Every order has a list of optional extras. Some of them change the staircase completely and some of them change the invoice. Here is our honest read on each.
Worth it: thicker treads
Going from 2.25 inches to 3 or 4 is the single biggest change you can make for the money. A thicker tread reads as a heavier, more substantial stair from every angle, and on an open riser the edge is on display constantly. This is where we would spend first.
Worth it: integrated LED lighting
Recessed into the underside of the treads or along the stringer, wired and channelled at the factory rather than chased in later. It makes the stair usable at night without a hall light and it is the detail visitors comment on. Retrofitting it afterwards costs several times as much and never looks as clean.
Worth it, in the right room: Starfire glass
Low-iron glass removes the green cast from the edge of every panel. On a short run against a dark wall you will not notice. On a long frameless balustrade in daylight, the difference is obvious and it is the thing that makes the glass look expensive rather than merely present.
Worth it: a steam-bent handrail in one length
A handrail with no joint in it feels different under the hand, and on a curved flight it is the difference between a stair that looks made and one that looks assembled.
Usually not worth it: exotic powder coat colours
We offer thirty-four, and the overwhelming majority of the stairs people love five years later are in black, bronze, white or a warm grey. A strong colour dates faster than any other decision on the list and it is the hardest one to undo.
Depends entirely: stone over hardwood
A real upgrade in presence and a real commitment in structure, weight and budget. If the stair is the first thing anyone sees, it earns its cost. If it is a back stair to a basement, it does not.
Thinking about a staircase?
Send your opening dimensions, floor-to-floor height and a photo. We come back with architectural shop drawings, three realistic 3D renderings and a firm price.