I have been fortunate enough to be able to keep working throughout the pandemic, taking care to follow CDC guidelines and the needs of my clients. Every project has an in-shop component and an on-site component. I spent a lot more time in the shop during the shutdown and had created many new procedures for in-home work that became second nature. This staircase refresh project was one of the first I completed as society was emerging from lockdown. This new phase brought new complexities. My clients had teens attending high school virtually, so I had to work around their need for quiet during tests, etc., which I was happy to do of course. We are living through interesting times – I am used to working around my clients’ schedules; they have become much more complex these days!

My clients were looking to update the look of their staircase, located in the main entryway of their home. New newel posts, treads, balusters, handrail – the whole shebang. I took the old carpet off and replaced the treads with a beautiful oak stained to match pieces of furniture in the home. Since the color of the wood was going to stand out in the new design, I made up many samples of mixed stain colors so my clients could pick exactly what they wanted. The balusters and the risers were painted white to contrast the stained wood.

Since the plan was to not include carpet on the staircase, I had to create a special piece for the midway landing. When builders know that carpet will be covering this piece, they do not waste time or money by placing nice flooring. I cut and stained a piece of oak to complement the new treads.

Another custom feature is the newel post cap design. I like to add a bit of personality to every staircase I remodel, and the newel post is one of my favorite ways to do it. For this project, I cut four pieces of the oak and turned them 90 degrees from each other and glued them together. There are three posts in this staircase and each one received a slightly different variation within this design based on the grain of the wood. The homeowner gave me creative license to add this special touch that suited the home’s design.

Have you ever wondered how the homeowners can still live in their house even though I am working on their main staircase? I take out only what I can replace that day. That way, my clients can continue their everyday life while I am there. It may not look pretty until I am done, but it can be used in the meantime.

This staircase refresh made a dramatic difference to the look of the home. I really enjoy doing projects that have a huge impact. If you are considering remodeling your staircase, reach out to me. Send me an email or give me a call at (317) 679-5890.