Stepping Up With Designs for Home Additions Aug 17th, 2013 Creating San Diego home additions can mean more than just adding a bedroom or extending the living room. It can change how everyone moves from room to room and floor to floor. When creating a room addition with more than one floor, it’s usually helpful to add in another staircase to connect the new floors. For example, if you have only one stairwell at the front of the house and you build new bedrooms at the back, it will be much more convenient to add a staircase connecting the hallways by the two new rooms. Otherwise, you’ll have to walk all the way to the front of the house, climb the stairwell and then cross to the back of the house again. There are three main options for San Diego homeowners adding a new way to move from one floor to the next: stairs, ramps or by lift. Your preference might be swayed by any mobility concerns, interest in convenience and your passion for elegance. Stairs The traditional staircase can come in the form of straight steps, a spiral stair or a staircase with a landing in the middle. Staircases typically come in glass, wood, stone or metal. The treads can be closed or open. The more traditional approach, of course, is to have a staircase with a full wall or pony wall and railings beside it. A straight staircase for a full flight is one option, while a landing at the halfway point is often the choice for households with kids and seniors. A spiral staircase creates a more modern and elegant effect. If you’re looking for something completely different, floating staircases are usually attached to a single wall, but have no other supporting structure. Ramps Ramps are a popular solution for anyone concerned with mobility, although they are also an elegant architectural statement. They can be made of wood, glass or metal, and can be enclosed by a plaster pony wall. Ramps take up more space than a staircase and may need specific grading to make it easier for wheelchairs and to meet certain zoning regulations. Lifts An interior or exterior lift is an option for the inside or outside of a house with a new addition. Lifts and elevators can provide a very contemporary or more traditional look to blend in with the rest of your home’s decor. Materials include wood, metal and glass. Lifts can come in nearly any shape or design, with or without walls and gates. An elevator or lift for someone who uses a walker or wheelchair can also provide an alternate way to get from one floor to the other that is away from the hubbub of the main staircase in the house.
