On this job in Lordswood, the client wanted to give their staircase a smarter, more modern look. The existing white turned spindles and newel posts had quite a traditional shape, and the oak replacements would give the staircase a simpler outline with the natural grain on show.

We removed the old spindles and newels and fitted straight oak spindles with square newel posts. Those plain profiles keep the detail simple all the way up the stairs. The oak was finished in clear varnish, which leaves the colour and grain visible and brings some warmth into the hallway. With timber like this, the grain gives you plenty of detail of its own.

The understairs storage needed attention too. Originally, one door served the whole space, making access awkward further under the stairs. We fitted a run of doors following the slope of the staircase, opening up access along the front so the client could make better use of the space inside. The photograph with the doors open shows why that part of the job mattered.

With the doors closed, the fronts follow the line beneath the oak balustrade. The new arrangement makes it easier to reach things stored under the stairs, and the oak gives the staircase the more modern appearance the client wanted. A straightforward upgrade, with a useful improvement to how the hallway works day to day.