Stairway in the Dwelling House, Canterbury Shaker Village (1793)
The stairway of the 1793 Dwelling House at Canterbury Shaker Village in New Hampshire, with a slender handrail, simple balusters and a carefully proportioned stairwell.
Design characteristics
Shaker stairs are notable for their lightness. This one in Canterbury's Dwelling House uses a thin, continuous handrail, plain square or round balusters and a stair stringer with no applied decoration. The eye follows the rail rather than any ornament. For a modern home, a Shaker-style stair is one of the best ways to create a timeless look: slim parts, a warm wood rail and painted elements around it.
Classification
- Style
- Shaker
- Category
- Trim & Moulding
- Material
- Pine
- Photograph
- 2022
- Photographer
- Adjawstw
- 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.
