Stairs behind a door

[numberwang]

I’m thinking of resiting the stairs and trying to find some good pictures of a stair arrangement I’ve seen in Wales and south west. It’s where the stairs are behind wood panelling with a door to keep the heat in downstairs and draughts out. More often it’s beside the fireplace...

If this rings a bell or if anyone has this would love to see a picture, the internet is drawing a blank for me & not sure if there is a proper term for it.

Thanks!

 

[Owain]

https://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/61758000/jpg/_61758249_cwmdarehouseinside.jpg

https://cadw.gov.wales/5025320/7588696/7588704/heritagecottageFMAimage4.jpg

https://cadw.gov.wales/daysout/heritage-cottage/?lang=en

In pictures: Cadw to preserve 1854 Cwmdare cottage
Inside the living area of Cwmdare house, Rhondda Cynon Taf

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57037812d51cd411818faa96/t/57e3c73646c3c4b30fb150ca/1474545470384/Rhyd-y-car-terrace-houses-staircase-St+Fagans-Welsh-Vernacular?format=1000w

http://www.prewettbizley.com/graham-bizley-blog/2016/9/5/welsh-vernacular

 

[numberwang]

Thanks Owain this is along the lines of what I’m looking for, if a bit tiny

 

[Owain]

Thanks Owain this is along the lines of what I’m looking for, if a bit tiny

These were humble dwellings, and the Welsh are not renowned for being a tall nation.

 

[MikeG]

Moving a stair is not a simple operation. Creating a new stairwell has structural and layout implications, both upstairs (for both) and down (for the layout). Too many people only consider downstairs, forgetting that upstairs has to work as well. Lots of people also forget the 2m headroom rule. The structural stuff can be really destructive, too, and if you are listed, you've got virtually no chance of getting permission unless you are proposing a return to a previous location. Having said all that, moving a stair can sometimes fix poor layouts. In this case, if you have an old property, you need to ask yourself if the benefit is greater than the large cost to the building.

 

[numberwang]

House is a much extended Farm workers cottage, not listed, and unfortunately butchered by previous owners - almost no original features left & stairs have moved at least twice in last 300 years. Most recently in about 2006.

It’s current layout doesn’t really work, although would obviously be new wanting to put something back that’s sympathetic to the original layout in scale and design. I’ve seen the stairs behind pannelling/in a cupboard type arrangement locally in a farm house (bigger scale than Owain’s link) but google not my friend on this occasion!

 

[Abi Cott]

Having lived in a Victorian terrace with stairs off the living room with no door (and the stairs went all the way to the attic room without a door) I can appreciate why you'd be interested in adding paneling and a door.
As a stopgap a curtain at the top makes a considerable difference in winter.

 

[Flyfisher]

The stairs to our attic rooms are located behind a door. We also have stairs off of one reception room that we close off with a thick curtain, which makes a huge difference to the room temperature. It would be much better if those stairs were located behind a door.

MikeG makes fair points about the issues around relocating old staircases in terms of current building regulations, but remember that our period properties managed to be constructed without the benefit of such rules and regulations yet people seemed to manage ok. BCOs are probably best kept out of period properties on the whole :wink: