Creating the WOW factor with a stunning oak staircase.

Whilst visiting Harrogate International Centre with work, Peter Bond, from Hertfordshire, happened to pass the Oak By Design showroom. Situated on the road just behind the national events centre, we saw many delegates from across the country! We have since moved our showroom from Harrogate, to be next to our workshop at Tockwith, near York. Our new showroom has created a marvellous space for showcasing our beautiful oak buildings, flooring and much more.

Peter was in the process of building a house and was looking for a supplier of oak flooring for a number of rooms, and for an oak staircase in the new property. He certainly hadn’t planned to come to Harrogate to look for oak flooring and an oak staircase! He had a good look around the showroom looking at the various flooring samples, and looking at the kiln dried oak, and the various finishes which could be used to create the oak stair treads for his oak staircase.

After speaking to the staff and receiving the information he needed, he returned to Hertfordshire having decided to use Oak by Design. The relationship then continued by email and phone.

Peter had liked the smoked and brushed flooring, which has a lovely, warm, textured finish, and chose this for the 65.sq metres he required for the sitting room, study, bedroom and upstairs landing.

Our engineered oak flooring is available in a variety of widths, thicknesses, textures and colours. It is suitable for underfloor heating.

He had installed pre-formed steps in the property and as these led directly from the entrance hall, he wanted something striking. He chose to have them covered in oak with solid glass balustrades instead of traditional newels and spindles.

Liaising with both Peter and his architect David Howorth, Oak by Design made the stairs from 12 no: 2 sided L shaped covers. We smoked and brushed the covers to match the flooring. These were made to exacting measurements to ensure they ‘sat’ on the tread and the riser was the exact measurement to ‘sit’ on the tread below.

All the oak was sent down to Hertfordshire where Mr. Bond’s joiners and carpenters installed the stair covers and fit the flooring.

The glass of the stairs echoed the glass balustrades outside in the garden and the all-glass shower enclosures in the bathrooms and en-suite. The oak continued throughout the house on the doors, both internal and external, and the staircase handrail. The oak contrasted well with the other neutral products throughout the house: chrome door fittings, limestone fireplace, stone work surfaces and baths, and Jura beige limestone paths.

The staircase runs from the ground floor onto the second floor of the house where a lantern roof floods the landing with light. The oak, and the light coloured paintwork create a warm, contemporary finish.

The intention was to create a luxurious property with lots of space and light and Peter and his team have certainly achieved this, and we’re proud to have played a part in this project.