People Power

“One thing we always try to do is build something that will make people smile,” explains architect Michael Rosenfeld. A stair railing of swaying painted steel figures definitely causes occupants and guests of this Lincoln, Mass., home to grin. Careful spacing of the figures ensured the stair meets code, and overlapping the curved walnut treads prevents hurried feet from catching an edge. “The tricky part was creating the illusion that the people were actually holding up the rail,” says Rosenfeld. In a few places individual fingers appear to grip the polished rail. Since these back stairs serve the family entrance and mud room, builtin cabinets of Swiss pear and black granite provide storage. The cabinets serve double duty by enclosing the stairwell as it continues down another level. Builder: Thoughtforms Corp., West Acton, Mass.; Architect: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld Architects, West Acton; Cabinetmaker: TFC Studios, West Acton; Metal artist: Richard Duca, Wenham, Mass.; Stair engineer: Kanayo Lala; Photographer: Nick Wheeler.