The Marvelous Blog

Even though I remodel a lot of staircases, I do not profess to be a designer. So, when my clients ask me my opinion about what staircase remodeling design elements would be appropriate for their home, I take an engineer’s approach. I ask them to collect images of the styles they like and share them with me, and then I take them through the following considerations to help them make design decisions:

Structural Design of The Staircase

Unless you are prepared to completely rip out your staircase and rebuild from scratch, staircase remodeling required that the basic structure stay pretty much the same. Well-built staircases have elements built into the substructure of a home, so taking them out is a big project. I tell my clients to remember that images they find in a magazine or on the internet may not apply to their home. The staircase in the image needs to have a similar underlying structure and flow, such as landing placement, type of newel post and tread design.

Functionality

How you will use the staircase will also dictate the particulars of your remodel. If it is located in your entryway, you may want to create a bit of a wow-factor with your staircase remodeling project. However, if it leads to your lower level or is a back staircase that only you and your family use, then you might be able to go with a more simple style. Also, if you have old pets, you may want to consider placing a carpet tread or runner on the stairs to keep them from slipping.

Architectural Elements in The Home

As a major architectural feature of your home, your staircase should make sense with the rest of your space. Take clues from the design elements around your home – do you have painted or stained trim? What is the style of that trim? Is there wainscoting? Is your style more modern or traditional? What the rest of your home looks like will help you determine things like whether to have painted or stained treads or risers, the shape or material of newel posts and balusters, and the style of trims and moldings.

Current Design Trends

Each decade seems to have its own design trends, and you can read about the latest ones here. One thing I ask my clients to keep in mind is that a staircase remodeling project is a big investment. So, unless you plan to remodel again in 10-15 years (I am always more than happy to come back!), be careful of fads that could quickly date your home. Basing your design on a classic, timeless style is a good way to go. Then you can add current elements that are easily changed in a few years if you desire.

Budget

In many ways, staircases are more about engineering than style. This means that in many cases, changing one element means changing them all. I usually cannot change out the balusters without replacing the handrail, which then leads to the newel post. What may at first seem like a small project to you may end up being something much bigger. I help my clients understand what budget they will need to achieve the look they want, which is the goal of course.

Hiring a custom craftsman means you have a partner in achieving your goals for your home. I work closely with you to help you create the look and functionality you desire. I also partner with local interior designers if you want more help with aesthetics. Either way, the end result should be a beautiful, well-built staircase that complements your style.

If you are considering a staircase remodeling project for your home, send me an email or give me a call at (317) 679-5890.

One of the first discussions I have with homeowners looking to complete a staircase remodel is what they would like it to look like. Many times I am asked for design advice, but I am a craftsman not a designer. There are an almost endless combination of staircase designs! Below I outline the components and structural considerations you will need to consider when undertaking a staircase remodel.

Treads/Risers

The treads and risers are the actual steps within the staircase, the tread being what you step on and the riser being the front piece that supports the tread. The main design decision here is whether the stain/paint or carpet. A stained finished tread with a painted riser is a popular look now, though some homeowners stain both elements which can work well in a home with lot of stained woodwork. Homes with painted molding lend themselves to painted risers to complement the space. I do not recommend painting the treads since they are a heavy traffic area. The extreme use of a staircase is a big reason why carpet is becoming less popular on treads; the material wears out quickly. Today’s clear coats placed over stains can be more durable than carpet. For those homeowners that really want carpet either for pets or aesthetics, options run from center runners to fully carpeted. I have also suggested tread pads specially designed to add grip to staircases.

Balusters/Handrail

Balusters are the spindles along the staircase that support the handrail. They have lots of design options; material, shape, decorations, etc. However, it is important to note that the baluster you choose plays a large part in determining the complexity of installation. Its design elements have to be balanced with the shape and type of your staircase. Without getting into the engineering weeds here (which I love to do), what’s important to note is that the sky is not the limit for baluster choice, unless you want to completely rebuild your staircase. There are so many ways to design and build staircases; certain balusters will work on some and not others. Fortunately, if you have hired me for your staircase remodel, I help you determine what suits your situation. Even though a baluster looks great in a magazine, it may not work in your house.

The baluster style also determines the type of handrail you can use, and again, I help you choose something appropriate. Now, this whole discussion has been assuming you are planning to remodel a staircase in a typical midwestern home. If you are looking for a modern system like cable systems or plexiglass, or something with an older, more historic look, there are a bunch of other considerations.

Newel Posts

Newel posts are the supporting post at the end of a staircase. Box newels have been in style for a while now, with many homeowners looking to replace the round, acorn-topped design found in most midwestern homes from the 80s and 90s. This design trend actually makes installation more efficient since they have fewer requirements for attaching the handrail.  However, if you want to go with a rounded post, there are special attachment adapters. From there, you must choose stained or painted. Cable-type stair systems tend to use metal newel posts.

General Advice

Creating a cohesive look with the other architectural elements of your space is the key to creating ensuring your staircase remodel fits your home. For example, you may want to add wainscoting up the wall if you have it in other spots of house, or you may want to include the same type of trim. Paint or stain colors, including the tone of your flooring, should be considered as well. In the end, there is no standard design, so you are really only limited by engineering. I help my clients choose elements that support both the structural design of their staircase as well as their home décor.

If you are considering a staircase remodel in your home, reach out to me. You can email me here, or call me at (317) 679-5890.

