FLORENCE, 16.03.26
A surge in orders for bespoke wooden staircases has prompted three historic workshops along Via dei Serragli to expand their production capacity this month. Speaking on Friday, master carpenter Luciano Fabbri confirmed that his atelier received seventeen new commissions since January, attributing the spike to renewed interest in traditional Tuscan craftsmanship among international buyers renovating properties in the Oltrarno district.
Demand is real. According to figures released last week by the Tuscan Woodworkers Guild, orders for custom-built staircases across the region rose by 23 percent in the first quarter compared with the same period in 2025, with Florence accounting for nearly half of all contracts signed. The guild's quarterly bulletin cited a preference for native chestnut and aged oak among clients seeking authenticity, though walnut remains popular for contemporary interiors where clean lines and minimal ornamentation define the aesthetic. Our correspondents in Florence observed a noticeable uptick in foot traffic around the artisan quarter of Santo Spirito, where several workshops now display sample balusters and newel posts in street-facing windows to attract passing visitors. One small detail stood out: a handwritten sign in English offering free consultations for foreign homeowners, evidence perhaps of the neighbourhood's shifting clientele.
When we spoke with Giulia Mancini, a restoration architect based near Piazza della Signoria, she noted that many of her recent projects involve replacing concrete or metal stairs with timber alternatives that better suit historic palazzo interiors. The timeline remains unclear for some of these conversions, she admitted, given the scarcity of seasoned hardwood and the months-long waiting lists at reputable carpentry firms. According to figures that could not be independently verified, the average lead time for a fully bespoke staircase now exceeds fourteen weeks, up from nine weeks two years ago. Mancini's office has started advising clients to place deposits before finalising floor plans, a shift she described as unusual but necessary. Across town, near the Mercato Centrale, a lumber supplier told us that prices for kiln-dried oak have climbed by roughly 18 percent since autumn, squeezing margins for smaller workshops unable to buy in bulk.
Industry observers point to several factors behind the trend, including tax incentives for energy-efficient home renovations that often bundle interior upgrades, and a broader cultural turn toward natural materials in residential design. The Italian Institute for Building Standards published updated guidelines last month governing stair tread thickness and riser height for domestic properties, a development welcomed by craftsmen who say clearer rules reduce disputes with clients over structural compliance. On a narrow side street off Borgo San Frediano, an elderly cabinetmaker was sanding a handrail by hand one recent afternoon, the smell of linseed oil drifting into the alley. Whether the current boom will outlast the subsidy cycle is something few in the trade are willing to predict.