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Livingetc reports that designers and architects are replacing open-concept staircases with enclosed, sculptural designs. Seven featured projects from studios across Europe show curved walls, colored microcement, stained timber and brass. The trend is attributed to both aesthetics and practical benefits like noise control and space division.
Interior design publication Livingetc has documented a shift in staircase design, reporting that open-concept staircases are being replaced by enclosed, sculptural forms in projects by designers and architects across Europe. The report features seven projects from studios in London, Barcelona, Zurich, Paris and Milan, each pairing solid enclosures with expressive materials and curved geometry.
According to Livingetc, the trend toward enclosed staircases parallels a wider move away from open-plan layouts toward separate, defined spaces. The publication notes that beyond aesthetics, enclosed staircases can divide an open layout, soften noise traveling between floors and conceal storage and other practical elements of stair construction.
The seven featured projects show a range of approaches. London’s Studio Tashima created a curved white staircase described by founder Charles Tashima as “a singular, softly sculptural white form” set against a triangular oak-and-glass window. Barcelona’s Lobb Studio clad a central staircase in bright red microcement, which co-founders Roger Bosch Ferrer and Josep Olm Serra said “evokes the chromatic universe of Joan Miró.”
Other projects include a part-black-stained oak staircase by Zurich’s Studio Hinton, a molded plaster staircase and balustrade by Parisian firm Hauvette & Madani, a burnished brass stair by Milan’s LC Atelier, a blue-stained birch plywood stair by London’s Foils, and a curved concealing wall by Paris architect Martin Massé.
Why Enclosed Staircases Are Reshaping Interiors
Staircases occupy a large vertical footprint in multi-level homes, and the shift from open rails and floating treads to solid enclosures changes how a home’s core circulation space functions. According to Livingetc, enclosed staircases allow designers to treat the stairwell as a material showcase — colored stains, microcement, brass and molded plaster appear across the featured projects — turning a utilitarian element into what several designers described as an art piece.
The trend also reflects a broader reversal in residential design priorities. After years of open-plan dominance, the report’s framing suggests homeowners and designers are again valuing acoustic separation and defined rooms, with the staircase serving as a tool for zoning rather than visual openness. That has practical implications for renovation budgets: enclosed staircases typically involve custom carpentry, plasterwork or specialist finishes, as the Foils project — assembled with a small internal telehandler — illustrates.
From Open-Plan Backlash to Solid Forms
The report situates the enclosed staircase within a larger design conversation. Livingetc states that the move “perhaps speaks to a wider trend away from open-plan towards separate, defined spaces,” a framing consistent with the post-pandemic resurgence of partitioned layouts in residential architecture coverage.
The featured projects span several countries and price points, from a birch-faced plywood stair by London’s Foils to a burnished brass staircase by Milan’s LC Atelier, which founder Lucrezia Calvi said was designed to “respect the original structure of the building” while introducing color. The design references cited — Joan Miró, Eugène Printz, art deco and modernism — indicate the studios are drawing on established 20th-century design traditions rather than inventing new forms.
“The stair was conceived as a singular, softly sculptural white form, set in deliberate dialogue with the sharp geometry of the triangular oak-and-glass window that punctures the interior and draws the garden into the space.”
— Charles Tashima, founder of Studio Tashima
How Widespread the Trend Actually Is
The report is based on Livingetc’s editorial observation — “we’re noticing designers and architects increasingly embracing solid, sculptural forms” — rather than market data, survey results or sales figures. There is no quantified evidence of how many projects, regions or market segments are adopting enclosed staircases, and the publication itself hedges on the cause, saying the open-plan explanation is only “perhaps” the driver.
The seven featured projects are high-end, custom commissions by design studios in major European cities. Whether the approach is reaching mainstream residential construction, or whether it reflects a durable shift rather than a cyclical preference, is not established by the report.
Whether Sculptural Stairs Go Mainstream
Livingetc frames the seven projects as inspiration for readers planning staircase work and promises continued trend coverage through its newsletters. For the trend to be verified beyond editorial observation, industry data on staircase materials, custom millwork demand or renovation specifications would need to show a measurable move toward enclosed forms. Readers considering such a staircase should note that these projects involved custom carpentry, plasterwork or specialist finishes; structural stair work typically requires building-regulation compliance and, in many jurisdictions, permits and licensed professionals, so costs and timelines will likely exceed standard staircase replacements.
Key Questions
What is an enclosed staircase?
It is a staircase surrounded by solid walls or panels rather than open rails, treads or glass. According to Livingetc, designers are using the enclosure to display expressive materials like microcement, stained timber, plaster and brass, treating the stair as a sculptural element.
Why are designers moving away from open staircases?
Livingetc attributes the shift to aesthetics plus practical benefits: enclosed staircases can divide open layouts, soften noise between floors and conceal storage and structural elements. The publication suggests it may also reflect a broader move away from open-plan living, though this is presented as a possibility rather than a confirmed cause.
Which studios are featured in the report?
Studio Tashima and Foils (London), Lobb Studio (Barcelona), Studio Hinton (Zurich), Hauvette & Madani and Martin Massé (Paris), and LC Atelier (Milan).
What materials are being used in these enclosed staircases?
Featured materials include white curved plasterwork, red microcement, natural and dark-stained oak, molded staff plaster, burnished brass, and blue-tinted birch-faced plywood finished with an Osmo wood stain.
Is an enclosed staircase a good option for a typical renovation?
The report covers custom, high-end projects involving specialist carpentry and finishes. Staircases are structural elements, so replacing or enclosing one usually requires building-regulation approval and professional design input; homeowners should consult licensed professionals before undertaking such work.
Source: rss
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