Bertram Beerbaum, managing director and the public face of the architectural firm Kabaz in the Dutch town of Laren is passionate about design. Bertram has become known throughout the Netherlands as a presenter and jury member on various home improvement programmes. He also appears most days on Dutch TV on the entertainment programme ‘Shownieuws’ where he shares his expert opinion about distinctive houses.
In 2011, Upstairs Staircase Renovation and Bertram Beerbaum agreed to work on a unique partnership: Bertram would design his own line of staircases for Upstairs. People are still excited about this partnership. “The staircase is usually an underappreciated part of the house”, said Beerbaum, “while it is literally and figuratively the hub of the house. That’s why I give staircases extra attention in my work as an interior designer. A staircase can really be a striking object, almost a work of art.” At the same time, the designer acknowledged that it is “quite challenging” to give a new look to an existing staircase.
Bertram Beerbaum designer of the Sturdy-Chic line
Sturdy-Chic!
In all of his designs, Bertram tries above all to be original and authentic – no nonsense! For interiors, he prefers to use clean lines and shapes that have an attractive simplicity but create a surprise through their colour and/or materials. He only considers a design fully successful once the old look can no longer be recognised in the new design. It was on this principle that he started working on the staircase line for Upstairs Staircase Renovation.
In a world where the environment and nature are gaining increasing importance, he chose to work with natural and straightforward materials such as leather and blue steel. These robust materials have a sturdy and austere appearance. When these materials are used for a staircase, it creates a surprisingly chic effect. It brings sturdy and chic together in perfect harmony. Which in fact was also the inspiration for the name of this line: Sturdy-Chic!
An amazing staircase line
“We’re extremely pleased with Bertram’s amazing idea. It’s incredible to see how Bertram has developed a totally new concept for us from his unique vision. Our craftsmen find the materials very easy to work with. They’re beautiful, natural materials and of course we only choose the best”, said Jan Steyvers, Director of Upstairs Staircase Renovation.
Together with Upstairs, Bertram Beerbaum has been able to turn a functional staircase into an amazingly attractive object. Not only is it a pleasure to look at, but also to use since the materials in the Sturdy-Chic line really come to life through use!
