The easiest thing would be to paint/stain what is already there. I know the entry tile is black, so black would go...BUT, just like a dark floor or espresso furniture, it will show everything...and fast....not so great when it's the entrance and you're contstantly tracking in dirt. I can see those steps needing a wipe down every day.

As far as replacing the treads....if you have AL, type in stairs or stair rails, etc....we found a fantastic local guy who only does stairs, to do a new rail for us and he was way cheaper than some of the other companies we got estimates from. He was so fabulous, I tipped him.

There might be code as to the type/thickness of wood used for treads...but a good stair place will know that.

How about looking into Chilewich or Bolon flooring? These are such cool surfaces - I saw Chilewich used on an entry way floor in a show house and it was wonderful. I am dying to find a place to use it. I just quickly scanned the web sites - not sure Chilewich can be used on stairs, but it looks like Bolon could be in some situations. I think this would be very bachelor/modern/urban though not rustic.

How about looking into Chilewich or Bolon flooring? These are such cool surfaces - I saw Chilewich used on an entry way floor in a show house and it was wonderful. I am dying to find a place to use it. I just quickly scanned the web sites - not sure Chilewich can be used on stairs, but it looks like Bolon could be in some situations. I think this would be very bachelor/modern/urban though not rustic.

Bee I ripped up the carpet on our stairs prior to selling the house. This was a typical builder box stair unit made of #2 pine. You will be asking for issues with tread/rise meeting to existing flooring top and bottom if you do anything but stain. You will also have to rebuild the stair if it is a box stair unit if you replace the treads. Expensive and not worth the headache IMO.
After MUCH elbow grease sanding, I used wood conditioner, and a walnut stain on the treads. I finished with about 7 coats of Varithane floor finish. Wears like iron. I painted the risers but I wouldn't in your situation. Just stain everything. Or maybe paint the risers black to tie into tile. Stain color to match cherry.
Honestly our stairs looked fantastic. Cost a couple bucks for stain and paint. We sold the house in 1 day. Really.
I'd just stain and move on to other more fun decorating dilemmas.

I agree with ppbenn. I just DIY'd refacing my treads/risers and an intermediate landing to get rid of carpeting. The riser height on first and last steps gets messed up. However, if there's OSB under the carpeting like mine was, your choice is carpeting or refacing.

Matching the cherry flooring (or the entry landing) should not be a problem. Paint or stain, it would seem to me if there's a good poly top coat, wear would be the same. It's easier to clean a smooth surface using a swiffer than it is to lug a vacuum up and down and still be left with junk embedded in the carpet.

Of course, we want to see before and after pix...

ppbenn, do you have before & after pics I could show? (and if one of those shots is from the top aiming down, that would be a bonus!)

I am leaning towards doing a stain on them. I like the idea of the dark risers to tie in with the tile at the bottom and the reddish tread to tie into the next level. I think the white risers are too traditional, the dark risers are a bit more edgy.

It's tricky because the stairwell isn't that bright, and even though I and the homeowner would like to do them all dark, I think the mix will be good. I'll have to test that out!

Marina, I did look those two options up. Very interesting. I will add those to my bag of tricks. I can't seem to find a local place to check them out in person though. I will need to ask for some samples.

joanie & java, thanks for the input!

You don't need to remove the old treads you can put new treads and risers on over top. Cut off the plywood overhang after removing carpet and glue the new treads and risers with finishing nails for extra stability. I did this with my previously carpeted stairs stained the treads dark (min wax one step mission oak) and painted the risers my warm white wall color. I am very pleased with how they turned out, will post pictures later when not on my phone!

Dark stain or paint and how about a seagrass runner?

Rhoda of Southern Hospitality blog did this:
http://southernhospitalityblog.com/the-down-dirty-on-the-stair-project/
Lots of work, but creative and cost effective.

Before:

{{!gwi}}

During (the stair treads were plywood full of staples and glued on carpet pad)
{{!gwi}}

After
{{gwi:1385953}}

Cost was about $200. THe treads are pine from Lowes and the risers are primed MDF from Lowes. Minwax one step mission oak (3 coats) on the treads and wall paint on the risers.

