The Marvelous Blog

Many of my staircase remodeling projects stem from a first floor remodel or refresh that includes new floors, new paint and perhaps new architectural detailing. When these changes are made, the staircase, which in Carmel, IN, is typically the first thing you see when one enters the home, needs updating too. Such was the case for the staircase remodeling project shown above. My clients’ home was built in the 90s and had recently completed a redesign, including new wood flooring. The staircase no longer worked with the flooring so needed its own design attention.

The original newel post and handrail were stained a rich walnut, a look the homeowners wanted to apply to the rest of the staircase. To accomplished this goal, we added new treads, as the original ones were a different color and well worn. The design of the staircase made the project much more straightforward than it could have been. Many times, to replace treads I have to pull the handrail and balusters. For this project, these elements did not touch the treads, rather were planted in a bottom plate to the side of the stairs. And, the homeowner did not want to replace the existing metal balusters or the square newel post. All I had to do was pull up a tread and replace it with a new stained one along with a riser. By the way, I do just a few at a time so my clients always have a functioning staircase!

During the design phase, there was a lot of discussion about the landing midway up the two sets of stairs. My clients wanted a carpet runner on the steps for their dogs – easy. However, there are many ways to design the mixture of wood and carpet on a landing. There is no standard; examples include stopping the runner on at the top of the stairs and putting a throw rug on the wood landing or continuing the runner over the landing up to the next set of stairs. In this case, my clients wanted to carpet the whole landing square, with a rich wood landing tread at the top of course.

While this staircase remodeling project was fairly straight forward (thanks to that well-placed handrail and balusters) most refreshes are more complex. Regardless, there are a lot of decisions to be made to help ensure the main architectural element in your foyer complements the rest of your home décor. If you are considering changing out your flooring or other major whole house redesigns, send me an email or give me a call at (317) 679-5890. I have the technical expertise and staircase remodeling experience to ensure your home remodel is complete.

Here in Central Indiana, I get a lot of calls from owners of homes built in the 80s and 90s that are in the process of up cosmetic updates. Changing the flooring, color scheme or architectural details of your home applies to your staircase as well. Below I offer the latest staircase design trends I have been seeing in my work.

Wood vs. Carpet

Having carpet on stair treads was a popular trend in the 80s and 90s. Today’s cleaner look has many homeowners wanted it removed. Also, carpeting this high-traffic area means the fabric can get dirty and worn pretty quickly, which does not add to a home design refresh. Unfortunately, most staircases built in this time period were designed for carpet, so the wood underneath is usually not of high quality. Removing the carpet can turn into a large project, replacing the particleboard treads with wood that complements your flooring. However, once complete, the updated staircase transforms the look of your home. Also, the wood is easier to maintain than carpet and stays beautiful for much longer. One note – if you have pets, you may want to consider a carpet runner so they do not go flying down the staircase!

Painted vs. Stained

Probably the questions I get most often for staircase remodels are the benefits of painted vs. stained wood and where does stained/natural wood end and painted trim start. I see all options in my work, and cannot identify the emergence of a particular trend. Whether you stain or paint the treads, risers, balusters and newel post depends upon the rest of your home. I take a look at the trim, flooring, other architectural details and natural transitions from one room to the next in your space to see what style would complement them. The design of the staircase plays a role in this decision as well. I am always happy to work through this question with my clients during the design process to ensure they get the look that works best in their home.

Baluster Style

Replacing old wooden balusters with metal has been a big trend over the past decade and is still popular. The look has evolved to a square, clean line. Homeowners are also alternating the placement of balusters with various designs and patterns. Any combination is possible – one, then two, then three, then back to one, etc. Different designs and patterns help fill in the space between newel posts and along landings by adding visual interest.

Newel Post Designs

The round, acorn tops of the 80s and 90s are being replaced with box newel posts, following the clean, straight lines of today’s home décor. Even though the silhouette can be simple, there are many ways to heighten the look. For example, on the staircase remodel pictured above, I created a diamond pattern in the top to add a custom detail the homeowners would enjoy every time they went up and down the stairs.

A staircase is a large part of the style of your home, and remodeling one well requires special craftsmanship which most contractors cannot address. If you are planning a major redesign of your home, reach out to me by email or give me a call at (317) 679-5890 to set up a free consultation.