This cantilevered white limestone staircase was created for a Grade II listed Georgian property in Englefield Green, Surrey, close to Windsor, Ascot, Egham and Virginia Water.
Replacing the original timber stair within the principal entrance hall, the new staircase was designed to feel refined, permanent and respectful of the historic setting. The first flight was made as a straight run of solid French limestone steps, cantilevered into the surrounding structure and detailed to sit naturally within the Georgian architecture of the house.
The client chose a very pale white limestone from France for its calm tone and elegant relationship with the surrounding interior. Its light colour gives the staircase a soft architectural presence, while the carved details add definition, shadow and depth.
Although simple in layout, the stone staircase is highly considered in detail. The nosing wraps around the front of each tread and continues into the soffit, visually connecting the upper and underside of the stone. Additional moulding detail runs beneath the stair, making the soffit one of the most expressive parts of the staircase when viewed from the entrance hall below.
The stone flight is paired with ornate cast iron spindles and a dark wooden handrail, bringing a fine contrast to the pale limestone. This combination of natural stone, ironwork and timber gives the staircase a layered character: elegant, traditional and quietly contemporary at the same time.
After the first flight, the staircase changes into a timber stair on the upper level. This transition was an important part of the design. The solid limestone establishes the architectural weight and presence in the entrance hall, while the timber upper flight continues the stair more softly through the private upper part of the house.
Each limestone step was shaped with careful attention to proportion, profile and alignment. On a cantilevered stone staircase, small details matter: the consistency of the nosing, the rhythm of the soffit, the position of the balustrade and the relationship with the wall all contribute to the finished architectural effect.
The project formed part of a wider renovation delivered with Eversmiths, the high-end residential building contractor, and Covet Noir, the luxury interior design studio responsible for the refined interior language of the property. Carvero’s role was to create and install the specialist stone staircase element with the precision and restraint required for a Grade II listed Georgian home.
From our Leicestershire workshop, Carvero designs, makes and installs bespoke stone staircases for listed buildings, architect-led homes and significant private residences across the UK. This project in Englefield Green sits within an important residential area close to Windsor, Ascot, Virginia Water, Sunningdale and the wider Surrey and Berkshire border.
Carvero specialises in cantilevered, spiral and floating post-tensioned stone staircases, working with architects, interior designers, contractors and private clients from early design through to manufacture and installation. Each project is developed around the architecture of the building, the chosen stone and the level of detail required for a lasting architectural feature.