Process:

- remove all carpet, tack trips, scrape chunks of glued underpad off and pry out nails and staples.
- measure overhad/bullnose and draw line along cut, use a jigsaw to cut flush with the face of the riser
- measure to ensure your steps are standard size, measure widths and take the narrowest width.
- buy treads and riders at lower get them to cut them all to width.
- start with the risers, they should be the same height as the current riser so you use plenty of carpenter's glue and a few finishing nails to secure them in place. They need to be flush with the top of the current tread, slightly lower would be OK no one will see - but if higher you'll have to trim.
- the treads go on next, bump up the back of the tread against the face of the new riser. AGain lost of glue and a few finishing nails per step. I used 4 nails 1 each corner into the wood below. The glue keeps things from creaking, use lots!

done!

My stairs don't creak or make noise at all, I guess I used enough glue.

Bee I'm sorry but I don't have any pics. We sold the house fast! I did add oak treads over the top of the existing treads in our current 120YO farm house. Looks very similar to tinan's.
We could do this because we added tile to the bottom landing and hardwood over existing floors on the top landing. You run into trouble adding treads if you don't compensate for the difference in riser height. Top riser and bottom riser will be off 3/4 inch which could make people trip.
Get a pine 1x10 and try out some stain. Or just rip out the carpet and try out stain on the old treads. You will have to use wood conditioner on pine to minimize blotchiness.
Definitely do the black risers with the cherry/mahogany stain. Would look uber lofty rustic!

I'm with soccormom. Paint the stair black and add a sea grass carpet runner with a wide black trim on it. As for dusting, everything needs dusting, regardless of finish or color.

@joaniepoanie, can you recommend your stair guy? I remember your lovely galley kitchen and I'm pretty sure I'm in the same general vicinity (MoCo MD.) We're finally re-doing our kitchen/breakfast room and our staircase has horrible cream carpet that was slapped on to sell the house. It's a total menace and I would LOVE to find a way to get this fixed. I love what @tinan did above but I'm nervous about the possibility that I would mess it up.

smaloney, it is VERY easy - basic DIY. I had never done anything like this before. A good handyman/woman would be able to do it for you if you don't feel comfortable.

Closer pic

{{!gwi}}

Tinan - you did a very good job. My stairs look exactly like that. What did you do on the landing between the 2 staircases? Mine is carpeted like the stairs.
Thanks.

I don't have a landing, if I did I would have used the same flooring as the rest of the house.

I am referring to the hallway between the 2 staircases in photo 7/12. Mine is carpet same as the stairs. Did you leave the carpet? The main floor is very old light oak. I wanted to do the steps in a dark brown and the risers in beige. The walls are light apricot with beige trim.
Thanks

I am not sure what you mean I only have one staircase it is a straight run with no landing. The hallway at the top of the stairs is continuous with the bedrooms and has all the same vinyl plank flooring that I have thoroughly the house.

In the before pic it looks like a second stair case going up. But you answered my question abt the hallway. My hallway outside the bedrooms is carpeted the same as the stairs. I think it will look odd if I kept it carpeted but redid the stairs like you did.
You did a great job. Thanks

I think you are seeing the hallway bannister rail as another staircase. Here's a "during" pic from above, when the vinyl plank flooring was done and we'd moved in a few days before, but stairs were still bare - you can just see them through the raining.

{{!gwi}}

Thanks. That pix clears it up.
I appreciate it.

tinan, thanks for those pictures. And the detailed instructions. They are very helpful.

Thanks to all of the other ideas too.

I think we will see what is under the rug, and try to stain the treads first, then move on to Plan B if that looks horrid. I also saw a really cool idea using wallpaper on the risers, Birch Trees, to be exact. He has a big mural of birch trees at the bottom of the stairs and I think doing something like that might be really cool. Would not do wallpaper but thinking about a stencil.

[Eclectic Staircase[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/eclectic-staircase-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_745~s_2104) by Portland Design-Build Firms Vanillawood

That's neat- I have also seen a continuous picture painted, and the risers painted like book spines!

Oh, that IS cool!