You can mount it on the side (half), on the floor and have your handrails return into it. You have dead space on the rightside. You should extend the treads and have it die into the wall. Then you would only need one post.

I agree, you may be able to use one but not both. WAY too big.

The treads should die into the wall on the right. You don't want that empty space to collect dust.

Bobbi:

Every once in a while, someone posts here who is in way over their head and out of their league. I can tell by the nature of their question(s) and attempts at work. Excuse my bluntness, but this is the case here.

The near-miss Newal is awful. Beyond bad. You've set money on fire with the "reproduction". Do not try to make that thing work please.

I'm assuming this is new construction? Who drew your plans? And what kind of a stair builder would follow plans creating an impossible-to-clean space between the stairs and wall? What other horrors has your architect drawn?

There are rough carpenters, finish carpenters, cabinet makers, stair builders, and boat builders and I've listed them in approximate level of skill required. Your attempting stair building is like a shade tree mechanic, who should stick to changing oil, trying a motor transplant in a Ferrari.

Learn what you don't know. Know what you don't know. Hire a professional and do what he says now before you set any more money on fire. Please.

@Joseph Corbett LLC - Bad day?

Sorry Bobbi, I agree with Joseph. The reproduction post isn’t quite right. I would use only the original post and make a feature of it. Can the stairs be extended to the wall? They sort of look a bit odd...

Neither of those posts fit the scale of the room or the proposed stairs. The reproduction isn’t a reproduction. It doesn’t match! A reproduction is an exact duplicate of the original and there is no excuse for the disparity. What you have is jarring to the sense of rhythm and balance. Joseph is right-the stairs are wrong. Who designed stairs that look like a trip hazard?

Bobbi:

No, I'm having a great day and had a great day when I posted my reply. Your's is a typical response when people hear what they don't want to hear. Your response is the logical fallacy of relevance, ad hominem circumstantial. You're addressing my circumstances (bad day) instead of my argument (you're in over your head).

From my point of view worse than the aesthetics and cleaning issues is the fact that I'm not seeing any way to tie the post into the framing-- there should be a square section extending from the bottom through the floor that can be lagged or bolted into the floor joists. To do otherwise is to invite a forever wobbly and insecure stair rail.

I'd certainly extend the treads to the wall and use only one post.

The area between the treads and wall definitely needs to be covered with drywall or a wood plank. I'd set each newel on the ground floor, offset to each side, rather than in front of the bottom tread. The railing would require a turnout to meet the newels. Hopefully this link will work.

http://www.bennettstaircompany.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/IMG_6268.27144103_large.JPG

The newels are ginormous. Remind us how the original stairs looked, please, before they were moved and turned into switchback. You're kind of stuck with the geometry of the existing house, but at the least someone should have thought to build out the wall to meet the stairs. The stairs look really narrow, too. I hope you're able to move furniture upstairs when all's said and done.

Don't shoot the messenger! Joseph Corlett may be blunt, but he is trying to rethink your situation before you spend even more money chasing an idea that will not look right. It is unfortunate that you did not get such a blunt answer before you spent time and money pursuing this scheme. It is your house and you can do whatever you can talk the GC into doing and the inspector into approving but that does not make it attractive or practical or increase your house's market value

You already know there is an issue with your original plan or you would not have posted your question. Step back from the emotional side and read the answers you are getting. All the money you have spent is a sunk cost and continuing on the same path will not change that fact. Evaluate where you are and move forward with a good plan using the right material for the project

It's not the message I took issue with. It was the condescending a-hole tone. Obviously I need help so that's why I posted here. Anyway, thanks for most of your comments.

Bobbi:

As the late great Joan Rivers would say, "Can we talk?"

You've got some major problems going on here. I (and others) would genuinely like to help you but we've got get more information. Is this a remodel or new construction? Has the direction of the stairs been changed? Do you have a designer, architect, a general contractor, or are you doing this yourself?

Introspection can be painful, but not nearly as painful as not introspecting.

Are these stairs considered floating stairs since they are not anchored to the wall? Is is a safety hazard?

Agree, stairs must go to wall, seems a possible nightmare in the making. LIke a small child snapping off a leg bad. On our 1910 stairs, the bottom step is wider. I usually only see newel posts like that on the side like examples above, or perhaps on a widened bottom step, the ball on top is weird, but maybe paint will rectify that? On the other hand, maybe the ball is interfering with function, a resting place for a hand. Stairs are one of the most common places to have accidents in the home I think, so it’s worth getting it right.