After living in military housing apartments followed by two single-story homes in my childhood, I was always enamored with the idea of having an amazing staircase in a future home.  The first two homes Jeff and I bought as adults had staircases but they were enclosed and completely utilitarian.  Our Minnesota house was the first house that had a staircase that was an architectural feature and I loved it.  It was open to the foyer, but it was also a unique “scissor staircase”, which split in two at the landing making a “front staircase” to the foyer and a “back staircase” to the kitchen.  When we started househunting in 2022, I never thought we would end up in a single-story ranch-style house.  I think the fact I was in an orthopedic boot and on a scooter made me a bit more open to the idea of not having a staircase.