Like the pavilion holding the public spaces, the structure containing the bedrooms is clad in glass on the interior sides facing the courtyard, allowing a constant connection to the outside. Rodriguez (with dog Lupe) designed the steel stairs leading from the mezzanine-level home office to the master bedroom below. The stairs were fabricated by Austin-based Steel House MFG.

Of the seven steps in Michael Pozner’s not-quite-500-square-foot aerie in Greenwich Village, five contain drawers. His small set of table and chairs is from CB2.

Rising to a catwalk above, a huge glass-and-steel central stair envisioned by architect Filippo Caprioglio spans four floors of the Chiavellis’ newly expanded house.

The residents use either the black steel staircase or a glassed-in elevator by Wittur to get around the house.

In a couple’s Mexico City apartment designed by David Levy of Flexform, a Murano chandelier hangs above a marble-topped dining table from the showroom.

The Antonio Citterio walnut-back Morgan chairs are also from Flexform.

White-oak stairs connect the first-floor living spaces with the upstairs sleeping areas.

The architects divided the home into separate floors for sleeping, living, and working. Since the house is situated on a hill that slopes 20 feet from top to bottom, there are plenty of stairs. Those pictured above were crafted using wood salvaged from a 100-year-old bungalow that previously stood on the site.

The industrial stair leads to the upper level, where the bedrooms, bathrooms, and play space are located.

The new upper floor holds three bedrooms and a balcony overlooking the structure's wooded surroundings. The house totals 1,850 square feet.

One of the greatest design challenges, according to Franz and Paré-Mayer, was reimagining the dark, unfinished garage space in a way that would “establish [it] as primary, instead of an afterthought to the original floor above.” This was achieved by layering open, linked spaces on the ground floor and sticking to a few carefully selected materials for cohesion and fluidity. There are hardly any hallways in the home; every space serves a function. Polished concrete floors continue throughout the new living level, and a bent metal dining chair with a reclaimed Douglas fir backrest made by Scholz sits in front of an open white oak staircase.

Built-in shelving under the stairs to the mezzanine level provides the resident with extra storage.

Sarti is only too happy to demonstrate one of his favorite inventions: a mobile kitchen-supply box/cocktail station/breakfast bar with casters that hides beneath the stairs.

Hynam built additional storage along one angled wall of the bedroom loft and beneath the skylight.

Photo caption: The wall beneath the stairs of this Beverly Hills home holds hidden storage, including an Enomatic wine dispenser and Sub-Zero refrigerated drawers.

The couple's daughter reads in the cozy nook just inside the front door painted in a vibrant blue from Benjamin Moore. Of the storage area below, Fredrik says, "In Sweden, there's always a place to sit and take off your shoes. This is a version of that."

The cork stairs with a rope railing lead down to the kids’ level.

Loft stair with hidden pull-out storage

Photo caption: The custom cabinetry is made with bleached rift-cut white oak and finished with mirror pulls. Created by David Amble Cabinetry, the cabinets were designed to be put to serious use—one holds extra folding dining chairs while another hides a Murphy bed.

Interior Staircase

The owners shared Turnbull Griffin Haesloop’s dedication to green design, and agreed to modifications—like solar panels and passive heating and cooling elements—to earn the property LEED Platinum certification. The living room’s oversized fan is by Big Ass Fans. Ultra-Tec created the cable system on the stairs and guardrail.

Staircase with rift-sawn white oak handrails and pour-in-place terrazzo in green.

Raising the bed above floor level, architect Kyu Sung Woo converted this tiny studio into an open and comfortable home for Wonbo Woo. Photos by: Adam Friedberg

Steps with storage that lead up to the balcony.

The cabin and studio each have one bathroom and one bedroom, and the entirety of the property has geothermal heat and super insulation. The custom-made stairs in the cabin are by Westside Metal Fabricators in Mount Vernon, Washington.

Futuristic floating stairs lead to the loft’s mezzanine. Throughout the lower level, natural stone was chosen for the flooring, laid at an irregular angle to add visual interest.

Concrete stairs leading up to a sleeping loft are illuminated with wall sconces.

The ground floor’s adjoining staircase, as well as the kitchen cabinets and tables, can be adjusted depending the homeowner's preferences. “The design of the house is an attempt to respond to [French novelist] Georges Perec’s question, ‘We should learn to live more on staircases. But how?’” Simpson says.

“We took away a very thick, heavy staircase that led to the loft, and designed one that had a much lighter look,” Wåhlin says. “The new one, made of steel, looks simple and indeed light—but is in fact super heavy and was a real challenge to construct.”

“Using a very simple white oak material in repetition added a lot of texture without adding busyness,” says Solk.

Suzanne and Brooks Kelley at the back of their 1,100-square-foot guest cottage.

At the top of the stairwell, a sitting area is outfitted with a vintage Eames lounge, a large Jack Goldstein painting, and a 1970s light fixture found by Marcovitz in Paris.

The house’s stacked floors progress vertically from the communal basement, through the mixed-use mezzanine, to the private bedroom. Its staircase responds to these functions. Perforated folded steel steps between the ground level and mezzanine allow for greater access to sunlight. Between the mezzanine and upper level, solid folded steel stairs and partitions serve as the bedroom’s acoustic barrier.

In 1962, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill architect Arthur Witthoefft won the AIA's highest honor for a home he built in the lush woods of Westchester County. Having fended off a developer's wrecking ball, Todd Goddard and Andrew Mandolene went above and beyond to make this manse mint again.

The tin panels lining the stairs are original to the house.