What to Tell Your Architect or Interior Designer Before the Staircase Design Process Begins

Most people go into their first meeting with an architect or interior designer without really knowing what to say. They have a vague sense of what they want - something modern, perhaps, or something that suits an older home - but when it comes to putting that into words, things get surprisingly difficult.

And that's understandable. A staircase isn't something most people think about in specific terms until they're suddenly replacing one. The problem is that unclear communication at the brief stage is one of the most common reasons projects go sideways. Designs come back that don't feel right. Revisions eat into the budget. Timelines stretch.

Getting your brief right from the start isn't about having all the answers. It's about knowing which questions to address before that first conversation - and being honest about the things you're not yet sure of.

Building Your Staircase Brief - What to Think Through Before the First Meeting

Think of the brief as a way of helping your designer understand the project before they've seen it. A good brief doesn't need to be formal or particularly long, but it does need to cover the right ground. Here's what to work through ahead of any design conversation.

Describe Your Current Home and the Space Involved

Start with the basics. Your architect or interior designer needs to understand the building they're working in before they can create something that genuinely fits. That means giving them a clear picture of:

• The type of property - new build, period home, mid-century, contemporary extension

• The overall interior style already present in the home, or the direction you want to move toward

• The specific space the staircase will occupy - dimensions if you have them, ceiling height, and where natural light comes from

• Any structural constraints you're aware of, such as load-bearing walls, existing beams, or limited headroom

If your home has a strong existing character - a Victorian terrace with original features, for example, or a modern open-plan renovation - mention it. Designers work better when they understand the context they're designing for. Visual references help enormously here, too, which we'll come to shortly.

Be Clear About What You Actually Need From the Staircase

This sounds obvious, but it's worth thinking through properly. Beyond connecting two floors, what do you need the staircase to do?

• Does it need to be accessible for all ages and mobility levels?

• Will it be used frequently by children, which affects balustrade spacing and handrail height?

• Is storage underneath a priority, or is the visual impact the main focus?

• Do you want it to be a design statement - something guests notice - or would you prefer something clean and understated?

There's no wrong answer to any of these. But a designer who understands your actual requirements from the start will make better decisions throughout the process. They'll know when to push creatively and when to hold back.

Share Your Vision - Even If It's Just a Feeling

One of the most useful things you can bring to an initial meeting is a mood board or a folder of saved images. These don't have to be professionally assembled. A collection of screenshots from Instagram, Pinterest, or architecture publications does the job perfectly well.

What matters is that these images reflect something you genuinely respond to - not just what looks impressive in a photograph. A staircase that works beautifully in a converted Dublin townhouse might feel completely out of place in a new-build in Cork. Context matters.

When sharing references, try to be specific about what you like in each image. Is it the material? The proportions? The way light falls across the treads? That level of detail helps a designer understand your vision effectively rather than just copying a surface aesthetic.

Set Out Your Budget Honestly

The budget may be one of the most important things to get on the table early. A staircase project without a clear budget is one that can quietly grow beyond what you intended.

Being upfront doesn't mean you need an exact figure - though that helps. It means giving your architect or designer a realistic range to work within so they can propose materials and configurations that are actually achievable, rather than presenting something you'll have to scale back later.

It's also worth discussing at this stage how the budget is split. Is it covering design fees only, or the full supply and installation cost? Are there contingency allowances? What happens if structural work is needed that wasn't anticipated? These conversations are far easier to have at the brief stage than mid-project.

Brief Element	What to Prepare
Property context	Type, age, existing interior style
Space requirements	Dimensions, ceiling height, light sources
Functional needs	Accessibility, children, storage, frequency of use
Visual references	Images, mood board, specific details you like
Budget range	Realistic figures including contingency
Timeline	Any deadlines tied to wider building work
Scope of the brief	Design only, or supply and fit included

Working With the Design Team - How the Process Unfolds

Once your brief is in place and the design process begins, understanding how a typical project progresses makes it easier to stay involved and ask the right questions at the right moments.

What Happens After the Brief is Submitted

Most architects and interior designers will follow a similar sequence once they have your brief:

1. Initial concept stage - early ideas and directions are sketched out or presented in rough form. This is not the finished design; it's a starting point for conversation.

