Hidden Stairs

Zeke has been interested in secret rooms and compartments for years. The idea of utilizing unused and inconspicuous spaces has captivated his imagination from the creative aspects to ways we can reduce the footprint we leave on this earth. When this historic house renovation came to a standstill due to the obstacle of preserving the cellar stairs and also adding a deck, Zeke rose to the challenge.

Years ago he came up with a concept of a dual purpose staircase that functions as both deck stairs and moveable hidden door to cellar stairs, thus preserving that exterior entrance into the basement that is usually sealed off when renovating the exterior of a house.

The idea was pitched to the homeowner with the video below and although the schematics hadn't been completely solidified, the homeowners agreed to the idea and we set to work.

There were several challenges to be thought through;

• How to minimize friction to ensure longevity.

• How to attach it to the deck seamlessly so it's double function was not obvious.

• How to secure it from intruders.

• How to make it watertight.

• How to make it light enough to be accessed by family members of all sizes.

These were just some of the questions lingering without solid answers while we collected a down payment and started the interior house remodel. Zeke's brother Zacc had just graduated with a bachelors in mechanical engineering and we were lucky to immediately add him to the HyggeHus team. He put Zeke's concept to paper and, finally, saw to wood to create the finished product you see in the video.

As with any prototype, it was more complicated and expensive than budgeted for, but the kinks and knots were smoothed out and we were left with a functional and beautiful prototype for our forthcoming adjustable kit version that will allow people to preserve those historic and useful cellar entrances when adding on a deck.

Cheers!