skip to main content

Remodeling Design Dilemma living room

Need to pick out balusters and railings. Would appreciate help.

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

We are having reno work done on a house we purchased earlier this summer. We removed part of the wall next to the stairs to open things up a bit. Now I need to select balusters and railings. The treads will be stained wood and the railings will go into the treads and not the beam, like they were originally. I thought I wanted super plain wood railings and basic square balusters. Then I saw black rod railings and thought that looked pretty clean cut and simple. Finally I thought I might want horizontal rods over vertical rods. Finding someone locally that sells them has been very difficult and I realized they may not be allowed (per code) in our area.

So now I'm back to square one. Any suggestions? The house is cape code style. The space beyond the stairs will likely be used as a music room (guitars on the wall). The space in the foreground is the living room.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

PRO
Beth H. :
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
there are so many options, it's just a matter of preference and budget.

This one is similar to your set up

I like how they utilized the space under the stairs too.
kculbers
2 years ago
You mentioned you have a Cape Cod. I would go with traditional vertical black ballusters that would compliment wood stairs and wooden hand rail.
Related Discussions
Need help picking out bedroom furniture
Q
Comments (0)
We are interested in redoing our bedroom and buying a new bed and furniture. Our taste is very clean and streamlined. We are concerned about a few things and would like some opinions. The bed is the Colette Bed from Crate and Barrel www.crateandbarrel.com/furniture/beds/colette-bed/f1480. We love the bed but want to make sure it would look nice and compliment the furniture. The bedroom furniture is Henkel Harris - the Today collection www.henkelharris.com/categories.asp?roomID=2. We would be getting 2 matching nighstands, the triple dresser and the bowfront tall chest with the saber legs and velvet bronze hardware. We saw the Today collection in person, and it seems very plain in a solid color. We had also seen it in a two tone, and it looked really nice but we are afraid that is trendy and we will get sick of it. However, the two tone we would get are very close in color so it does not have too much of a contrasting look (coffee color casing with hazelnut drawfronts). We are not sure if this is the way to go. And if I do, do I get all of the pieces in the two tone or just get 2 pieces (the dresser and chest) and get the 2 nighstands in solid coffee. Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
...See More
Need help picking out bedroom furniture
Q
Comments (4)
The dressers, etc. are very nice since they are solid pieces and not veneer. As far as finishes, with a solid cherry piece, I am a huge fan of natural cherry, so I can't really advise you since I would not choose anything but given the option. I think the bed is nice, too, but whether or not it would go depends on the color you choose, the color of your walls, and the finish on the other pieces. Style-wise, I don't see a problem. I do think you need a very large room to handle all those large pieces, but since many people here seem to have huge bedrooms, I am guessing you do, too, in which case there is no issue. If you like it, go for it.
...See More
Please help me fix my Trex railing deck with aluminum balusters
Q
Comments (7)
Decker my Man,I could not have said it any better my very own self. Becides all the mold/mildew problems on the decking its the rail system that seems to completly fail in a few years/months. I usually go with TimberTech decking and build the rail with TT 2x4s,that is not go with the rail kits they make.Pretty good sucess with this far as the top/bottom rail spliting. The composite boys advertise a lot and fill the need for the Wallet that has had it with puting on finish/cleaning up a wood deck. Of course they cant deliver what they advertise but thats business thats progress. It might be different if composite was just starting out but after 20 years or so of pratice a Person would think they could get a little closer to their claims. John
...See More
Picking railing for stairs: which balusters?
Q
Comments (19)
CPartist sorry I delayed in my response. Lost track of things. So much is going on with the house now things are absolutely crazy. I told the guy to do the balusters like the last pic. The posts are in but the rail won't be installed until next week since the painter wants to get his work done first. Here is are updated pics: Michael: Like chartist said you will get more help on your own thread since the experts will write. I'm a novice. If you want my personal opinion I do much prefer the new layout to the old one. The diagonal wasted a lot of space in the entry and also seemed a bit off. My husband and I love the 180 deg turn stairs like you are now showing. We would have used those if they worked with our plan. The basement (?) door and closet door open into each other now which doesn't seem ideal- will you be using that closet a lot or rarely? I see you added the entry closets by the door like we did. If you want to see how that ends up looking:
...See More
julieste
2 years ago
"I thought I wanted super plain wood railings and basic square balusters."

Go with your first gut-level instinct and find something that best complements the design style of your house. I've always found that to be the best choice in the end. The 4th and 6th photos from the top are closest to that idea, and I like it.
Rachel
2 years ago
I love the metal balusters, but I've seen some designs that look too busy to my eye. Please know that you don't have to limit yourself to black. I just built a new home and selected nickel finish for the metal balusters for a lighter look.
Lianne
Original Author
2 years ago
@Rachel, I'll have to search nickel finish and see what that looks like. I'd love to see a photo, if possible.
Sharon Fullen
2 years ago
I love the idea of simple white wood balusters for a Cape Cod. Top rail in a complementary wood to flooring. Classic wins! The horizontal wire railings are probably too modern for your home.
Rachel
2 years ago
This baluster comes from one of the big stair component companies. I'll have to try to remember which one and share.
Rachel
2 years ago
LJ Smith . . . here's the link. https://www.ljsmith.com/balusters/iron-balusters/ I'm sure other companies carry similar finishes. A good friend recently updated her stairs and ordered new balusters from Etsy.

Related Stories

REMODELING GUIDES Flat-Sawn Balusters Give Railings All-Out Style

By Rachel Grace

Showcase designs from Victorian patterns to hints at your hobby with this decorative wood railing detail

CURB APPEAL 7 Questions to Help You Pick the Right Front-Yard Fence

By Matthew Ankeny

Get over the hurdle of choosing a fence design by considering your needs, your home’s architecture and more

COLOR Paint-Picking Help and Secrets From a Color Expert

By Tiffany Carboni

Advice for wall and trim colors, what to always do before committing and the one paint feature you should completely ignore

COLOR Pick-a-Paint Help: How to Quit Procrastinating on Color Choice

By Laura Gaskill

If you're up to your ears in paint chips but no further to pinning down a hue, our new 3-part series is for you

COLOR Pick-a-Paint Help: How to Create a Whole-House Color Palette

By Laura Gaskill

Don't be daunted. With these strategies, building a cohesive palette for your entire home is less difficult than it seems

ARCHITECTURE House-Hunting Help: If You Could Pick Your Home Style ...

By Laura Gaskill

Love an open layout? Steer clear of Victorians. Hate stairs? Sidle up to a ranch. Whatever home you're looking for, this guide can help

KITCHEN DESIGN Stay Cool About Picking the Right Refrigerator

By KitchenLab Interiors

If all the options for refrigeration leave you hot under the collar, this guide to choosing a fridge and freezer will help you chill out

PRODUCT PICKS Guest Picks: Warm Fall Finds for the Home

By meganjgordon

Whether warm in color or texture, these decorative pieces will help take the chill out of the air this season

PRODUCT PICKS Guest Picks: Wintertime Comforts for Your Pooch

By handsoccupied

Help your favorite furry friend stay snuggly warm and protected with these doggie booties, blankets, vests and beds

TURQUOISE How to Pick the Right Blue Paint

By Kelly Porter

Periwinkle, Turquoise, Midnight or Sky? Here's Help Choosing the Blue for You

Sponsored

More Discussions

Any Experience with Revwood Nantucket Beige Oak?

33

White oak kitchen cabinets stain?

43

White oak flooring - rift/quarter-sawn vs. live sawn - advice needed!

7

Design/Build - how to separate the costs

9

Mixing Shaker cabinet widths?

6