things which I wanted to change and customise. This didn’t take us very long and we soon honed in on a design which worked for us. The process was quite simple, with StairBox only needing three key dimensions.”
A major factor also in play for Simon was time. He explained: “Our timescale was another key aspect which had led us to the company, knowing that StairBox could deliver our new staircase in the timeframe that we needed.” Simon continued: “We had bought the property in May of that year and wanted to move in as soon as possible so we were trying to push through a renovation over quite a short period. Our builder had started work in the summer and we wanted to move in during the autumn, ideally for Christmas, and we managed to achieve that.”
The staircase was delivered on schedule and arrived in two phases; first the timber components and finally the glazing.
Simon added: “It was a bit of a tight squeeze as the staircase incorporated a 90° turn. However, taking care and time to make sure dimensions were 100% accurate meant the installation process was hassle-free. In fact, our builder commented on how straightforward the staircase was to install and was extremely impressed with the quality of the product.”
Simon said: “The staircase was installed in November, we then finished our flooring off, decorated and in December it was all done. We’re really happy with how it’s turned out. It’s exceeded our expectations in terms of transforming our entrance area which was previously so dull. Now the light floods in, with different shapes of light projections filling the space when the sun is shining.”