I would just cover it with a a piece of 1 by lumber that has the front edge routed with a bullnose. Have it extend over the edge a inch or two. You will then have to remove the piece under it and reposition it tight agaist the bottom of the added piece. Paint everything white.

Another thing you could do is put ceramic tile on it. Use tile with a rounded edge on the front.

Thats my $.02 worth.

that's kinda what we've come up with. We will be painting the walls a cappucinno color - would you paint the ledge the same color? We have also thought about the tile option but thought that the wood would be much easier.
The other option we thought of was to just extend whatever flooring we use in the LR (the landing at the top of the stairs is right next to the LR) - which is either going to be laminate or wood - down the ledge. Just don't know how that would look. If we decide on the former, we'll have to do some sort of transition piece.
Thanks for your input! :)

I would paint or stain the ledge the same as the rest of the woodwork. If you extend the flooring, if it is solid wood not laminate you could bullnose that and extend it. The laminate would still require a trim piece to cover the edge.

Hard pine or Fir stair stepping can be bought full length with a bullnose edge. The clear vertical grain fir is particularily beautiful with a clear finish.

I quickly took pictures of our staircase which is much like yours. Please ignore the dust and the taped off areas as we are remodeling and I'm getting ready to refinish the staircase wood.

I hope this helps a little.

Try the following link:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?&conn_speed=1&collid=80985498308.782013425108.1167928606685&mode=fromsite

Link doesn't work

Why don't you put the link in the optional link URL area and name it?

cora lee - yes please re-post that link. I'm anxious to see what you've done :)

Well, let's try this. You shouldn't have to sign in. Just click on 'View Slideshow'.

Let me know if this doesn't work and maybe there will be somewhere else on GW that I can try to post the pictures.

Here is a link that might be useful: Staircase Trim

I tried the above link and it works fine with our computers, so hope it does as well with yours. If not, please let me know.

works fine

Thank you so much! That is our ledge exactly!! Now we have a good visual of what it will look like -after 7 years of looking at that eye-sore we can finally finish the job (nothing like getting ready to put a house on the market to motivate us to finish all of the little things that we've been putting off :)) Thanks so much!!

Yeah. I hear you. Makes a lot of sense to fix it up for someone else to enjoy, huh?!! I fear we may live here long enough with a few things we want finished but not completed to be in the very same place as you. Seems we are always too busy to take care of our own needs because we are taking care of someone else, right? Life has a way of getting in the way of living...and passing WAY too quickly! (Off my soapbox now! Smiles.)

I'd be tempted to rip out all the trim, plaster, sand, and paint as it if's the wall.

Or, leave the trim, smooth out the surface of the ledge, and paint it the wall color.

But Coralea's looks nice, too.