@Andi - To answer your question, spiral stairs make it a B*TCH to move furniture, many older people (and those with vision issues) find them difficult to navigate....AND...they're ugly.

What am I missing? Why can’t the stairs just go straight down without a landing?

(I’m so sorry about your dad — I hope he recovers completely.)

Completely agree on the spriral staircase - had a rental one time that caused us to store good furniture in the basement and buy different pieces because neither a loveseat nor a queen bed could make it up the stairs to the second floor. My daughter had a similar situation in another home. And it's VERY difficult to carry a heavy box down a spiral staircase when you can't see ahead.

I hope you are able to find a workable solution and that your dad makes a full recovery and will enjoy his new cabin.

Create a platform at the top of the stairs and then turn the run of steps down parallel to the loft. At the bottom, create a landing and turn towards the front door (near the side window.). It won’t be as open as you like, but with wire railings, it will be a see-through stairs.

Floor plans will be very helpful; first floor and second floor.

Covered stairway outside that goes up to the loft?

Maybe I'm missing something, but why not just push the stairs against the wall? Then the landing wouldn't project out into the room as much.

@jinx I agree. I’ll have to ask why we can’t remove the first set and platform

Andi do you have floorplans? There are many people on here that could provide ideas if you post measured floorplans... Otherwise we are guessing

@Sabrina Alfin Interiors there is an opening or door on that wall and the stairs already goes past that opening.

I agree without a floorplan or at least measurements of the walls, openings, windows, doorways, height to loft floor, etc. it is just guessing.

Ah! I see it now. Still, I have to believe moving the door frame to allow for the stairs is a better option. But without knowing what’s on the other side of that wall, it’s hard to say.

Cheapest fix may be to close in the stairs where they are and pre-wire the closed space for TV to be mounted under the stairs. Then arrange some seating around TV, other seating for conversation, and if there is extra room closer to the front door, maybe you can put a family game table in that end of the room. As Joseph Corlett said above; its about decorating now. Furniture arranging is your next step to pre-think and pre-plan. Measure, measure, measure!

SE1 - Bermondsey Loft · More Info

I would come down four or five steps (more or less) add a landing and then turn the steps so they are against the wall running in the opposite direction.

I had a spiral staircase in my previous home. Never again.

Tiny homes and many cabins with lofts have loft ladders or non-code compliant stairs because they are allowed to have space saving stairs that are not accessing the main living quarters of the home. You may want to see what the code is for stairs to your loft, if you don't mind a steep staircase.

https://blog.buildllc.com/2016/08/art-of-the-nonconforming-stairs/

@Jennifer oh that’s good to know! I’ll look into that!

One other thought. On a episode of Fixer Upper, they installed a metal staircase on a pulley system that could be raised and lowered as needed. That might work for you.

Flying Point Custom Home · More Info

What goes on in the loft please? If it's just a teenage make-out space, spiral stairs are fine, believe me.

Joseph Corlett, LLC

7 minutes ago

What goes on in the loft please? If it's just a teenage make-out space, spiral stairs are fine, believe me.

_____________

Maybe you can revisit the idea of a spiral staircase again? If your priority is to have space on the main floor, it could be the best option to accomplish this goal. Having a spiral stair to an accessory living space isn't the worse option.

Okay, so I just want to get something off my chest: unlike apparently 99% of Houzz users in this thread, I think spiral staircases look cool. I don't know much about building houses, and I understand that the must be super annoying for moving furniture, but I think they look cool. There, I said it. Judge me as you will.

Second, another option would be to move the stairs to the other side of the wall away from the door, with a long balcony at the top:

This would block the windows a bit, so maybe it's a no-go.

This might be way to expensive but what about some type of elevator?

I think you need to know who will be accessing the loft, how often and for what purpose to know if a spiral staircase, ladder, space saver stairs or a traditional staircase is appropriate.

20 years ago I wouldn't have minded alternate options, but now I simply don't want stairs.

tv before the door? just enough space for small-medium tv?

Oakmont · More Info

Straight stairs-- at floor level: a mudroom-type unit facing entry.

Up, in middle of stairs, books face staircase.

Modern Farm House in Collingwood , Georgian Bay area · More Info

My Houzz: A 1920s Dutch Doctor's House gets new life... · More Info

Here's another way to say it: the wide space could be 'shared' with room or hall behind.

Before stair wall is closed, add great things like sconces too.

Down to the studs · More Info

How much room is there? how much room is needed for a person to have private zoom -- etc. you could close an area for that.

If we look at that space as a box, the door could open into it, possibly from 2 or 3 different directions.

River North Residence · More Info

Why are you refusing to post the floor plan so the actual architects on this forum can help you?

Otherwise any solution is just a free guess and guess what that will get you?

