Home Improvement 101: Simple Staircase Renovation

Nothing says “dated” quite like a staircase covered with beige carpet – a look that was all the rage in the 1990s. It’s no surprise that one of the first projects our sample homeowners tackled in their newly purchased neo colonial house was their outdated staircase. Staircases are typically considered transitional (or pass-through) spaces. As a result, the staircase is often overlooked as a place of potential beauty, especially in a builder-grade home. After all, people don’t spend nearly as much time on the stairs as they do the kitchen or living room.

The grand plan was to convert the staircase drab and lifeless eyesore into a stylish, statement-making work of art that fit the aesthetic of the newly remodeled living room without competing for attention. Part of the transformation was painting the walls, baseboards, and stringers a soft white color – ‟Chantilly Lace” by Benjamin Moore, many designers’ favorite. That alone instantly brightened up the space.

Once the carpet was torn out, the wood underneath was not salvageable, so both the treads and the risers had to be replaced. The treads were replaced with unfinished pine treads, which were then primed and painted black to add a dose of drama. Black paint is a low-cost, high-impact way to update any space.

To withstand years of high traffic, the couple made sure to use floor enamel specifically designed for interior or exterior wooden floors for optimum durability and scuff resistance. The treads already had a bullnose edge, which saved a laborious step in the makeover process. The new risers were then primed and painted the same white color as the baseboards and trim throughout the rest of the house.

The bigger design debate was whether to change the newel-posts, balusters, and handrails for a more modern option or to keep the more traditional existing ones. The latter option was definitely more cost-effective, a big factor in the couple’s decision. However, the aesthetics were equally important; by painting the traditional pieces black, the couple combined traditional and modern design elements to create a statement-making focal point at a fraction of the cost of all-new stair parts. The stark juxtaposition of white against black made for a high-contrast and bold look.

They also debated whether to install a gallery wall or oversized artwork or keep the walls bare to allow the architectural details to speak for themselves. (An L-shaped staircase is already more visually interesting than a straight one.) They decided to install a black-and-white gallery wall above a console table next to the staircase, so adding anything else to the stairs would visually clutter the space. Not wanting to take the focus away from the living room, they chose to keep the walls of the staircase bare. Sometimes simplicity speaks volumes.

Oksana Strelkova is a passionate blogger who writes about intentional living and design. She has been featured on Domino.com, House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping, and many others. A wife and mother of two darling girls, when not designing or blogging, she’s usually redecorating their home or daydreaming of their next trip abroad (she and her husband have visited nearly 30 countries together). Follow Oksana's latest house flip on FOXYOXIE.com and Instagram.