Our Philosophy
Stairs are an invitation to move through space. They set the first impression and the last memory. We design them with care, so they feel timeless, like they have always belonged.
So, do you have a stair design?
What most architectural plans show is not a true stair design. It is simply a legal layout to prove code compliance. A real stair design goes much further. It is a detailed composition, an enlarged plan with multiple elevations and sections, individual profiles for handrails, newels, and balusters, joinery details, materials, dimensions, and finishes. It often takes four to six pages to fully define a staircase, including any required engineering.
We believe every staircase deserves the same thoughtful design that guides the rest of the home. If the details are not there yet, that is where we begin. Good planning honors your home, your time, and your investment. It means things are done right, the first time.
Design it once. Build it once. Pay for it once.
How We Work
01
Design Review
Analysis of your plans, permit, and site conditions. See Contact Page for Cost.
04
Design Development
If you like our direction, we continue with this phase. Drawings, 3-D modeling, review of samples, options, code and engineering, ergonomics, materials, schedule and budgeting.
02
Design Charette
2-3 concepts with approximate budgets, preliminary detail suggestions, concept library review, presentation, occasionally accompanied by a sketch or rendering. $950 Flat Rate.
05
Fabrication & Installation
Usually we are supplying a full furniture grade shop-built, stair and railing system, delivered and installed. When the situation requires it, we can supply a parts package for installation by others. Both paths entail a customized build agreement.
03
Hopes & Dreams
Unearthing your vision and what you hope the staircase can be and do for your home. Opening the delightfully obscure world of stair design to your discovery.
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Stairs of Paris
Coriolis is rooted in movement, precision, and restraint. Each staircase is designed as a sculptural object, one that guides the body through space while honoring proportion, light, and material.
Our work is deeply influenced by French staircases, particularly those found throughout Paris, where stairs are not hidden infrastructure but architectural statements. Worn stone, elegant curves, ironwork softened by time, and a belief that beauty should endure daily use. These elements inform every decision we make.
The founder of Coriolis has spent years studying historic French staircases firsthand, walking them, sketching them, photographing them, and learning why they work. Not just visually, but structurally and emotionally. That education, combined with decades of hands-on craftsmanship, shapes our approach today.
