Spiral Stair in the Trustees' Office, Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill
One of the twin spiral staircases in the Trustees' Office at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, rising in a smooth curve with a continuous handrail.
Design characteristics
The twin spiral stairs at Pleasant Hill, built in the early 1840s, are among the most celebrated pieces of American woodwork. The handrail curves without interruption from floor to floor, and the stringer and balusters follow the same smooth line. The stairs show that the Shakers' simplicity did not mean plainness: it meant removing everything that did not contribute to the form. Curved work like this is demanding, but a CNC can cut curved stringer and rail templates that make it achievable.
Classification
- Style
- Shaker
- Category
- Trim & Moulding
- Material
- Cherry
- Motifs
- Spiral stair, Handrail
- Photograph
- 2010
- Photographer
- Photo by Dana Buntrock. local louisville
- Evidence
- Photograph of a documented interior or object
- Source
- Wikimedia Commons
Architectural context
Plain panels, peg rails and built-in storage made with exacting care. Shaker communities, United States · c. 1780–1900.