2. Design development - the preferred concept is worked up in more detail, often with architectural drawings, material specifications, and sometimes 3D visuals.

3. Review and revision - you'll have the chance to respond, ask questions, and request adjustments. This is normal, and good designers expect it.

4. Final sign-off - once the design is agreed, detailed drawings are produced and passed to the specialist installer or manufacturer.

The important thing to remember throughout this process is that clear communication at every stage is what separates a smooth project from a frustrating one. If something in a drawing doesn't match what you had in mind, say so early. Small misunderstandings left unaddressed tend to become bigger ones.

How to Give Useful Feedback on Designs

Giving feedback on design work is often uncomfortable, particularly when people aren't sure how to put their reactions into words. A few practical approaches:

• Be specific about what isn't working, not just that something feels off. "The proportions of the handrail feel too heavy" is more useful than "I'm not sure about this."

• Refer back to the references you shared in your original brief. If the concept has moved away from those, it's fair to say so.

• Separate functional concerns from aesthetic ones. Some things can be adjusted at no cost; others may require reworking structural elements.

• Ask questions rather than making demands where possible - "Is there a way to make this feel lighter?" often gets a better result than "I want it changed."

It helps to remember that architects and designers generally want to create something you're genuinely pleased with. The design process works best when it's treated as a conversation between people with different areas of expertise, not a transaction.

When to Bring in a Specialist Staircase Company

In many residential projects, the design brief leads to a point where a specialist staircase company needs to be involved - either as a supplier working to the architect's drawings, or as a design-and-build team who handle the whole scope themselves.

This decision usually depends on the project's complexity and the preferences of the architect or interior designer involved. Some designers prefer to maintain control over every specification and work with a fabricator who builds to their drawings. Others are happy to hand off the detailed design once the concept is agreed.

Either way, the quality of the company carrying out the work matters. Materials, joinery standards, and the installation team's experience all affect the final result, regardless of how good the concept drawings are. Getting the right people involved at this stage is, I think, just as important as the brief itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I include in a design brief for a staircase project?

A useful staircase design brief covers the property type and interior style, the dimensions and constraints of the space, any functional requirements such as accessibility or child safety, a realistic budget range, visual references showing the direction you want, and your preferred timeline. The brief doesn't need to be formal - a well-organised set of notes and images often works better than a formal document, as it gives the designer or architect something tangible to respond to from the start.

How much detail does an architect need before beginning staircase design?

Architects and interior designers can work with varying levels of detail, but the more specific your brief, the more focused the initial concept will be. At minimum, they need to understand the space requirements, your aesthetic direction, and your budget scope. If you have existing architectural drawings of the property, share them. The more context a designer has about the building and how the staircase fits within the wider interior, the better placed they are to create something that genuinely works.

Is it better to work with an architect or a specialist staircase company directly?

It depends on the scope of your project. For a straightforward replacement, a specialist staircase company with strong design capability - like Bavari - can handle the full process from initial concept through to installation without needing a separate architect involved. For more complex projects, particularly those involving structural changes or a wider renovation, an architect may be the right starting point. In either case, clear communication and a well-prepared brief produce better results.

What if I don't know what style I want for my staircase?

This is more common than people admit. A useful starting point is gathering images of staircases you respond to positively, even if you can't explain exactly why. Pay attention to whether those images tend to share certain qualities - natural materials, clean lines, a particular use of light. A good designer will help you identify patterns in your preferences and translate those into a workable concept. You don't need a fully formed vision to begin; you just need enough to start the conversation.

How do I make sure the staircase design fits with the rest of my interior?

Describe your current home as honestly as possible in the brief. Share images of the spaces closest to the staircase - the hallway, landing, and any rooms that are visible from it. Note any materials or finishes already present that the staircase should relate to, whether that's flooring, joinery, or architectural details. Interior designers are particularly good at reading the existing character of a space and proposing a staircase concept that feels connected to it rather than dropped in as a separate project.

Bring Your Staircase Vision to Life With Bavari

A well-prepared brief is only as good as the team who receives it. At Bavari, we work closely with homeowners, architects, and interior designers across Ireland to design and install bespoke staircases that genuinely fit the space, the brief, and the people using them every day. Get in touch to talk through your project and find out how we can help you create something you'll be proud of for years to come.