White stairs with wooden tops and white hand railings.
It feels great to share another completed project with you today!  We completed this project in stages, starting on it when we purchased our home last August, and completing it just a couple weeks ago.  It’s not that it was that time consuming, it’s just that there was always something else to do and well, we dreaded it.  I’m not sure why though.  It’s the entryway of our home – the first area our guests see, making completing it, even more rewarding. So, it was time to do a stair makeover!
Treads and Risers
I’m kicking myself right now – I can’t believe I didn’t take a before photo of the stairs.  But, from this entryway photo…
A wooden door with a big frosted glass window inside.
and this dining room photo, which is adjacent and shared the same dark brown carpet, you get the idea. It was dark and dingy and I didn’t want to replace it with carpeting that I would constantly fuss over, or slip and fall down {yes, I’m that clumsy.}
A wood dining room table with a big chandelier hanging over the top.
We started by removing the carpet.  What did we have to lose?  We pulled out thousands of staples.  Thousands!  I can only imagine how many times those stairs had been carpeted over the last 50 years.
Then, using our hand sander, we sanded the stairs/treads.  Later, we did the risers.  This is a time consuming process, but given the number of staples, it was necessary.  You can see how the risers looked before sanding in this photo.
White stairs with wooden tops and white hand railings.
The holes were filled in and the stairs were stained to match the color of our custom hardwoods.
White stairs with wooden tops and white hand railings.
Next, the risers, along with the banister and handrail were painted a bright white to match the trim in our house.
White stairs with wooden tops and white hand railings.
It really brightened up the dark space, reflecting light that shines in from our new front door.
White stairs with wooden tops and white hand railings.
I retained the original light fixture {that I have seen similar to for sale upwards of $500!} and the “marble” tile floor.  I look forward to styling it with a brass tray table and runner.
White stairs with wooden tops and white hand railings.
After completing this project, I’m anxious to get started on our basement stairs!  Do you have carpeting, a runner or stained stairs?  Do you love them and why?
Coordinately yours,
Julie

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6 Comments

  1. Thanks Candy! I cannot find the can of it! In addition to the stain, we used a matte polyurethane versus a traditional gloss. I think it made a significant difference in appearance.

  2. Beautiful!! You did an amazing job! What color and brand of stain did you use? It’s the exact color I’d like to do mine. Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