Stunning horseshoe shaped staircase floods beautiful Kensington home with light When architect Lex McMillan approached EeStairs to design an exceptional staircase for a tricky space in a beautiful London property, no one could have imagined just how elegant the end result would be. Located in Kensington, the property is a perfect combination of traditional Victorian design and modern lifestyle needs and EeStairs was briefed to create a staircase that complimented this by combining traditional feel with a modern twist. Overcoming challenges The space presented a number of challenges. Firstly, the shape of the stairwell did not naturally lend itself to common forms such as spiral, helical or straight staircase designs and there were issues with headspace on the upper flight, which leads to a roof terrace. In addition, creating a custom staircase that used the entire available space would restrict the amount of sunlight that could enter the property. But EeStairs’ expert team soon had an innovative solution; a horseshoe shaped staircase that was positioned slightly away from the edge of the stairwell. This innovative and contemporary staircase design not only allowed natural light to filter through the entire stairwell, but the graceful curving form provided a nod to the traditional Victorian heritage of the property. Incredible end result Through the materials used, EeStairs was able to provide the modern twist requested in the initial brief. The client had used a very unusual oak flooring in rest of the property, so EeStairs approached the flooring supplier so that matching treads could be created for the staircase. This attention to detail and commitment to achieving the perfect finish has created a seamless flow in the interior of the property. When the oak saw-tooth stringers were combined with round balusters and a round timber handrail in a dark finish it is impossible not to admire the juxtaposition of old and new.