The photograph of this decadent bathroom has a feature in it I thought we should revisit. The stairway in this room has been adorned with small lights, which give the room a soft glow and also make the stairs a secondary focal point to the exquisite Kohler soaker tub.
Stairways can provide a unique decorating opportunity but are often overlooked as a potential decorative element. After ensuring any adornment you choose will not cause any unsafe conditions, there are many unique ways to enhance a stairway that can give your room that special something you've been looking for.
Because of the unique nature of stairs, you have several surfaces with which to work. Risers, spindles, rails, banisters, treads (safety first!) and the walls adjoining the stairs are all fair game. You may choose to address all of these surfaces or just one depending upon your tastes and the staircase itself.
For example, the stairs in our feature photo don't have any railings, so you're left with risers, treads and the walls adjoining the staircase. While simple lights were added to the stairs in this particular example there are other ways in which the stairs could be decorated. One option would be to paint the partial wall, on the right hand side of the staircase, in bold accent colour. Because of the small visual area, a strong colour would work well. You could also use the same colour (or a co-ordinating colour) on the left wall, which would highlight the stairs further. An oversized painted canvas hung on the left wall would also be stunning.
The stair treads are adorned with lovely, light-coloured wood running down the centre of the each tread and riser. You could definitely add a strong colour to the right and left sides of the wood (where the lights are sitting) to accentuate it even more.
Stairs with paintable railings and spindles offer yet another realm of possibilities. Updating the rails with paint can make a world of difference. Using two or more co-ordinating colours will give the area new life. Consider a contrast between the railing and spindles for an updated look. Dark railings with light spindles can look smashing, for example.
Stair risers can be a fun decorating adventure. There are many items you can apply to the risers that can add tons of character to your home. Decorative ceramic tiles, vintage licence plates and metal house numbers are just a few fun items to consider.
Painting the risers in a bold colour provides a repetitive pattern that can be very eye-catching. Stencil or hand-painted designs, words, numbers or scenes conducive to the room.
Small collectibles, books, baskets and so forth can be displayed along one or both sides of the stair treads as long as they don't pose any unsafe conditions. It can be a great way to display your collection or collectibles if you're short on space. I've seen wicker baskets at Wicker World that are graduated like the stairs and are made to sit neatly on a stair to hold books or what-have-you. Just another option for storage and display that might enhance your home.
A full wall on the side of a staircase is a great place to display large groupings of family photos. Keeping the frames similar will make the display more cohesive but a mixture of sizes and styles of frames can work, too, if you plan your layout well.
Textured wall finishes can also enhance a plain staircase. Faux brick, wainscoting, textured paint, decorative wood, wallpaper or even mirrored tiles are just a few ideas to consider.
On wooden stairs, paint can be used to create a faux carpet runner in whatever design you desire. In reverse, you could just paint the outside edges of the 'runner' and leave the wooden part as is if the stairs are in good shape. Just be sure the pattern you intend to use doesn't cause vertigo. Be sure to use paint that is not high gloss and therefore potentially slippery.
You could also install an actual carpet runner to add warmth and comfort underfoot. If you can't afford to have a professionally installed full runner, consider using carpet remnants and just carpet the treat area of each step. I did this in our home and it's made a huge difference in the safety and appearance of our wooden staircase.
You may be able to find additional storage under a stairwell to house a small library of books or other items you want to have at hand. You'll notice in our feature photograph the partial wall on the right-hand side of the stairs has an alcove that could be used in this manner.
With all of these options, you should consider stepping up and decorating your staircase.
Connieoliver@shaw.ca
