Replicating Traditional Ironwork

December 15, 2017

Material Highlights • Design

When we first stepped foot in this 1910 Beaux Arts townhouse on Manhattan's Upper West Side, we were struck by the quantity of gorgeous original detail that was still intact.

Grand entrance with marble floors, stair, and walls, and intricate crown moldings. — The grand foyer contained an intricate wrought-iron staircase that led all the way to the fifth floor of the townhouse.

Grand entrance of an Upper West Side mansion before our renovation. — The grand foyer contained an intricate wrought-iron staircase that led all the way to the fifth floor of the townhouse.

When we decided to add a sixth-floor penthouse leading out to a finished roof deck, we faced a decision. On one hand, we could create a new stair next to the spiral staircase, connecting just the fifth and sixth floors. Or, on the other, we could replicate the iron railing in order to add a level to the existing staircase.

View from the first floor landing of a historic spiral staircase with intricate iron railings and a stained glass skylight.

Talented tradesmen from Atlantic Stairs made this decision an easy one. First, they restored the original staircase and balustrade. Then, the built a replica, expertly mirroring the ornate ironwork and seamlessly attaching it to the existing stair.