Glass Feature Staircase with Character Oak Treads, Sussex

As part of the sensitive restoration of a beautiful period home in Surrey, Bisca designed a bespoke oak and glass feature staircase to bring light, movement and architectural presence to the new contemporary extension. Sculptural curves, floating forms and carefully crafted detailing transformed the staircase into the defining feature of the home's open-plan living space.

Project ID: 9365

A glass feature staircase transformed this beautifully restored Surrey period home, introducing sculptural curves, character oak and almost invisible detailing – to create an elegant focal point that brings light, movement and contemporary craftsmanship into a timeless setting.

Where Heritage Meets Contemporary Design

As part of the complete restoration of a detached, partially thatched period home, the owners wanted one defining architectural statement. Alongside a contemporary extension and open-plan living space, the staircase needed to feel sculptural yet understated; an elegant presence that belonged naturally within both old and new.

Environmental values also shaped the brief. Drawn to the integrity of character oak and reclaimed materials, the homeowners wanted every element to feel honest, enduring and beautifully crafted. Rather than simply occupying the space, the staircase would become part of the architecture itself.

With the freedom to explore the layout from first principles, Bisca developed a completely bespoke concept, carefully considering not only the staircase, but the experience of the home around it.

A Glass Feature Staircase Shaped by Light

The resulting design introduces a graceful helical form that rises beneath substantial oak treads before leading onto a striking glass bridge above. Curved feature treads welcome you upwards, while their flowing geometry is echoed as you access a separate living area, creating a quiet rhythm throughout the interior.

Open risers and recessed detailing give the staircase its elegant floating appearance, allowing natural light to travel freely through the entrance space. Glass balustrades further enhance this sense of openness, allowing the sculptural form to remain the true focus.

This careful restraint reflects one of Bisca’s defining principles: allowing each material to perform its role beautifully without competing for attention.

The Beauty of Simplicity

The staircase combines only a handful of carefully chosen materials, each selected for its contribution to the overall composition.

• Character oak brings warmth, authenticity and natural texture, complementing the home’s rich timber palette.
• Low-iron glass preserves light and openness, allowing the staircase’s sculptural form to take centre stage.
• Dark stained sapele introduces tactile warmth and refined contrast, balancing the lighter oak and glass.
• Steel delivers exceptional strength while creating an elegant, visually lightweight structure.
• Plaster softens the structural form, allowing engineering to dissolve into architecture.

Crafted to Belong

Behind the calm simplicity of the finished staircase lies an extraordinary level of design development, technical understanding and craftsmanship. Every component was individually manufactured and carefully coordinated to ensure each curve, junction and transition felt effortless within the architecture.

Inspired by elegant engineering rather than concealed behind it, the completed staircase feels neither decorative nor imposed upon the building. Instead, it appears to have grown naturally from the home itself, connecting the restored period property with its contemporary extension through one continuous gesture.

More than a glass feature staircase, it transforms how the house is experienced; drawing light through the interior, inviting movement between spaces and reinforcing that when every detail has been considered with care. A staircase like this becomes far more than a means of changing level. It becomes the defining feature of the home.

Partners for this Project

Project Managers – Prime Living UK

Project ID: 9365