Help with stair rail/bannister ideas

2 years ago

Happy new year! I want to tear down this ugly wall along my stairs and at the top and put a banister but not sure if I should go with wood spindles or black metal. This is our first house that we have a lot of updating to do and I’m really nervous about getting started. Anyone have any pics or suggestions? Wood or metal spindles? I want them to be black. We are painting interior doors urbane bronze and haven’t picked a wall color yet. Looking toward something like agreeable gray but a little lighter due to lack of natural light.

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Comments (6)

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Patricia Colwell Consulting
2 years ago
I would contact a stair company and see what can be done withing your budget . Lighting is IMO more important to start with so a good electrician can do wonders for more lighting. I would also suggest LEDs in 4000K for all of the lighting you do,Before opening that wall up for a railing think about the space above and how it is used and by whom. If this is walkway from bedrooms to bathroom you might no want it opendepending on who lives in the home. I know how badly people want to do something to make a home theirs but you need to stop and live in the space for a while before doing anything major and if this stairway is a big deal for you then forget wall paint color for now. The pot lights in the kitchen are an easy start to improving lighting so change all those bulbs to LED 4000K you will instantly see a big difference in the amount of light there.Then tackle the flooring and have a plan for that since carpet is IMO not a good choice. A new house is always fun to tackle but you need a very good plan before doing anything.
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Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks! These are all valid points to consider. I’m gonna check out the 4000k lighting
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It is becoming increasingly more difficult (and expensive) to get oak handrails that are made from a single, non-jointed piece of wood. I've had experiences where I've done a special order specifying non-jointed wood and ended up rejecting and reordering the rail because I kept getting sent jointed material. The last time I ordered was about 1-1/2 years ago and I got what I wanted. The lumber store could supply pieces up to 16' long and the cost -- based on profile and beefiness -- ranged from about $8/ft to almost $20/ft. I wouldn't be surprised if it was much more expensive in this post-covid world. I can't say if your contractor is lying. It may simply be that the supply of unjointed material is non-existent at the moment. As for the conditioner, it won't get rid of the lines, but you will get less contrast between those jointed pieces when the stain is applied, and the darkness of the stain will help hide the actual joint. It won't be invisible, but it could be made significantly less noticeable. I'm not saying you should be happy about this, but your supply options for higher quality may be limited depending on where you live and what is happening with suppliers.
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Thank you all! I’m not there to measure but I feel like almost all of the wall will have to be built back in order for the railing to die right into it. It just seems a shame to build it all back! But we are still under construction so it won’t be that big of a deal. I’ve been trying to find pictures where it’s done well. Thoughts on this solution? If we just build the wall back over a little bit and curve the handrail to finish going up the stairs…? I’d still need some diminishing balusters (I just learned they’re called :) )
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kculbers
2 years ago
I had a new oak staircase installed last year by a very experienced carpenter who exclusively crafts staircases. He had a large portfolio of staircases on his website that he fabricated, which was quite impressive, with lots of reviews of happy customers. My husband and I interviewed him extensively. He worked alone, as he is a stickler for high quality work. He spent a lot of time with us choosing the oak wood, bannister style, and baluster choice. He did a great job matching the staircase stain to my Italian porcelain wood look tile flooring. I love my staircase and I smile inside whenever I go up or down my stairs. Best of luck in your journey.
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Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
2 years ago
I recently found this idea and I like it, in case you want to go modern
Casa di Marco & Roberta · More Info
houssaon
2 years ago
Putting an open railing will transform your space.
PRO
q
Original Author
2 years ago
I agree and I’m so excited!

Help with stair rail/bannister ideas

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Patricia Colwell Consulting

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kculbers

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Help with stair rail/bannister ideas

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Patricia Colwell Consulting

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kculbers

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houssaon

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