The first thing on most clients’ mind during a renovation is usually to do with floors. This is probably by far the most frequent request I get, but it can add up really quickly when you get to the stairs. What’s more, they often end up mismatched with new floors anyway! Should we sand and stain and hope for the best? That’s not only costly, but it’s labor-intensive, and time-consuming all for a sub-par end product. How can we give stairs a fresh look to match our new floors WITHOUT breaking the bank?
All it takes is a designer worth their salt to show you a better way! Here is how I would advise a client who wants to get their stairs integrated into a space without spending too much money and time doing it!
Minimize your sanding
Sanding every part of your stairs in the hope that you’ll get it to go completely with your new flooring can be in vain, because totally accuracy is difficult. Color match your floors to your stairs’ tread, nosing, and landing (basically the edge and step itself), so that you can minimize sanding as much as possible! Where possible, avoid the extra time, money, and labor to save.
Painting
Remember to consider the material of the banisters and posts – replacing your floors can mean that it doesn’t match with all the other features in a space, and sanding down the pickets and handrail before staining it in the hope of a color match to floors can be, once again, in vain. It’s a lot of wood to get perfectly matched just by staining.
I opted to paint instead. For example in one project, I painted the pickets white then painted the handrails and post a stunning charcoal gray. It’s different from the floors but the overall design is still integrated and cohesive, adding dimension you wouldn’t get by sanding and staining in the hope that it’ll all match!
It can seem overwhelming, but that’s what I and other designers are here for: to break all those big questions (“to stain or not to stain?!”) into smaller, more manageable choices (“Choose a color for your gorgeous handrail!”)
Are you looking to completely reno and transform your space? Ensure the careful smart planning you need from day one, and contact Dvira Interiors! We look forward to incorporating our vision, scope, technical expertise and industry connections to make your home’s design/build experience as positive and rewarding as possible.