This award-winning floating stone staircase in Keston, Kent, was created by Carvero for a luxury private family home. Designed as two post-tensioned helical stone flights, the staircase shows how solid natural stone can be used to create a structure that feels light, elegant and almost unsupported.

The staircase follows a classical design, with finely carved astragal moulding to the treads and a continuous V-shaped stone soffit beneath. The soffit is an important part of both the appearance and the engineering. Its V-shaped form gives the underside of the staircase a crisp, sculptural quality, while also creating the space required for the post-tensioning strands that run through the stone.

The tight helical curve and slender waist give the staircase its dramatic presence, but the detailing remains calm and refined. Post-tensioning allows the individual stone elements to work together as one compressed structure, making it possible to create floating stone staircases with very little visible support.

This project reflects Carvero’s specialist work in the design, manufacture and installation of bespoke stone staircases. It brings together hand-carved craftsmanship, structural engineering and natural stone to create a staircase that is both technically ambitious and timeless in character.

This staircase is also featured on our awards page.