A+ ELEVATORS ON THE RISE
Part of the appeal of an elevator is the intimacy. The passenger elevator initially found its place in history with its success in hotels in the mid-1800s. It created an experience that separated it from the business world of the early Wall Street types in New York City. Later, when the elevator was introduced into the retail world, it was primarily to provide a safe and smooth ride to the upper floors, yet one of its earliest riders remembered it this way.
“You enter a charming little room nicely carpeted, around three sides of which a low cushioned seat extends. The walls are furnished with polished and variegated woods, and adorned with mirrors. Quaint panes of stained glass admit light at the top, but this would be insufficient, even at noonday, were it not for a pretty and petite chandelier, fed with gas by a rubber “flexible” which itself is ingeniously arranged.” *
Fast-forward to the 21st century, and the description could read, “You enter this amazing room measuring nearly 18’ square feet paneled in exotic wood with a sublime brushed nickel handrail. The panels, in wood and glass, are so highly polished you can practically see your own image. The music is anything but Muzak, and the recessed and dimmed LED lighting spotlights the art installed over the matching brushed nickel car operating panel, where each floor is marked on its button with a name, phrase, or location. You find yourself wanting to ride again!”
When Chris Harris, owner and founder of A+ Elevators, and members of his elite team of craftsmen, technicians, installers, project managers, and quality control inspectors state, “We love a design challenge,” take note because this is one of several reasons why they continue to design and manufacture the experience we are all after when we enter that intimate space. We want to be elevated!
Since 2010, A+ Elevators has elevated its clients to new heights in the Rocky Mountain West. Designing up to six stops with a height up to 50 feet gives Harris’ team plenty to imagine when a client confirms that the elevator should be the focal point of the home. Experimenting with innovative techniques in metal, glass, and wood to complement the home’s architecture and design typically culminates in a visual masterpiece. If it’s minimalist in style with high-impact features or embellished with the unexpected, Sean Brown, VP of Sales claims, “Our highest selling point is we provide the unimaginable!”
And, whether it’s electro-hydraulic, direct-gear, gearless, or pneumatic, there is no unfinished business. The hoistway equipment is out of sight. In between the floors, it is either dressed in matching colors or expertly hidden behind panels. Every detail is taken into consideration, including the speed and the servicing, which is performed by in-house specialists.
An exterior elevator shaft designed to mimic an old rustic oil derrick is the perfect complement to this mountain home.
The “Unimaginable” Could Easily Include:
- A leather floor to match the décor of the home
- Custom color-coated panels
- Personalized music on each floor
- Non-numbered buttons (think: gym and gear, library and theater, penthouse and pool, rooftop and garden)
- 90-degree directional
- Three-sided entrance or exit to take full advantage of a home’s views
Often the elevator is purely for prestige, and presently there is no shortage of homeowners whose desire is to make a statement of architectural integrity with an optical and vertical surprise. However, a home elevator is much more common than we might expect. Plenty of homeowners are forward-thinking and express their desire and plan to live in their home for the rest of their lives. They’ll say “design it now and we’ll put it in later,” understanding that they may face physical limitations like aging knees or a degenerative issue.
Others want to ensure family members of mobility, “I want to give my mother-in-law access to all the floors,” which often requires locating a convenient place for all of the family members’ use within the design of the home. Brown says, “We’re always adapting to a client’s environment. We visit the home, give them ideas, listen to their needs, and recommend a contractor. We offer custom fabrication in our cabs with meticulous care to detail, astounding quality, and incomparable customer service that characterizes our reputation in the industry.” Add the homeowner’s self-sufficiency and the home’s increased resale value and you’ll begin to understand why A+ Elevators transcends the luxury home elevator market.
Indoors or outdoors, modern or traditional, building or renovating, the possibilities are customized to your specifications. With a showroom in Salt Lake City, your experience is waiting. Go ahead. Get lifted.