A client of mine has been completing a home redesign over the past few years, adding modern touches throughout their space. I worked with her to create a new fireplace mantle and surround and when it came time to address the staircase she called me again. She had already replaced the flooring with an updated look and now needed to add the modern style to the staircase design.

Since I had worked with her on the fireplace mantle, I was familiar with the wood stain color and design she was going for. Ensuring the architectural details in your home complement each other helps each room make sense in the scheme of the whole house. So, my clients wanted to bring that same wood element to the updated staircase design.

There was some discussion about what to do with the original steps, which were made of stone. Removing them would have been cost prohibitive so we thought about covering them with wood. However, in the end, the stone complemented the modern look they were going for, so she kept it. The staircase remodel then took the form of replacing the posts, handrail and balusters.

I provided my client with resources for ready-made metal balusters to help her find her style. She went in a very different direction than what I was envisioning – a good reminder that I am a craftsman, not a designer! I think the balusters look great and are an example of how my clients and I work well as a team.

This staircase remodel was a bit more straight forward than others since we were not replacing the stairs. However, that does not mean the project was easy. The newel post was the typical skinny, acorn-topped variety that is popular in 1980s and 90s homes. To bring the clean-lined modern style, I had to custom-build a sleeve for the existing post. A well-built staircase is crafted with the post going down into the subfloor and attaching to the floor joists. To replace it, I would have to tear out the flooring, which she had just replaced. Creating a sleeve to go over the existing post allows me to take advantage of the strong structure without tearing up the house. I make the post sleeve custom to the necessary specifications; I want to be able to barely slide over the old one to ensure a solid feel.

I also crafted the new handrail with a rectangular, clean line and stained it to match the newel post. All of this sawdust and fume-based work happens offsite in my workshop. It is my intention to be in my client’s home for the least amount of time possible.

That being said, drilling the holes for the metal Balusters installation must be done on-site to ensure they end up being straight and level. It is very easy to see when the balusters are off. Yet another example of how important good craftsmanship is to the success of a project.

If you are considering a bringing a new staircase design into your home, send me an email or give me a call at (317) 679-5890.

If you have been planning a remodel or design refresh in your home, you may have noticed that many flooring installers or contractors have no interest in helping you with your staircase. I specialize in staircase remodels because I enjoy the engineering behind the project. Each staircase comes with its own characteristics and decisions and those challenges are exciting to me. Over the years I have developed a process for a staircase remodel to help ensure my clients get exactly what they are looking for without impacting their life too much during the construction phase.

Initial Meeting

It is important that I see the staircase in person to be able to develop a sense of the scope of work. Even simple staircases have many elements to them – treads, balusters, handrail, landings, and newel post, etc. And, its style is affected by the other architectural details in your home, such as flooring and trim. Being in the space also helps me identify potential challenges. I take detailed pictures while I am there so I will be able to provide an appropriate contract and price. There are always surprises in any construction project, but I try to minimize them as much as I can upfront. I also discuss design elements at this meeting. Clients ask me about standards, and while there are building codes that need to be adhered to, there really are no “must dos” when it comes to design preferences. When we are setting the initial appointment I suggest they have pictures from Houzz, Pinterest or other design resources to give me a sense of what they are looking for. I ask about their preferences for wood species, stain vs. painted, style and functionality. From there we come up with conceptual designs. All of this information goes back to my shop with me where I develop a quote based on type and quantity of materials plus my time to implement the design. Once the quote is accepted and 50% is paid to cover material purchases, the project is placed on the schedule.

Pre-Construction

I notify my clients a week or two ahead of time that I will be starting the in-home portion of their project. By the time I have arrived, a lot of work has been completed in my shop – cutting, painting, staining and finishing. I complete as much as I can in my space; I try to spend as little time as possible in my clients’ home to minimize disruption.

Construction

The most common question I get from clients is “Will we have a staircase while you are working?” The answer is Yes. I purposely take out only a portion of the stairs at a time while I am working so you always have a functional staircase. There is a phase of the staircase remodel where there is a lot of tear out that will eventually be built back in. It doesn’t look pretty, so I ask them to just try to ignore that as they use their stairs! I also clean up and put materials aside before I leave for the day to help maintain a sense of normalcy in my clients’ lives.

Communication during all phases of construction is key to ensuring everyone is on the same page. When an issue arises, how I handle it will depend upon the nature of the problem. If something structural comes up that I was not anticipating, I usually do not bother my client with it unless I feel it would affect them. I just deal with and move on. Aesthetic surprises call for homeowner consultation because they can dictate a potential change they will see every day.

Final Walk-Through

Once the major components go in, there is still work to be done. The finishing touches like trim, caulk and paint complete the look. Usually my clients have been living in the house and watching the progress, however, I still like to have a final walk through to ensure they are happy with the project and to collect final payment.

The nature of hiring a small, custom-focused home improvement business is that there is not a huge machine behind the process. In my case, it’s just my helper and me. Therefore, a few month waitlist is typical, but rest assured once you are on the schedule, you are not pushed for another project. I do them in the order I receive the deposit. I also do not bounce around from project to project; once I start at a home, it is my focus until completion. Doing one project at a time allows me to stay “in the zone”, making me more efficient, offering less margin of error, and allowing for a better customer experience. So expect no lengthy gaps or interruptions in your job. Finally, I show up when I say I am going to – I respect your time and my own.

If you would like more information about how I can help you with your staircase remodel, send me an email or give me a call at (317) 679-5890.