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Paint Home Decorating Design Dilemma

What color should we paint interior stairs and banister?

3 years ago

What color should we paint interior stairs and banister? We live in an old 1790s colonial. We would love to paint the stairs and banister currently considering black on the stairs but concerned it could be hazardous at night Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

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Comments (3)

remodeling1840
3 years ago
Please don’t paint the wood! Someone painted ours and it looks out of place and time. It would take years and more patience than I have to restore the original wood so I will live with it, but unhappily. Instead paint the white baseboard the same color as your stair treads. The white is too contemporary for your house and jumps out at my eyes as inappropriate. BM also has a Colonial Williamsburg color called mopboard black if you would prefer that. But no one in 1790 would have white baseboards because of the constant dirt that would be tracked into the house. My baseboard up the stairs is the same verdigris paint as the baseboard and chair rail in the entry to give continuation to the eye. Have you owned your house for a long time? We found it instructive to visit similar period homes, including Locust Grove in Louisville, Kentucky, Pleasant Hill Shaker village in Kentucky, and Adena in Chillicothe, Ohio. These homes were built about the same time as yours. If you are in New England, there are many homes open to the public that will have a similar time period. Search them out because the curators have spent years researching paints and wall coverings and flooring. We have found them to be generous with their advice. When this COVID is over, plan several day trips to research correct colors. The magazine Early American Life is a staple on my shelves. I keep all my issues for reference.
martinc
Original Author
3 years ago
We have owned the home for just a couple of years. We live in a historic district in New England. I definitely agree on the white. I also prefer the wood banister and have been told that’s original. I won’t paint It. I think the spindles were added at a later date. I’ll have to compare to other homes in the area. I really appreciate your thoughts. Thank you
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The entire second floor is the same color as the stairs, so I would like to leave the stairs alone. Eventually, I would like to put a runner on the stairs to minimize the contrast, but need a banister color that would go well with both floor colors.
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So, lets look at some options. You have a rather traditional looking staircase and surrounding decor. If you paint the railings black, it's going to disappear into the wrought iron. Notice all the white surrounding it. even the risers. Nothing else is black. would you be willing to paint the trim work upstairs black? or how about the doors? What if you took off the carpet and did the risers in black, stained the treads and updated to a more contemporary railing? more all black, but white risers and darker treads. Notice the newer light fixture in the foyer you could always darken your stain color and get a more modern, square style spindles in white this one looks good. the black/white contrast w/the herringbone stair runner, squared off newel posts. who says you have to do black?! Live a little.
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Thanks! Unfortunately, this is our "forever home" for now, and I can't imagine living in it as is. If the wood were nicer, sure, but it will be tough otherwise. At the very least the window trim (which is new) will have to be painted, and the basement apartment panelling too. We overpaid for the house because it's in a great school district, so for future I don't think many individuals looking for authenticity will be interested in our area (lots of cheaper options elsewhere). The next buyers our home will attract will be young people with kids who are looking for the least expensive house in the most expensive neighbourhood, much like we were. That age group will likely want something more modern. At least that is my thinking! I would hate to devalue our home, but at the same time if it's not going to make a difference I wouldn't want to cater to a "niche" community. What do you think? Is my reasoning sound? (Really I am new to home-owning and the market so I may make some faulty assumptions).
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IMO the stairs themselves should match the main floor flooring id not having the carpet. I like the handrail to match the stairs and without any idea of your style I do not have an opinion on the spindles at all.
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remodeling1840
3 years ago
You’re in a good position to research the spindles. Ours are turned, too. 1803 or so.

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