The first thing to try would be to stain the border darker to make the transition more noticeable.

Don't think there can be much you can do here...there already is a surface product contrast demarcation. Your guests simply don't notice that there us a step down and that it is not flush. The only thing I can suggest is installing step lighting, as is done in theaters; it indicates that there is a step down and seems to work in those venues.

That's all I got!

Yes, my step has lights on either side. Seems to work.

A railing is gonna look really good when that guest with the broken hip sues you.

while people have sued for much less, even if they did, they probably wouldnt get much as building code probably doesnt require a railing for an 8 inch height difference.

We have the same set up in our house. Just warn your guests, especially the elderly. Most frequent visitors to your house will remember the step down is there. My 83 year old mother, however, "forgot" at my sister's house and fell flat on the tile floor. Miracle she didn't hurt anything.

We took our 80's style railing down years ago and so far no one has fallen.

Put lighting in to indicate the step.

What a shame it was built that way. You are losing so much usable space! I would long term planning-wise, start saving to eventually raise the living room? Meanwhile do you have a large potted plant or sculpture or coatrack you couldnpkace there temporarily to see if it stops the tripping? Then proceed from there.

This is very common in our neighborhood of 80's houses and and here in Michigan. Most likely the room you "stepdown" into was built on a slab and does not have the basement underneath.

I have the same problem! My living room is sunken and I wiped out when I first started dating my (now) husband. His aunt tripped years ago and just the other day, my AC guy almost tripped. I hate it... I keep thinking if I ever sell the house then I'm going to need to run green frog take to warn potential buyers. I have some railing but it's not enough.

A ribbon of LED lighting under the nosing would be perfect.

Casey

Sombreuil - I think your suggestion "ribbon of LED lighting under the nosing" only works depending on how you approach the step down. For example, if someone walks thru my front door, toward the living room, they wouldn't see the LED lighting, right? Maybe I'm not picturing this right though (?)

Quick fix??? but tacky lol!!!

You put the lights under the lip so it reflects onto the floor showing the floor is a different height. Like this:

Pretty funny mrsshayne, I actually suggested to my husband that we just string police warning tape up when people come over because though we warn them, they just forget!

I am going to look into lighting. Thanks everyone.

cpartist - good recommendation, but if you enter the house from the front door while it's sunny out then I doubt the lights would make a difference.

I'm been wanting to find a cute antique sign that says "step down" or "watch your step" but I don't have much room....

Some people might still need a rail to hold onto when stepping down. I would think there would be Code around this situation and would check. The house was built without a rail?

Single steps are known for being dangerous trip hazards. I would take it very seriously. Hip fractures can be deadly.

Is there a door in this room? If not consider raising the floor. Should not break the bank considering the room is currently carpet (relatively easy to remove and reuse).

Otherwise different color floor border AND riser to indicate a change. This makes it visible if approaching the height change from either direction.

In my opinion, raising the floor would almost be easier than messing with the floor border. Pull the trim, pull the carpet, secure down joists and subfloor (whatever sizes to make level), reinstall carpet and trim, install carpet transitions, done.

Serve less drinks? Raising it up by pouring concrete in the "sunken area" and continue with the hardwood in that area. That is the best solution and the most expensive. A combination of staining the stair nose darker and the LED lighting should help significantly.

"Serve less drinks?" Haha. The tripping has happened even without the drinks.

Now I wish I would have raised my floor when I installed new hardwood.. I have a feeling when I sell someday it will be a negative. If I have a party then I think I'm going to use green frog tape and write "watch your step"....

Worked in many houses with these sunken living rooms...treacherous!

My sunken living room has 2 steps going down, its easy to see because you see the second step easily, with yours being just 1 step and the floor and riser the same color its hard to see. I didn't even see the step in your first picture. Add a second riser so its a more visible change as people approach the drop off.

It's not a huge room - I'd raise the floor. As others said, it will be a hassle, but not impossible, or outrageously expensive - especially if you reuse the carpet.

What did you end up doing? I have a step down living room too. 👎🏼

A neighbor had her stepdown living room raised to the same level as the rest of her house and even though it made her ceiling height 8 foot loves it. I am sitting now with a sprained ankle from landing badly after stumbling down a stepdown in an unfamiliar house when I wasn't looking down. Filling in just seems the safe thing to do.

We moved haha. But before we moved, we ended up putting a corner sectional blocking where you would step down from the entryway. You had to go around the sectional to step down into the room. Maybe not the best solution, but it worked quite well.

You might try mounting two battery operated lights near the bottom of your posts to illuminate the step down. There are many styles available - here’s just one.