The history of the Spiral Staircase

At one time, there were not many people who were in the fortunate position of designing and installing their own bespoke staircase.

But, with more and more Stirling customers gaining confidence and buying property that need renovation, or even building their own property from scratch, the possibilities are endless when it comes to designing staircases.

For a start, you need to consider the material of your staircase from the traditional, such as wood to the more modern such as glass, and the minimalist, industrial look that many people opt for with the use of metal. Or, you can mix and match your materials giving you a staircase that fits your interior design, becoming a feature in itself and your budget!

Then there is the shape of your staircase; you can opt for the traditional, straight design that takes you and down again with no drama or there is another shape. One that adds a sense of luxury and wow to any interior design – spiral shaped.
Spiral staircases, of course, have their roots firmly in history. They were designed and created for one reason – defence. Although the days of knights and enemies may be long gone, the wonderful curvaceous shape of spiral staircases have stayed, much to the advantage of Stirling customers.

In the UK, 11% of the female population and 13% of the male population are left-handed, a distinct advantage if you were a Knight of the Realm, looking to take a castle belonging to the enemy. The spiral nature of the staircase meant that if you were right-handed, as were the majority of people ‘back then’, then attempting to run quickly up a spiral staircase (than turned in an anti-clockwise direction) with a sword in hand meant that balance became a bit of an issue. Likewise, having a sword battle on the staircase was also less than brilliant, probably seeing many sword-wielding soldier fall to either their death in the concrete stairwell or certainly serious concussion.

Spiral staircases bought by Stirling customers, along with others, thus far, tend to spiral in a clockwise direction, a more ‘comfortable’ tune for the brain but it isn’t always necessary to do this.

And this is the beauty of having a bespoke staircase designed and built just for you and your Stirling property. You decided where it is located, you decided what it is made from, you decide whether it turns clockwise or anti-clockwise and you decide how much you spend on it.

Fancy the idea of spiral staircases? A brilliant addition to any home… why not call Continental Stairs?

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