Vogue Living: The French Design Trend Making its way into Australian Homes

The French design trend making its way into Australian homes

When award-winning Australian architect Joe Adsett designed and constructed his family home in Brisbane’s Ascot, he chose to make the centerpiece a staircase inspired by spiral shells he found on the beach as a child (pictured above). “I always wanted to create a staircase that emerged organically from the ceiling and walls, ribboning and folding down, completely integrated into the architecture,” says Adsett. “Why not experiment in my own home?”

The experiment paid off. Adsett’s home was showcased on an episode of Grand Designs and new clients frequently say the stair’s enticing undulations drew them to his practice. So why are Australian design lovers so enthusiastically embracing helical stairs? “I think it’s because they’re not just a way to move from one floor to another, they’re a sculpture to be experienced from all angles,” says Adsett. “When placed the right way, this style of staircase can create a beautiful backdrop, introduce new outlooks and elegantly divide living spaces. The space around the staircase is as important as the staircase itself.”

The high-tech steel and concrete compositions that make up today’s curved stairs differ from Le Corbusier’s, allowing them to take more natural, flowing forms. “Their placement is also more sensitive,” says Adsett. “Earlier staircases were sort of plonked in a space, but today we want more harmony - we want stairs to be connected to the way we live.”

Considering a helical stair in your home? It’s important to be aware of their weight and complexity - in a precision operation, Adsett craned his steel stair frame in through a hole in the roof. He flags that it’s easier to install these features in new builds or renovations where access is unfettered. “In heritage properties where you can’t take apart the upper storeys it could get difficult,” he says. Attention to detail is also important. “Think about how you’re going to light the staircase where you walk, but also how you’ll light it as a piece of sculpture in your home,” says Adsett. “In addition, by making the outer bend of each stair wider than the length of your shoe the experience of ascending or descending will become more luxurious.” Wise words from a man who’s lived the helical stair experience.

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