Morning Staircase Negotiations
Our sweet little center hall foyer came to us with miles and miles of yellow floral wallpaper and pinky beige carpet.
Immediately after we closed, the wallpaper began to come down. Our contractor, Bubba Watts and his guys took on the the wallpaper removal in this space. Thank goodness! There were two layers of it, and it took them a couple of days to get it all off. [If you’re in Raleigh and need a contractor, I can’t speak highly enough of Bubba. He takes great responsibility and pride in his work, and is a true Southern gentleman, to boot. You can call him at 919-625-5335.]
Then, the carpet came up to reveal hardwoods in almost perfect condition. I think the previous owners (who were the original owners) must have had carpet installed here from the beginning.
So, here is where we are now! I’ll list available sources at the end of the post.
There was very little trim in the space to begin with. You’ll notice in the before pics there wasn’t even a wall stringer (skirt/kickboard, whatever you choose to call it) where the steps met the wall. My super handy husband diligently cut the stringers, then together we added the wainscoting throughout the space. The top handrail determined the height of the entire chair rail, as the handrail needed to be secured into wood for strength. We needed to use a 1×6 under that rail, but chose to use 1x4s at the top everywhere else.
Frank was able to install the new orb light on the same switch as the existing fixture at the top of the stairs. It adds much needed light and style to the space.
We removed the door to the old linen closet and turned it into a little book nook. It’s such a fun spot for our girls to curl up and read a book. The walls and shelves are all painted in chalkboard paint, so they have fun doodling in there, too.
I hope you like the updates! Please comment if you have any questions thoughts.
Sources:
- Stair Runner
- Wall Sconces on Gallery Wall
- Orb Chandelier in Stairwell
- Wall Sconce in Book Nook
- Scalloped Flush Mount
- Large Hooks (above)
- Small Hooks (below)
- Eames Style Dining Chairs
- Dining Room Chandelier
- High Chair (painted navy)
- Wall Color: BM Collingwood Grey OC-28
- Trim Color: BM Chantilly Lace
*some links above are affiliate links