3/23

Our Bright White Stairway

Before/After, Home Decor, Home Tour: Elsie
By Elsie Larson

A bright white stairway!Here's a fun little before/after story from Jeremy's and my renovation process! When we purchased our home the stairs looked like this…Our stairway (BEFORE)Because of the homes age (it was built in 1885) we knew there probably would be hardwoods under most of the carpets, but we couldn't know the condition of everything until after moving in. On closing day we got our keys, did a little happy dance and started ripping up carpet! It was exciting and a tiny bit scary. 

We were pleasantly surprised that almost all of the wood floors were in decent condition and would be in great condition with just a little buffing and sealing! The stairs were already painted (a not-so-lovely shade of green). And after talking over options with our painter, we decided that the most practical choice was to paint them again. First, we chose white base boards with black steps. It was a mistake. An expensive mistake… oops! But you know, in every renovation story there are one or two slightly expensive mistakes. Our black stairs didn't work for our lifestyle because they looked instantly dirty… even hours after being mopped. We have a fawn pug who sheds a lot and it was just bad. In addition, my grandmother came over and commented that it was hard for her to see the steps when walking down (yikes! and that was in the daylight) so we decided to bite the bullet and have them repainted.Our stairway (AFTER)After! We had them painted while were out of town for the weekend, because the heavy duty sealant needed a few days to cure. When we got home, late one night, we were shocked by how bright and beautiful they looked. SUCH an improvement! Yesssss!White painted stairsAfter months of living with our white stairs, I am so happy with the choice. They are easy to clean, bright and cheerful. I will warn, though, that painted stairs are notoriously slick, and we will probably consider adding a runner to them as our family grows. For now, we're in love!Mustard yellow doorAt the top of the staircase there is a small landing with a closet. We painted this door mustard yellow, and I think it's really fun. I want to add a cute knocker or a hook to this door soon.White painted stairs + stenciled statement wallAt the bottom of the stairway we added this accent wall in December. I am kinda glad that we went all white with the walls and then have been adding colors and patterns, through accent walls—slowly. It's fun to see each room evolve and to build the stylings slowly. Choosing bold colors and patterns takes time for me, so it's been fun to add a little bit each month. 

Thanks so much for reading! Have you ever painted a staircase? I'd love to hear about your experiences. xo. Elsie

*photos 1 and 5 by Janae Hardy. 

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