The Staircase at Château Destinée

The main staircase between the ground floor and first floor is perhaps not the grandest staircase I have ever seen. It does not sweep up dramatically from the entrance hall, nor does it create that theatrical first impression some châteaux are known for. But if it did, we would lose something else we love even more: that seamless view from the river through to the pavilion, which gives Château Destinée such a special sense of openness from the moment you arrive.

Quietly in the west wing

Instead, the staircase sits quietly in the west wing, with a gentle curve of its own. It may not be the first thing guests notice, but it is still an important part of the house, and we wanted to give it the care it deserved. We wanted it to feel like a staircase that reminds you that you are climbing through history, in a château that is deeply loved and carefully looked after.

Three of us, four full days

Even with that ambition, I had not imagined it would take three of us four full days to complete.

Sanding metal balustrading is, to put it mildly, incredibly time-consuming. Every angle, every curve, every awkward section demands attention, and somehow you have to become a contortionist just to reach it all properly. Then, once you think you are finished, you find yourself stepping back, crouching down, leaning sideways, and looking at it from every possible direction to make sure nothing has been missed.

Mind the paint

We love the end result. It lifted the whole staircase and gave it exactly the sense of care we had hoped for. But I will admit that I now feel slightly protective whenever I see guests carrying suitcases up and down those stairs. I find myself silently willing them not to knock the paint.

That is perhaps the funny thing about jobs like this. Before doing it myself, I would never have understood the amount of work hidden behind what sounds so simple when someone says, “just paint the balustrading.” Now, I understand it very well indeed.

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