While my post title may hint at some sublime — nay, ecstatic — state of being, I am most assuredly located squarely in the seventh level of hell, a level reserved for poor souls unfortunate enough to buy and sell a home at the same time. Our bank account is hemmorrhaging faster than a hemophiliac at an acupuncturist, and coping with little sleep and loads of msg laden takeout for the last few weeks has left me with a (hopefully impermanent) visage that can only be labeled as cryptkeeper chic.
Let’s talk about stairs.
So, fresh paint is up at New House and it’s looking jazzy, but the decorating dominoes have begun their inexorable tumble towards complete and total overhaul. Now, please. Ok, not everything can happen now, but the glossy barf oak stairs are particularly offensive, and that must be dealt with. Paint is the solution to every crisis, yes?
This is my dreamboat banister. White balusters, black rails and black… end thingy. I know it has a name? Bueller? Bueller?
Look how much better things can be! I think the mocha stain looks rich with the light floors.
No way am I covering up my fancy new treads with a runner (sorry future baby’s knees), but I like everything else about this.
Painting everything black would probably make my life easier, right?
Ok, so my question for you is: how hard is this going to be on a scale of 1 to mf nightmare? Pretty close to the bad side, right? Do I have to sand all that crap?????
Should I paint the balusters white and the rail and end post black? Stain rail and endpost dark? Paint everything charcoal?
Lock myself into a hidey hole and never come out?
[Living Etc, House Beautiful, Centsational Girl, Lonny, Richard Powers]
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You are going to have to sand no matter what you choose. I like the dark/light combo.
newel post. it is called a newel post. fyi!
Our before: http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/a450/ebwphotography/photo.jpg
Our after: http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/a450/ebwphotography/photo-1.jpg
We took the stair rails completely out of the stairs, leaned them on a wall and let our friend with a sprayer paint them. We had to sand the hand rails by hand and then stain them, but since they were out of the floor/off the wall, it was much easier. I’m pretty sure we did a light sanding of the spindles (it’s all fuzzy now after 4 months of reno), maybe even oil primed them, then painted. Wah lah! LOVE the black rails above – it’s worth doing what you really want or you’ll always wish you had.
sand them? gross. that sucks
I love that black/white combo. So crispy.
Erin, I am in LOVE with an all-black railing. It looks more like a piece of furniture when you do it that way…also looks old-school, um, old school. Like an old schoolhouse. I love the way it looks with the white trim. HAWT!
If you haven’t already slated it for removal, you also might want to remove the wall-mounted handrail.
The dodgy handrail is for sure for sure going.
So are you suggesting I paint the rails, newels (thanks, edgertor!) AND balusters black? Or not the balusters (spindles)?
I think an ebony stain will be more forgiving then black paint. But maybe I’m just thinking about cabinetry.
I always wanted to spruce up the stairs at the last place (oak nightmare) but it always felt so daunting.
Definitely like white riser, dark tread.
Also, do you have an entry? from the pics it looks like the front door opens into the living room.
I was thinking black handrail, balusters, and newel post as they are in the last photo. The large plate that they sit on and the wall trim piece under it could be white.
I certainly also like the white balusters with black newel post / handrail, but with very light wall colors like the one you are doing, the all-black could look very dashing.
Hey Naomi, there is a small separate foyer in the front. You can’t see it in any of the pictures.
Painting the rail and balusters the same color would be the easiest fix…
I say make yourself completely batty and go for the ombre effect of the first image! I don’t envy you, this seems like a very daunting task. I’m a fellow Austinite and new to your blog. Love your humor!
Just a teeny tiny bit of sanding with one of those hand-comfy soft sandy sponges. Then, use TSP. It used to called “Liquid Sand” in olden times. Then you’re good to go. I actually like the all black set. But all of them are really great. I miss having an upstairs and a basement. Really wish we had a kid zone for the teens around here. Will be living vicariously through all your decor decisions!
Whoa. Stop everything and look at this staircase fantasy brass number: http://cocokelley.blogspot.com/2011/10/back-to-brass.html. Soooo good.
I like the idea of painting charcoal. As long as it is glossy!!
I think that Beth’s suggestion of removing the railings and spindles is the way to go. Not hard to do, have your carpenter come and number the spindles on the bottom.
Then I join Naomi with the ebony stain and white plan. The before and after photos are right on. My guess is that you will be sad in the long run if you paint the banister and spindles all black.
mb from big D.
PS. Susie Q ‘s link to the brass stairs is nothing short of fantastic.
mb again.
Black and white combination is great! Much better than “before” photo.
I have wanted to do the same thing in our house for the LONGEST time. I’ve got photos pinned for inspiration, but may have missed a few of these. I vote for banister and newel post black and risers white with black or dark tread. I need you to do this so I can be inspired to do it myself. Uggh. What a task.
I have painted a ballustrade (banister + ballisters = ballustrade, I think) and I can tell you that a light sand with a foam sander is the right choice. Of course the actual banister can be machine sanded if you have an intense finish on there, but that’s way easier. What’s not way easier is to have the banister a different color from the ballisters. But, if you do decide to go that route (and are attempting it yourself due to the crazy expense it is to hire someone to do it) do it from the top down (as in banister and newel posts first). It would be horrible to have to paint all the ballisters again if any paint (or stain) drips. And get one of those gardening foam pads for kneeling – they’re the absolute best thing when you have to be on your knees reaching and stretching for hours. However, with all that being said, it’s sooooo satisfying to be able to say you did it yourself. Plus, who has that kind of money? Oh, wait, who has that kind of time?
I just got done painting my stairs, well, mostly done. It is a lot of work, add more time to your expected finish date if you are a perfectionist. Mine took me probably 40 hours (maybe more, I lost track) and I haven’t even done my railing. I had a few mishaps along the way and will be posting pictures shortly on my blog. I am working on a new posting about the process called “Do As I Say, Not As I’ve Done” and it should be posted in another day or two. In the meantime, if you have questions, feel free to email me.
I’m having the exact same dilemma at this exact same moment.
I know for sure that I’m not doing the black and white risers…….I’m too ADD to look at that everyday! I’m leaning towards all white with a black banister. I can just attach dust mops to my children’s feet!