to stair or not to stair the history of the MJ Supreme Awards

There is something about the staircase. Children love them - remember the time spent supervising when they discover they can go up but not down? As adults, what we want is always up the stairs. And then there’s always the pile of stuff at the bottom of the stairs. Betty White said, “I have a two-story house and a bad memory, so I’m up and down those stairs all the time. That is my exercise”.

Apart from the functional purpose they serve, a staircase can make a statement and define the character of a building. It is for this reason that the staircase represents something very special to joiners. The skill and precision required highlights the workmanship and talent in our industry. Getting the riser and the treads perfect, choosing the wood, curving the banister make the staircase one of the pinnacles of the joinery range.

It is fitting then that the staircase features so prominently in the Supreme Award - the entry with the highest overall score.

Looking back at the past ten winners of the Supreme Award we see:

2011 Best door or window – Total Timba Joinery Ltd, Auckland

2012 Staircase - Torrance Stairways, Cambridge – a sweeping staircase created in a style fit for an English Tudor country house.

2013 Best specialty, Stairs, Bar/Counter FitmentPapakura Joinery Ltd, Auckland – Auckland Art Gallery extension and refurbishment, 15m curved trunk like columns supporting a stunning kauri canopy.

2014 Staircase - Artisan Carpentry Auckland, Charles de Lapomarede – a spiral staircase in American white ash.

2015 Staircase – Stevenson & William, Gary Turner –fabulous winding wooden staircase fitted into a tapered tower.

2016 Staircase - Artisan Carpentry, Auckland, Charles de Lapomarede – beautiful curving staircase.

2017 Kitchen - Advanced Joinery, Christchurch

2018 Kitchen - Firman Joinery, Oamaru

2019 Staircase - McNaughton Windows and Doors, Auckland – a stunningly crafted stairs, made from 28 stained French Oak stair treads to a template curved stairwell.

2021 Staircase – Firman Joinery, Oamaru - a feature staircase in the entry to a home.

Six of the last ten Supreme Awards have been won by a staircase. That makes the staircase very special.

The Master Joiner award winners will be announced at our annual Conference held in Blenheim on the 8th to 10th of September this year. Will another staircase win this year?