@Cpartist I’m not refusing. I don’t have any of the of plans at my house. I’ll have to get them from the builders.
Sorry for your frustrations.

I’ll have to look into how long the straight portion of the stairs have to be to meet code.

Stairs do not have to be designed straight. Some requirements are the (riser height) of each step and the angle of elevation (steepness). Can be different from county to county, state to state.

Still thinking something like this can work without moving too far into the living room. Catwalk at the top

Move the entry door to the loft .

saw this one on pinterest...

A straight staircase occupies the least amount of space. Landings greatly increase the size intrusion.

Sarah, there needs to be headroom at the top of the steps and the roofline prevents that. The best solution is, as you say, a spiral. And, like you, I think a spiral will work, given the fact that the loft is not major living space. Next to that, some sort of landing off the loft where there is adequate headroom, a run of steps parallel to the loft to the left, and then down (as you show), by the window.

As much as I dislike spiral staircases, I would absolutely use one in this case.

Any other staircase design would take up way too much space on the main floor.

The OP does not like the straight intrusion extending so far into the living room space. Therefore, it needs to have landings and different directions., zig zag .

Math doesn't care what anyone likes or dislikes.

LB Interiors shows a good solution. It is wide enough to be comfortable and have good visibility when carrying a box up and down, unlike a compact spiral staircase.

So, if I'm reading this correctly, it's a small space + a loft.

This calls for COMPACT stairs - not what you have currently. What you have is sucking up a ton of usable space and is awkward as hell.

This is an ideal application for a spiral staircase.

As for furniture and such, you include a removeable railing so you can hoist large pieces in without using the stairs.

" Long story short" There is much on your plate.....and an unfortunate diagnosis

How about the better AND REALLY short story? Post the P;AN from the team who designed the offending stair. The one with ALL THE DIMENSIONS.. You'll get a lot more help.

I'd want a ladder. But I'm crazy.

When someone forgets to close the hatch, that's gonna be a hellofa first step on the way down.

I can not comment until the floor plans are posted.

Same situations, you buy furniture that you assemble, so only boxes are hauled up. Brainstorming isn't actual planning, but seeing what is intriguing, options for the living/ working lifestyle... Idk if you answered how many feet are between stairs and wall, which is basic for talk.

For instance, do you already have idea about entry closet? or is there a mudroom? if not, the empty space could at least have a closet.

P, if I may say - I believe that was mentioned already.

There may, or may not, be a way to get a traditional stairway in there. Certainly it will require floorplans and some volunteer work to figure that out. We are missing a lot of information. My own opinion is that the loft space that I can see in the photo doesn't justify sacrificing a large amount of premium main floor space for a traditional staircase. We are seeing the kitchen and main living area, I assume there's a bathroom and bedroom on the main floor. It would be ridiculous to take up that much main living area floor space for a traditional stair that you would find in a 3.000 sq ft suburban home.

That said, ladders, trap doors, climbing ropes, ball pits, jet packs, levitating carpets, etc. that don't meet code are not reasonable compared to a spiral staircase that provides code compliant stairs that are usable for an older person - yet very compact. Regardless of the current owner's intended use, if the property is ever sold, it greatly detracts from the value of the property if that space isn't totally legit.

Again, we are talking about an older gent. First floor space is at a premium. The loft clearly needs to be useable, but is probably a secondary space. It's near completion, we don't have the option of a dramatic re-design at this stage of the game - so comments along the line of, "It's all wrong" aren't helpful.

I'm not sure what prompts comments such as "... but spiral would be the worst possible thing to have" and "Spiral staircases are the work of Satan." - but they are not rational comments and are prompted by something other than the needs of the Original Poster and the given facts - I'm guessing a traumatic childhood experience, a serious bump on he head, or premature potty-training.

I think every feasible (and many not feasible) option has been offered. So what are you thinking?

is there enough space to make the stairs switch back toward the wall? i would start the stairs at the edge wall and have landing that makes a complete U-turn to go up the stairs. You could have small closet under the upper stairs and storage cabinets or bookcases under the landing,

I" think every feasible (and many not feasible) option has been offered. So what are you thinking?"

NO CLUE. But when an op types HELP s doesn't return after four days other than to sate "I don't see why he can't just eliminate the platform ..............?.

(The IRC stairs code states that the minimum width for stairs be no less than 36 inches. The stair riser code is up to 7.75 inches, and can not vary more than 3/8 of an inch.) or..........or , or she hangs a rope/rung ladder.....or........

So there is a reason somewhere in that plan and NOBODY knows.

AND OP HAS YET TO provide the original plan, thus it seems we shall not know anytime soon.

Move on. . The "mistake "was on the plan, was ignored, and the thread is same at this point.

Give it up. : )