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Welcome to First Step Designs, the UK's leading designers and manufacturers of bespoke floating staircases, also serving Nottingham. We work hand-in-hand with clients, architects, and interior designers to conceptualise and craft staircases that are truly unique, inspired, and precision-engineered to last a lifetime.
Working with First Step Designs means choosing the staircase designers who set the bar for high-end design. Having won the 2024 Build It Award for Best UK Staircase, been featured on Grand Designs, and continuously working on high-profile projects across the UK, we're confident that we're the right team to help you achieve something special.
If you're aiming for a bold architectural centrepiece for a new Nottingham development, our award-winning team brings the level of detail and inspired design that makes us the leaders in our field to every project.
Very few staircase styles can match the striking and dramatic look of a staircase that appears to float unsupported in mid-air. Achieving this look, however, requires both advanced engineering and a higher level of precision that most staircase manufacturers typically offer. With the entire load supported by hidden structures, reinforced walls, and carefully calculated anchor points, there simply isn't room for error.
First Step Designs specialises in precision engineering with millimetre tolerances. Using advanced CAD modelling, 5-axis CNC machinery, and intensive quality control, we manufacture floating stairs designed to deliver flawless visual alignment and uncompromised structural performance.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
The short answer is that with considered design, a metal staircase can be a welcome and valuable addition to any home. That said, it’s important to recognise that the term ‘metal staircase’ is slightly ambiguous; to some, it refers to the metal substructure that remains hidden during normal use, while for others, it means floating or central spine staircases consisting entirely of metal components and foregoing complementary materials like glass or timber.
Regardless of your definition, our design and engineering teams understand how to craft metal staircases that complement any home and its aesthetic.
While this is not set in stone, it’s common to see the following styles and configurations of metal staircases in these types of homes.
The full design-to-installation process typically takes 3to 6 months, allowing for design iterations, engineering, testing, and installation. For clients who already have a clear brief and structural drawings, we can sometimes complete the process in as little as 6 to 8 weeks.
Unlike manufacturers relying on prefabricated modules, every floating staircase we produce is built entirely in-house, to order, ensuring a one-of-a-kind staircase with First Steps Design precision.
Pricing for floating staircases varies based on materials, complexity, and the structural requirements of your property. Most Nottingham installations fall between £23,000 and £30,000 (+VAT). Speak to our design team for a detailed, accurate quotation tailored to your project.
All First Step Designs floating staircases are engineered around a completely hidden steel framework, either concealed in a pre-existing wall or custom-built to the home's architectural requirements. The visible components—treads, balustrades, landing areas, and more—can, however, be designed to include timber, steel, glass, tile, microconcrete, or other materials that complement the rest of the home.
Finished with the right surface treatments, floating stairs are remarkably low-maintenance and require no more than routine cleaning to keep in pristine condition.
In the rare event of accidental damage, our refurbishment team can re-detail timber, refinish steel, or repair glass and painted components.
Floating staircases must meet UK building regulations for safety and rigidity, and are not considered to be any more or less safe than other styles of staircases. Our floating stairs are designed to offer decades and decades of safe and secure use, even in heavy traffic areas.
A floating staircase is designed so that each tread projects from a reinforced steel structure concealed within a supporting wall. Affixed only from one side, they appear to hover in the air for an ultra-modern, minimalist aesthetic.
Their complex design and fabrication requirements make floating stairs the most ambitious style available.
