DRAG
Welcome to First Step Designs, the UK's leading bespoke staircase specialists. Working closely with homeowners, architects, and interior designers, we design and engineer award-winning staircases that create striking sightlines from all angles, enhance the home's comfort and liveability, and increase property values.
At First Step Designs, every detail of every staircase is a considered decision with nothing left to chance. Our dedication to precision has paid off, and we've recently been featured on Grand Designs, won the 2024 Build It Awards for Best UK Staircase, and we're consistently working on increasingly high-profile projects across the UK.
Our in-house teams of designers, engineers, and installers dedicate themselves fully to each project, crafting bespoke staircases that consistently exceed expectations and setting the bar for bespoke.
Reach out to our team for a no-obligation consultation of how we can help you enhance your home with a one-of-a-kind, attention-demanding bespoke staircase.
Working with First Step Designs means never having to compromise on your vision of the ideal staircase. Our clients enjoy unparalleled creative freedom when it comes to choosing the finer details, ensuring that every last detail is a considered choice that complements their vision.
From sweeping steel floating staircases that seem to hang in mid-air to precision-engineered white European oak stairs with clever smart home integration, there simply isn't a staircase challenge too great for Derbyshire's bespoke staircase specialists, First Step Designs.
1/5
0 / 0
Your new or renovated stairs are no more than a quick call, email or message away.
You can also use our Inspiration Gallery to save images of our work that you like. Then, simply send them along with any other photos, plans, or details through our contact form so we can discuss your project.
2/5
0 / 0
After understanding what you’re trying to achieve, we’ll send a detailed and itemised same-day quote. Our pricing is honest and transparent, allowing you to quickly determine if we are the right fit for your project.
At your request, we’ll gladly quote for multiple configurations of your ideal stairs.
3/5
0 / 0
After visiting your home to take the measurements we need, we draft and present fully accurate 3D renditions of what your staircase will look like in your home.
Once the details, timelines, and installation dates are locked in, we begin fabricating your dream staircase.
4/5
0 / 0
That’s right: sit back knowing that our expert team of craftsmen is hard at work bringing your staircase to life, fabricating your dream stairs to our exacting standards.
Depending on the complexity of the design, this typically takes anywhere from 3 to 5 days.
5/5
0 / 0
Our expert and experienced team of Staffordshire-based installers will install your new or renovated stairs in 2 to 4 days.
They have a wealth of experience in joinery and engineering, a seriously professional attitude towards work, and operate as unintrusively as possible.
Homeowners typically have three options when it comes to staircases in new homes: pre-fabricated, modular, or bespoke. While the first two options do offer cost savings, they typically fall short in uniqueness, quality, and the overall impact of bespoke staircases. Prefab and modular stairs are designed to fit any home, save money, and offend as few tastes as possible.
Bespoke stairs, on the other hand, are custom-designed and built from the ground up. They prioritise aesthetic impact above all, aiming to complement the home's architectural features and styles to create beautiful sightlines and focal points that are difficult to ignore.
At First Step Designs, we give our clients complete control over their staircase project. From materials and finishes to custom features that might even push our creativity further, we work closely with every client to bring their vision to life. Understanding that not all our clients feel confident making design choices, we deliberately and carefully guide them through each stage of the process so they can move forward with clarity and confidence.
Importantly, a bespoke staircase should be seen as an investment. When crafted and installed with care, it enhances your home on a daily basis while also increasing your property's long-term value.
Bespoke staircases require careful planning, and we typically recommend beginning the design process 4 to 6 months before the installation date. This allows enough time to explore multiple design options and ensure that every detail is considered with nothing left to chance.
It’s also important that the staircase is timed to fit into the broader construction or renovation schedule. If left too late, it can limit design possibilities or cause costly delays to the overall project.
That said, when clients come to us with a clear vision and the project conditions are right, we can move more quickly, aiming to complete the design, fabrication, and installation of a bespoke staircase in as little as 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the complexity.
Bespoke staircases can vary greatly in cost depending on several factors, including design complexity, material selection, finishing touches, and installation requirements.
At First Step Designs, most of the staircases we’ve completed in recent years have fallen in the £20,000 to £30,000 (+VAT) range.
For more details on what affects pricing and to see real examples with specifications, take a look at our article: How much does a new staircase cost?
Unless a client orders a bespoke staircase made entirely of steel, all bespoke staircases feature a mix of materials, most commonly steel, wood, glass, stone, and concrete. Bespoke staircases are overwhelmingly designed around a steel substructure or frame, which can be left visible as a focal point or designed to be out of sight.
Material choices for the treads, balustrades, handrails, and other visible elements should be made with structural performance and how they contribute to the overall design in mind. Our talented team of designers works closely with our clients to guide them through material choices that best complement their home.
The term ‘bespoke stairs’ refers to the level of customisation involved, and any style of staircase built to meet the client's exacting demands can be considered 'bespoke'. As the UK's leaders in bespoke design and fabrication, we craft a wide range of common (and a few not-so-common) staircase styles, all guaranteed to meet building regulations.
In a nutshell, bespoke staircases are designed entirely around a specific client's exact specifications. They stand separate from mass-produced, pre-fabricated, or modular staircases that conform to standardised sizing and aim to keep complexity and manufacturing costs as low as possible. Bespoke staircases allow homeowners to express themselves through design, creating beautiful and unique spaces using the largest piece of furniture in the home.
A final difference worth noting is that bespoke staircases are crafted with care by skilled craftsmen with a passion for precision and beauty, whereas prefabricated stairs are built by workers with a quota to meet.
Curious how a bespoke staircase could transform your Derbyshire home into something truly extraordinary?
Get in touch with our design team for a no-obligation consultation and 3D visualisation to see how we can help you enhance your home.eam is on standby to help you create a focal point unlike any other.
