We Have Stairs!

Little by little our loft project is moving along.  Today the stairs were installed!  Now, these aren't just any run-of-the-mill stairs!  They're paddle stairs!  Ever heard of paddle stairs?  Neither had I until earlier this year.

Paddle stairs are a type of space-saving staircase.  Here's a view from the front.  You might notice the steps are shaped a little funny, but nothing too remarkable yet.

A view from the side.  Still thinking they look pretty benign?

Let me show you a view from the top looking down!

Ah!  Now do you see the space-saving design in action?  They look kinda steep, don't they?  That's about a 7 foot rise over a run of roughly 55 inches.  (Remember rise over run when learning about slope in high school math class?  Yep, we use that in the real world too!)  Regular stairs would have twice the run of these.

Each step is designed for either the left foot or the right foot.  And even though it looks really steep, it doesn't feel to bad to walk up or down.  We still need to get the hand rail installed for added safety, but the stairs themselves are a thing of beauty, no?