DRAG
Welcome to First Step Designs, Manchester's first choice for bespoke floating staircase design and manufacturing. We help homeowners, architects, and interior designers create unique spaces by crafting staircases that appear to hang effortlessly in mid-air; striking, modern, and precision-engineered to perfection.
Choosing First Step Designs for your floating stairs means working with the team of nationally recognised experts in our field. Having won the 2024 Build It Award for Best UK Staircase and recently been featured on Grand Designs, you can rest assured that every last detail—from the concealed framework to the final finishing touches—is a considered choice, with nothing left to chance.
For a dramatic architectural focal point in your Manchester home, speak to the team that brings award-winning inspiration to every project.
Floating stairs, also known as cantilever stairs, are among the most technically challenging staircase styles to design and fabricate. Completely forgoing visible support structures, the entire system relies on hidden anchor points, either concealed in a retaining wall or fully custom-built, and even the slightest inaccuracies can lead to lopsided or uneven stairs.
At First Step Designs, we take pride in setting the bar for precision staircase engineering. We rely on cutting-edge CAD, 5-axis CNC fabrication, and other modern material science advancements to consistently deliver floating stairs with the tightest tolerances.
When you demand nothing but perfection, choose 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.
Floating staircases are unmatched when it comes to their ability to transform a space instantly. They're the pinnacle of modern staircase design, defying physics as they hang seemingly unsupported in the air.
Floating stairs offer:
Project timelines vary significantly based on the scope of the project, design complexity, material choices, and installation difficulties; however, we complete most of our projects in approximately 4 to 6 months from first contact. While this might feel like a long timeline given the availability of more immediate solutions, we craft unique staircases comparable to functional art—and we don’t rush art.
When our clients approach us with a clear vision and/or design plans, we can expedite the progress and have it completed in roughly 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the design.
Yes, but very little and very infrequently. We rely on high-quality steel and superior finishing techniques, resulting in ultra-durable metal staircases that are all but indestructible. With the exception of keeping them clean and free of dust, the only remaining maintenance is to ensure that the surface finish remains scratch and damage-free. In the event that a scratch or abrasion reaches down into the raw steel, it’s important to respray or refinish the affected area to avoid oxidation.
Luckily, this is a fairly straightforward task with both instructional videos and the materials required readily available. Alternatively, reach out to First Step Designs for a zero-obligation renovation quote.
Yes, it can. First Step Designs specialises in designing bespoke and deeply personalised staircases, ensuring that each and every element—from the substructure to the finishing, detailing, and accessories—is tailored to suit your home, vision, and style.
We work closely with our clients over the span of several weeks, guiding them through the staircase design process and iterating through staircase styles, designs, and details to find the best possible fit.
By the time the design is finished and sent off to fabrication, we will have gone through design options for the overall staircase style and shape, treads, balustrades, handrails, optional accessories such as decorative inserts or recessed lighting, as well as surface finish options.
Whether referring to full metal staircases or one that relies on a metal substructure, these types of staircases hold several advantages over commonly used alternatives, such as full timber builds. This includes:
