Coming Soon: A South End Renovation with a Stair at the Heart of the Design
Coming Soon:
Stairs at the Heart of a South End Renovation
A stunning Victorian-era brownstone. Three cramped units. One sweeping vision. The Helios architecture and interior design teams set out to transform this historic South End rowhouse into a magnificent single-family home. A new staircase is guiding the flow, light, and experience of the spaces. “The existing stairs between the first and second floors were narrow and structurally compromised, so they were completely removed. We also reworked the stairs from the second to the third floor to create a continuous circulation,” explained project interior designer Maegan Dougherty. “The result is a grand, wider, light-filled stairwell that feels open and connected, rather than chopped up and constrained as it was when the building was divided into separate units. The stair design became a unifying element of the renovation, playing a critical role in making the home feel cohesive and luxurious.”
“Stairs in these older townhomes in Boston tend to sag and pull away from the parti wall to which they were originally affixed. This is a common problem, especially when these homes have undergone renovations that removed the walls supporting the stairs. When stairs sag beyond what a simple restoration can remedy, they need to be rebuilt,” Henry Miller, lead project architect, explains. “This requires a marriage of 21st-century computational analysis, and old-school craftsmanship. A lot of the design happens in the field during the construction process. The architect and the crafts person spend a lot of time together problem solving. This process is an old one, where collaboration between the architect and craftspeople dates back to the construction of the old cathedrals of Europe.”
The Project at a Glance
Originally built in 1890, the house was designed as a single-family home, then was split into three units in the early 2000s. Now, Helios is completely reconfiguring the spaces, customized for one family. The kitchen remains in its original spot with the cabinets preserved, but everything around it is new.
Living Room Mood Board