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Paint Home Decorating Design Dilemma

Crazy Staircase- need help!!

6 years ago

Bad design, and I need help with painting and decorating this double disaster of a stairwell.

Paint color needs to be int he gray family, light? or one side light and the other a little darker?

carpet? wood? combo? how do I decorate? Mural painting?

that goes up two directions. It has 3 high trans

Featured Answer

palimpsest

6 years ago

I don't know why with handrails there would be anything against code in this stairwell, the landings seem long enough top and bottom and in residential there's no need to break flights like this with an interim landing.

If you had a high budget you could do mural wallcovering on the right side, so you see it from the door.

I would probably do a nice finish on the stairs with a fitted runner up the middle in a patterned carpet, a nice handrail, and a chandelier over the middle doorway and a smaller fixture on each landing all in a purely symmetrical way. I would also probably light the windows from the outside so light was cast into the stairwell from the outside as well.

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Comments (13)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
6 years ago
Where do you live? This would be against all sorts of codes in NA.Certainly no dark walls on either side a mural might be fun if it gave the illusion of a outdoor space like looking out a big window.
palimpsest
6 years ago
This is not close to finished right? It's just drywall and the rough treads...

What is the overall style of the house? I've seen staircases like this in minimalist-modernist houses that are kept pretty bare but made interesting with lighting and good craftsmanship.

If it's a traditional house it may be a bit more problematic.
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I would put a cherry wood overmantel, and then a narrow length of trim down the left side of the fireplace, and cap the entire width with the same crown moulding at the same height that the cabinet is now, so that it looks like one total piece with the fireplace as a part of the whole built in. I would not paint anything, and I would leave the arch as it is over the fireplace - it adds some interest and breaks up all the rectangles in the area. I would take the clock down and instead mount a decorative dark iron piece there that compliments the hardware on the cabinet. I would not rely on drapery to try and balance the area - it won't have the same visual weight even if you could come close to the color. For sure I would pull the couch on the left into the seating area, and get an area rug to define that part of the space so that the eye is centered on the cabinet/fireplace part of the wall. If one of the seating pieces is wider, I would have that one be the one facing the fireplace. I am sure you have yet to add end tables and lamps, since you only have task lighting there at the moment, but I would wait to decide on the end tables until you have the seating in place. The overall feel of the space is fresh and clean, and the colors work well. What are you planning for an accent color?
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jinnyladerer
Original Author
6 years ago
FL. traditional house. it's being painted right now. :(
palimpsest
6 years ago
jinnyladerer
Original Author
6 years ago
Love these photos!
PRO
Galilee Lighting
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
How about wall sconces?

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We invite you to visit our website to view our unique lighting collections.

If you would like to receive our catalog by email and get more ideas, contact Sales@GalileeLighting.com or
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jinnyladerer thanked Galilee Lighting
User
6 years ago
I agree it's kind of cool. I like pal's photos. Appears the major ingredient is light. Of all kinds.

Let us see how it turns out!
jinnyladerer thanked User
Debbie Downer
6 years ago
Do you have cats? My first thought is that space would be ideal for cat perches - various levels that span the width of the stairs and positioned in such a way that they can climb from one to another. Not only would the cats love it, but it would break up the intense vertical-ness of the walls. Ideally there would be more light for the cats to bask in.

Oh well, its a thought.
jinnyladerer thanked Debbie Downer
Melissa Gallagher
6 years ago
White walls and lots of modern lights. What are you putting on the stairs?

I like the photos posted as well.
jinnyladerer thanked Melissa Gallagher
Maureen
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I would go with white walls, a dark grey or black railing and repeat its color on the floor by the doorway. Definitely add some great lighting and a large piece of abstract on the landing facing the doorway.
jinnyladerer thanked Maureen
thatsmuchbetter
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Im seeing some quality 3/4" birch cabinet grade plywood stair treads/rise NO skirts and yep with exposed waxed edges.. Bright white and wood tones.

I thank you for coming on the hooz and admitting the debacle first. Thats the first step to recorvery as such you desreve all the great advice you can get, just pic thru it .. well said madame/sir
jinnyladerer thanked thatsmuchbetter
tatts
6 years ago
Birch is a lousy wood for stair treads, and plywood is event worse.

Birch is as very soft wood and will never stand up to foot traffic. And exposed edges on the stairs? The corners are sure to be chipped/shredded in no time.

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