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Welcome to First Step Designs, the UK’s leading name in bespoke floating staircase design, manufacturing, and installation. Exclusively designing made-to-order staircases, we work hand-in-hand with homeowners, architects, and interior designers to craft bold architectural centrepieces—floating stairs designed for impact and character.
Choosing First Step Designs means bringing award-winning design inspiration and precision-engineered manufacturing expertise to your project. Having been featured on Grand Designs and winning the 2024 Build It Award for Best UK Staircase, we’re nationally recognised for delivering staircases that make an impact, and we’re confident that we’re the right team to transform your home into something extraordinary.
When it absolutely has to be a statement piece, Oxfordshire chooses First Step Designs.
Floating staircases are among the most complex architectural features in modern UK homes, demanding not only coordination with architects, contractors, and structural engineers, but also extreme engineering precision. From early-stage design through fabrication and installation, every decision must be calculated to ensure structural integrity and a flawless final product.
At First Step Designs, we engineer floating staircases to millimetre-perfect tolerances. We rely on advanced CAD modelling, precise 5-axis CNC fabrication, and rigorous in-house quality control to manufacture staircases that perform exactly as they appear—balanced and uncompromising in finish.
When structural performance and build integrity matter, Oxfordshire turns to First Step Designs.
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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.
Any well-designed and crafted staircase can make an impact, but few can match the drama and transformative power of a floating staircase. With the visible support structures completely hidden from view, their floating appearance seems almost impossible, while their open design allows for maximum natural light flow and a sense of openness.
Floating stairs offer:
The full process from initial consultation to final installation typically takes around 3 to 6 months. This timeframe allows for design development, structural engineering, bespoke fabrication, quality checks, and installation.
For projects with a clearly defined design brief and structural drawings already in place, the process can sometimes be completed more quickly.
The cost of a floating staircase depends on several factors, including material choices, configuration, structural requirements, and installation complexity.
Most of our recent floating staircase projects have fallen between £23,000 and £30,000 (+VAT). We encourage you to reach out to our team for a more detailed, personalised quote.
Our floating stairs are designed around a custom-built, hidden steel structure set into a supporting wall. As far as the visible elements go, however, First Step Designs clients can choose from a broad range of popular materials. Almost all our projects rely on a combination of steel, timber, glass, stone, tile, and microconcrete, chosen to reflect the owner’s personal style and the home’s aesthetic.
Floating stairs require no more than routine cleaning and clearing up spills immediately to keep in top condition. At First Step Designs, we choose materials and surface detailing not only for aesthetics and durability, but with day-to-day ownership in mind as well.
In the unlikely event of accidental damage, our team can repair timber, metal, glass, or coated components to their original condition.
In the UK, floating staircases must be designed to comply with the exact same set of Building Regulations as any other style of staircase. They aren’t any safer or ‘more dangerous’ than any other style. At First Step Designs, we’ve written a series of blog posts to answer the most common questions around floating stairs in great detail.
Learn more:
Floating stairs refer to a unique staircase style where each tread appears to be hanging unsupported in mid-air. This characteristic look is achieved by cantilevering each tread (fixing it from one side only) into a concealed steel structure built into a supporting wall, creating a striking, minimalist architectural feature. When paired with minimal or glass balustrades, floating stairs create a sense of space, light, and openness.
