Three Story continuous Interior railing

Project Brief

Smith Shop designed and produced a simple, elegant forged stair railing for the central staircase of a new construction “Cape Dutch” home in the Detroit suburbs. The railing was one 55 foot continuous curve from the 2nd floor landing all the way to the basement. There was also one supplemental 5 foot section at the mouth of the stair case on the main floor.

While simple in design, this railing had many complex elements. The balusters terminated directly into the wood and marble flooring. The newel posts and wall brackets had invisible recessed mounting hardware. The railing cap was all custom forged in house.

Year: 2020

Cost: $$$$

Low Exterior PorCh Railing

Project Brief

Smith Shop designed forged, and fabricated a porch railing for a Tudor revival home that spanned the entire width of the home. This cleanly executed railing had many great moments including: joinery terminating in floral elements on the handrail, custom forged railing cap with keyed seams, shields containing botanical elements that alternate with bevel scroll balusters, the rise and return of all the terminations, and the rise of the continuous line from low porch railing to descending hand railing. This railing transformed the front of this already interesting home.

Year: 2022

Cost: $$$

railing restoration

Project Brief

A boutique developer restored a late 19th century, 4-story brownstone in mid-town Detroit from near ruin to become a unique residential development. Working from mangled fragments and historic photographs Smith Shop was able to recreate authentic replicas of the three 27-foot long curved railings. Smith Shop used period appropriate traditional slotting and joining techniques to make the railing panels. We hired and oversaw a foundry artist to make cast iron newels, finials and railing caps. The railings were finished in a durable powder coat. Smith Shop worked with the general contractor and developer to deliver and install the railings on time and on budget.

Year: 2015

Cost: $$$$

Modern Stair Railing

Project Brief

Clients approached Smith Shop looking for a statement railing to be the centerpiece of their renovation of a two story Mid-Century home in central Detroit. The railing features water jet cut panels, intermediate newels that passed through stretchers, textured and chamfered railing cap, a curving descent, and a show stopping termination newel. The railing was finished with a black patina and oil rubbed finish. Smith Shop designed, fabricated, finished and installed this railing.

Year: 2022

Cost: $$$$

Tudor Revival Porch Railing

Project Brief

A client in an historic Detroit neighborhood sought stylistically appropriate porch railings for their Tudor Revival home to assist in climbing and descending their porch stairs. Smith Shop designed, forged, fabricated, and installed these elegant, lyrical, and fairly traditional hand railings.

Year: 2018

Cost: $$$

modern Interior stair railing

Project Brief

A client in the midst of a complete home renovation—updating a 1950s colonial revival lake house— sought an elegant, contemporary, and distinctive railing for their main entryway. Smith Shop created a clean modern design with extensive handmade joinery detailing and a black oil rubbed finish.

Year: 2018

Cost: $$$

exterior balcony, railing + column

Project Brief

Smith Shop designed and produced a 4 x 12 ft exterior balcony with decorative trim, structural deck supports and decorative floor panels, a 10 ft decorated structural support column, and 50 feet of forged decorative railing. The balcony met an existing covered porch and provided access from a second story bedroom to the roof deck above the covered porch. This project was done in coordination with the client’s general contractor. Smith Shop provided design and structural details for the project to be certified by a structural engineer. The designs reflected the clients 1890’s Victorian home and their cultivated taste in historic ironwork from travels in London.

Year: 2019

Cost: $$$$

interior Juliet Railing

Project Brief

A client with a new construction lake house in suburban Detroit sought an understated safety railing for a third story balcony that looked out over the lake from an interior loggia-like opening. After viewing the client’s extensive Asian art collection, Smith Shop designed a slotted and tenoned railing inspired by traditional Japanese wood joinery in their collection. The 7 ft railing was completely constructed with tension and cold joinery, and had a black oil rubbed finish.

Year: 2019

Cost: $$

Historic railing Restoration

Project Brief

After having their porch rebuilt, a client in an historic Detroit neighborhood sought the restoration of their nearly 100 year old ironwork. Smith Shop stripped, repaired, and made new parts for two existing railing sections. In addition Smith Shop created a new handrail that matched the original work exactly. The railings were then powdered coated and reinstalled.

Year: 2015

Cost: $$