Grand staircase looks dated - ideas needed please :)

last year

last modified: last year

Hello! We are doing new LVP flooring & carpeting in a 90's-era house we just bought in Southern California.

I'm so excited for the new flooring, but it occurred to me that this first step on the grand staircase with the carpet on the rounded sides looks SO DATED and "chunky".

And now that I've seen it - I can't un-see it!

I want to keep the stairs carpeted for the kids, but what can I do with this first step?

We also need to update the balusters & railing because they are unsafe, but that feels like an easier problem to solve. This carpet-wrapped first step is driving me crazy!

Our style is still coming into it's own, but we're leaning coastal/midcentury modern.

Staged pictures are below. Thanks so much for your help :)

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rnonwheels

last year

last modified: last year

I would remove the carpet, do a wood stairway and that bottom round cornered step, then get a MODERN runner and new ballisters to go up the stairway. I don't think it will have grandness unless the carpet is reduced to a statement runner. Steps covered in regular carpet are almost as dangerous as wood steps because of how slippery the edges are...I would think the kids will be equally fine with either.

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Comments (12)

Lynzy
last year
Wood stairs with a runner is the way to go. Carpet on stairs is so unforgiving and it’s not going to give you an updated feel if you keep it.
R L thanked Lynzy
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JudyG Designs
last year
last modified: last year
I found an (advertisement) article and a photo for you. Your staircase and bottom step are much better looking than the photo. It might work out well as you have a full step and two posts. Interesting take and it might solve your problem for the time being. Agree with you about the children and the carpeting.

Have a feature newel or step

The beginning of a staircase is the most important part as it is the main element that people see when they walk in. on the majority of stairs that we manufacture will have a feature step, either a bullnose or curtail step (hyperlink) or both, this makes the first part of the stairs seem more inviting and can improve flow around the property (hyperlink to flow blog). One of the elements of a staircase that people don’t use to create a feature out of their staircase is having a feature newel. The first newel of a staircase can be altered in a few different ways to make it a feature. The first newel can be made bigger, for example if the majority of the newels on your staircase are 90 x 90 then making the first newel 120 x 120 will make it stand out. There are other ways to make the first newel stand out but this is the easiest and most efficient.
kandrewspa
last year
I will warn you that changing your stairs will be surprisingly expensive, but here are some pictures of more modern stairs:
Windsor Square · More Info

Transitional Metal & Wood Staircase · More Info

Modern Brooklyn Townhouse · More Info
R L thanked kandrewspa
la_la Girl
last year
If you need an inexpensive initial step and you are up for some DIY, there are tons of amazing stair makeover tutorials online - getting rid of the carpet will make a huge difference. We have steep stairs in our older home and didnt have issues with young kids - they learn to go slow and hold the railing
R L thanked la_la Girl
kandrewspa
last year
I'm wondering why you're installing LVP - it looks like you have beautiful wood floors at the foot of the stairs. Wood can be refinished if you don't like the color.
decoenthusiaste
last year
last modified: last year
I can't imagine why you're not striping and re-staining those floors and stairs. If it is because you have no flooring under the carpet and want to remove it, you can match they types of wood and then stain all of it to match. As for stairs, stained main newel, handrail and treads with a gorgeous runner is the key to a fabulous staircase.

Karastan · More Info
R L thanked decoenthusiaste
R L
Original Author
last year
This is awesome feedback! Thanks everyone! To clarify, the current flooring is laminate :/

I was scared of ripping up the carpeting but y’all are convincing me :)

Is it possible to know how usable/ugly the wood underneath the carpeting is? I like the idea of exposing the wood on the sides of stairs and doing a runner. I’m a bit worried about cost… any tips on how to keep the cost down a bit?

Thanks!
apple_pie_order
last year
Ask the sellers about the wood under the carpet. They may remember.
la_la Girl
last year
last modified: last year
Just grab a small crowbar and pull up a corner of the carpet in an inconspicuous place - even if the wood is not nice or stain-able, you can paint them super easily and then add the runner - seriously, the DIY makeovers online are amazing....

ETA - we painted our stairs and wallpapered the risers - Sherwin Williams has an additive you can add to floor paint that gives just a bit of grip and makes them not slippery

my home · More Info
R L thanked la_la Girl
CalRachel
last year
Not sure what region you live in, but out west, houses built in that time frame do not have hardwood under the carpet. Our 2000 home has OSB stairs. Like you, I couldn't 'unsee' our oversized angled stairs whose 20 yr old carpet desperately needed replacement. I second what another mentioned on the cost of balusters and railings-- it's a sizable investment. We kept carpet on the stairs and in the kids' bedrooms.
R L thanked CalRachel
Fori
last year
I'd just change the shape of the bottom step to be a bit more squared and perhaps narrower to line up with the outer lines of the newel posts. Then carpet it.