Gone are the days when stair cases used to be U shaped kept in a corner of the house with almost dark space with little head room below steps.Sometimes a small toilet or store to dump old discarded materials used to be kept under the stair steps.Stair cases were simply meant to go up stairs without anyone noticing it.
But the trend has changed and stair cases are now taking centre stage in the house.It is now something to be displayed proudly by the owner of the house.No more unattractive U shape with space below which cannot be utilised.
Look at pictures below on stair cases in houses designed and built by me.Not even a bit of space under stair case is left unutilisable.In addition stair case add to appearance of house inside.In Irinjalakuda house and Kadavanthra house I have made it centre part of the house and major attraction of interior of the house.
I have also avoided the usual method of placing stair posts on the stair steps thus reducing space available for stair steps.Instead I keep steps by the side of stair steps giving better appearance and better space utilisation.
Vasthu instructs to have rising stair steps going up in North South direction or West East direction and not the other way.It is also recommended to have stair steps going up in clockwise direction.But these may not be always possible to implement due to other considerations and limitations of the building design.
Spiral stair case though looking good will need more space and more money.I normally use Kerala plantation teak for stair posts and handrails with carving of stair posts.Mahogany wood is also a good and cheaper alternative.Using glass between stair posts have become a recent trend and entire stair can also be done in glass with etched glass painting between posts.
Less costly stair case can be used for going up to roof top.I normally use precast stair steps of 75cm length with rise of 20cm.This will be economical,good for appearance and much more comfortable and useful compared to fabricated steel ladder to go to roof top.See picture of these outside stair at my Vyttila house project and Irinjalakuda house(during structure work)
