Seattle Stair & Design is led by homegrown innovator Shawn Christman.

Most people take staircases, steps, rails and bannisters for granted. We go up and we go down, without taking much notice of things like materials or aesthetic.

Seattle’s own Shawn Christman has a different eye for this sort of thing. He founded Seattle Stair & Design in 1978. Since then, the company has designed some of the most elegant stairways in the city — and abroad.

A local furniture favorite makes the move from SoDo to First Avenue.

Jim Newsom, founder and owner of Urban Hardwoods, knows a thing or two about local timber. For the past 15 years, his company has created gorgeous furniture using native tree species native of the Pacific Northwest. Last month, the company’s new brick-and-mortar location – a 6,600-square-foot showroom located in the heart of Belltown – opened its doors, and Newsom couldn’t be more thrilled.

New Italian furniture design lets owners choose the look that is right for their living room.

If you are looking to fill the space left behind by your previous sofa, there are several options available to you. You might choose a traditional couch, an angled seating arrangement or a pair of matching recliners – the possibilities are many. Or, if you’re the indecisive type, a new SOSIA sofa might be just what you need.