News Blog

Welcome to Bisca's news blog. In addition to news, views, projects under construction and industry articles, this section hosts popular 'From the Bottom Step' - written by Richard McLane.

From the Bottom Step contains definitive articles, staircase trends, tips, tricks, thoughts & random musings from Richard McLane, Founder & Design Director.

For further information about any of the articles or features, or to become a guest blogger, please contact Bisca Marketing on marketing@bisca.co.uk


Featured in Sunday Times 3 February 2019

Stairways to Heaven In the article by Hugh Graham, the rise of the statement staircase is explored and several images of beautiful statement stairs were published, including one by Bisca. Unfortunately the article is no longer free to view on the Sunday Times website but is available in the archive... [read more]

Posted: 21st February 2019

Featured in Country & Town House March 2019

Flights of Fancy Bisca are featured in the March issue of Country & Town House. The staircase featured is a contemporary staircase with under stairs storage and shadow gap lighting. For more information please mention project 6993 or to see the project in our gallery click here. Image reproduced here... [read more]

Posted: 21st February 2019

Featured in House & Garden January 2019

We've been keeping a secret! January 2019 is here for team Bisca. Back in Summer (which seems a distant memory on this frosty day in North Yorkshire) we welcomed House & Garden journalist and photographer to our workshop. They each spent a day with us interviewing Richard and taking photographs of... [read more]

Posted: 4th December 2018

Finalists at Architect Journal Specification Awards | Architecture Awards

Bisca Through to Finals of Architects Journal Specification Awards Have you heard the news? We are finalists in the Architects Journal Specifiers Award for Best Offsite Fabrication category for the Heritage Railings, Marple Aqueduct Project for Canal River Trust. This project was a collaboration with Knight Architects, Kier Group and Arcadis... [read more]

Posted: 3rd December 2018

Build It Awards Finalists – Best Joinery Product

Finalists - Build It Awards 2018 Back in the running for Best Joinery Product in this years Build It Awards We won the award in 2013 and 2015, were finalists in 2014 and 2016 so are hoping for success this time around. The staircase uses recycled Oak from Vodka vats,... [read more]

Posted: 1st October 2018

Ornate Balustrade | Nouveau vs Deco

Ornate Balustrades: Art Deco or Art Nouveau? Art Deco and Art Nouveau are both design movements, but many people get confused between the two, especially as many later "inspired by" pieces are melanges of the two! A simple way of working out if a piece or a design is Deco... [read more]

Posted: 28th July 2018

Staircase Trends | Spring 2018

On the subject of Staircase Trends A trend is a general direction in which something is developing or changing. Sometimes the trend is obvious and driven quickly by a new technology to the market, but sometimes so gradual its only apparent upon reflection. Staircase trends is a subject I get... [read more]

Posted: 12th March 2018

Staircase Tips | Understanding Landings

Understanding Landings: What you need to know when thinking about a new staircase. The Oxford English Dictionary defines landings as the “level area at the top of a staircase or between one flight of stairs and another” A landing has both form and function. Winders or landings functionally turn the... [read more]

Posted: 9th March 2018

Best Staircase for your Budget | Choosing Staircases

Choosing Staircases - How to get best staircase for your budget Aristotle famously said that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Richard McLane, Design Director of Bisca, explains that where staircases are concerned, the opposite may be true. If you think you can't afford a staircase... [read more]

Posted: 15th November 2017

Finalists 2017 | Northern Design Awards

2107 Finalists at Northern Design Awards We are proud once again to be one of the 2017 Finalists at the Northern Design Awards. We won the award in 2015 with our Shippon Staircase, and again in 2016 with a floating glass and timber staircase. This year we have submitted 3... [read more]

Posted: 2nd November 2017

Concrete vs Steel Staircases | Choosing Staircases

Choosing between concrete and steel stair structures Richard McLane summarises the key elements of concrete vs steel stair structures. Cost When budgeting for a staircase, it is misleading to compare prices of concrete vs steel structures on paper. Besides the cost of the structure, you also need to consider finish,... [read more]

Posted: 29th June 2017

Metal Balustrades | Wrought Iron Misunderstood

Any Old Iron? The first thing Bisca try to find out from a client asking for a Wrought Iron balustrade, is what they mean, because it’s unlikely they really want what they’ve just asked for! Most people referring to “cast” or “wrought iron", actually mean forged steel.  Home owners and... [read more]

Posted: 28th June 2017