Tips for Modernizing Your Staircase
Interior fashions come and go just like other pop culture trends. Your house might look modern now, but in the next five years, your living space could look stale and dated. As the saying goes, "If it's not broke, don't fix it." You don't need to spend thousands of dollars renovating your house just for the sake of change. However, you could freshen up your staircase once in a while to brighten up your living space. A modern staircase also adds value to your house and makes it easier to sell when it hits the housing market.
When you're ready, Stair Part Pros has the parts you need to redo your staircase. But until then, a few changes are all you need to revitalize your staircase and give your house a little modern flair. Here's how to redo stairs for cheap with only a few materials.
1. Paint Your Stairs
If your stairs don't have carpeting, a new coat of paint is all you need to modernize your staircase. Neutrals, black and dark brown are "in" right now, especially if you have white or off-white walls. You can paint your stairs any color that you like, but minimalism is the current trend. Most homeowners accomplish this by painting their stairs a single neutral color, usually with a light sheen like satin or eggshell.
If you have a wooden banister, black with hints of deep brown brings out the beauty of the wood. Black is great if you want a sharp contrast or already have black accents in your home. Gray goes with just about anything, but be aware that there are different shades of gray — some have blue undertones, while others look more greenish. Take home a few color chips and see which shade is best for your staircase.
2. Buy a Carpet Runner
A carpet runner is a strip of fabric that covers the middle of your stairs. It doesn't reach to the edges of your stairs, but most people don't walk on the edges anyway. Carpet runners aren't just attractive — they also make your staircase safer. A strip of carpet gives your feet and shoes more traction, eliminating the slippery surfaces that you get with uncarpeted stairs. Plus, a runner makes it easy to redo your stairs without carpeting the entire staircase.
You can buy a wide range of carpet runners with trendy colors, patterns and styles. If you prefer a solid color, look for a black, white or grey runner that complements your existing staircase. Remember that you'll still be able to see about a foot or more of your staircase when you install the runner. This is more time-consuming, but paint your staircase if the current color or wood grain doesn't match your favorite runner.
Popular options include black-and-white diamond patterns, speckled patterns that resemble paint and elaborate patterns like a set of tiles. You could buy stair treads if you want to cover the top of the stairs — just note that they won't cover the front of your staircase. You could even make a runner at home if you have the right materials.
3. Paint the Banister
Some homeowners leave the banister unpainted to accentuate the staircase. If you paint the stairs, railing and banister the same color, they might all blend together in one indistinguishable block of color. However, a hint of contrast gives your staircase a modern, professional look like a stairway in a hotel. Paint the stairs and railing a neutral color like white or cream, then give the banister a coat of semigloss black. The single strip of black breaks up the "sameness" of the rest of the staircase and makes the white look even more striking.
If you prefer the natural wood look, stain your banister with a dark shade like ebony, dark walnut or red chestnut. This looks great with natural wood stairs and painted railings. However, it's hard to gauge how the stain will look in your house, so stain a sample piece of wood and let it dry before you stain your banister. Some hardware stores provide samples for people who need to try out the stain.
Where Can You Buy Staircase Parts?
Once you start modernizing your staircase, you might discover that you need to replace a few parts or renovate the banister. Stair Part Pros has everything you need to freshen up your staircase. Our selection of parts includes handrails, box newels, treads, brackets, moldings, skirtboards and other essentials. Browse our website to find what you need, and contact us if you have any questions.
