And then the machine encourages them to turn on one another. Hit, betray, lie—and be rewarded with food. Refuse, and starve. As readers, we are meant, I think, to identify with Lola and Peter, while recognizing that some of us, at least, probably have some of Abigail and Blossom, and perhaps Oliver in us as well. (I say perhaps Oliver because he is the only one of the five that I really couldn’t identify with.) Abigail’s need to conform, to not upset people, to be politely skeptical, is all too human. The traditional overhead light is often not possible either because there is another staircase above or the ceiling is too high. If you are looking for a way to flood the entire staircase with light, install a fixture on the wall of the stairway landing. Make sure it is bright enough to extend up to the top or bottom of the stairs. Apart from the comfort criteria, building codes include also a wide range of safety criteria. We mentioned some in the paragraph above: the staircase width (vital in a fire emergency) and the headroom (helps to avoid a bump on the head). There is one special safety element that the codes tend to describe in detail: balusters.

Cons:Very few, hence it being such a popular material. Though dark and heavy wood can, in some cases, be overbearing when used for such a central feature. By re-living that particular time of her life, Elizabeth—alongside the reader—acquires a better understanding of the circumstances that lead Bell to commit murder. Her narration is a far from passive relay of what happened for Elizabeth in the present seems actively involved in this scrutiny of past events. In general, the best place for the base of a staircase is viewed as being somewhere near to the front door. It is also preferable not have to cross another room to reach the stairs from the front door.In fact, this is vital if there is a third storey to the house, as the stairs will have to act as a fire escape route. The Rendell/ Vine partnership has for years been producing consistently better work than most Booker winners put together' Ian Rankin

House of Stairs (1974), a science fiction novel by William Sleator, takes place mostly in the peculiar setting of a house of stairs, resembling the visual paradox of the same name designed by M.C. Escher. It follows five teenaged orphans who are abducted and placed in the house of stairs as an unethical experiment in social dynamics. The teenagers band together to find out the truth about the place where they are being held in captivity. The book is well known in the sci-fi genre for its unique take on a futuristic dystopian society, posing one possible outcome of a government that exploits its people, but also vindicating the inherent goodness of humans as the teenagers learn to work together. GoingThe horizontal distance between one step and the next, measured from the nosing to the nosing. Building Regs specify a minimum distance of 220mm to a maximum of 300mm. With such anelevated place within the home, staircases demand just as much decorative thought and polish as the rest of the house. Staircases, for example, are perfect places for trendy wallpaper or a splash of unexpected color. Unique lighting, an artsy collection, and eye-catching runners are other excellent ways to bring life to a staircase. Finally, hand-forged iron or bespoke fretwork banisters can transform steps into sculptural works of art. In Imperial units, it translates to 2 × rise + run ≈ 25 inches. If you breach this rule, our stair calculator will warn you that the steps you've designed won't be comfortable to use.

House of Stairs may be one of the most disturbing and memorable young adult science fiction books ever. I first encountered it in junior high, and it left a chill that has never completely left. Written in the 1970s, in a period of deep distrust of government, it is a chilling tale of brainwashing, governmental power, distrust, and stairs, terrifying for its bleak visions of humanity and our future. For the procedures in underwater diving, see Ascending and descending (diving). Ascending and Descending This crisp and contemporary concrete staircase is from Spiral UK and looks great paired with the brushed metal handrail. (Image credit: Spiral UK) Where to Buy a Staircase Cons:Acrylic can be prone to surface scratches and as a flammable material cannot be used for staircases that will be fire escape routes.Some good stairway design ideas for small spaces include using thin metal spindles or combining glass with metal. This leaves the room still airy and bright. Fortunately, there are plenty of talented writers who can write for young people, and one of those is William Sleator.

Like most other components of a stairway, the lighting has both aesthetic and functional roles. Without proper illumination, going up and down the stairs can be a safety hazard especially for children and the elderly.

The Railing

Some stairway designs also add a unique style to the newels – the handrail supporting posts at the start and end of the stairway. I was worried that this book would have an anticlimatic ending, that there would be no explanation of why this was happening to these people. But it has a very satisfying ending that will leave you thinking about it for a long time. It's like 1984 for a slightly younger set. From there it gets only worse. They soon discover that the dance isn't enough. The infighting that comes naturally becomes essential to their survival, for only when they are cruel or greedy will the machine start flashing its lights and entice them to dance. The question then becomes whether or not the kids will do as the machine wishes, and how long they can hold out against it. Or if they will. I don’t know. All I do know is that this is a book whose stairs and ending linger long in the memory. In 2011, the Vancouver-based production house Zest Productions announced executive Scott G. Hyman ( 500 Days of Summer) had optioned the movie rights to House of Stairs. [2] Montreal-based genre writer Doug Taylor was reported to have been hired to adapt the story, and that Hyman, Michael Glassman and Michael Solomon would produce.