This high-end split post-tensioned stone staircase was designed, manufactured and installed by Carvero for a luxury new-build country home near Lapworth, close to Knowle and Solihull. Set within easy reach of Birmingham, the property is a family home in a rural landscape, with goats and alpacas in the surrounding grounds, yet the interior carries the refinement and ambition of a carefully designed private residence.
Carvero was appointed as the specialist stone staircase maker for the project, working in collaboration with Fabric Design & Build, the Solihull-based high-end home builder behind the wider Arbour Manor project. Their work on the house can be seen on the Fabric Design Group project page.
The stair is arranged as a split stone staircase, with post-tensioned flights meeting a half landing before continuing upward. This gives the hall a composed, generous layout while allowing the staircase to feel more architectural than purely functional. It is a staircase that belongs to the building, not simply an object placed within it.
The soffit is the most technically expressive part of the design. Instead of a plain underside, the stone was shaped to create a strong sculptural transition as the flight rises into the bottom of the half landing. The upper soffit detail is particularly unusual: it changes form as it enters the landing, creating a crisp, sophisticated junction that required careful design development and exact execution.
A significant amount of structural work is hidden within and around the staircase. These concealed details were essential to make the post-tensioned stone system work within the new-build structure, while keeping the finished appearance calm and uncluttered. This is often where the real expertise lies — not in making the structure obvious, but in resolving it so carefully that the final result feels natural.
The underside of the half landing also had to be considered from a practical point of view. During the design stage, we made sure the space below remained usable, with enough head height for a person to walk comfortably beneath it. The final form therefore had to satisfy three requirements at once: structural performance, architectural clarity and everyday practicality.
The pale natural stone gives the staircase a quiet but substantial presence. Across the broad soffit surfaces, the natural markings of the stone become visible in changing light, adding depth and movement to the underside. Set against the black balustrade, dark timber handrail and classical wall panelling, the staircase feels refined, controlled and highly considered.
This project reflects Carvero’s work as stone staircase experts for luxury homes in Lapworth, Knowle, Solihull, Birmingham and across the UK. As high-end stonemasons for architectural luxury homes, our role is to bring together thoughtful design, hidden engineering, precise manufacture and extraordinary attention to detail in execution. The aim is not simply to create a staircase, but to make a piece of architectural stonework that feels fully resolved within the home.
