Whether you're looking for that stunning wow factor or just a laidback vibe, it's so important that your stairs play a leading role in setting the tone for the rest of your home.
The first staircase I want to highlight is a simple single flight of stairs with traditional wood balusters and handrail. As you can see in the before pictures, there are multiple types of flooring (which I will be addressing) and a traditional feel. We are transforming the home to a more modern beach house style. (Being in Southern California, the modern beach house style is quite popular.)
Unfortunately, these stairs had a lot more things wrong with them than looks. The primary problem was that they were uneven. Uneven stairs are a huge falling hazard as it can cause someone to misplace their foot on the step and fall. This was the first thing we addressed.
I also didn't really care for the soffit going over the walkway as seen in the first picture. By eliminating the soffit, we can open up the stairs back to the perpendicular wall, simplifying the area. We'll just need to take care of minor electrical cords crossing in that area. A light switch for the stairs is located on the opposite wall, which we will be moving to the stairway wall. I prefer it there anyway. Fortunately, we will be replacing the floor, so there is no need to worry about gaps created in the existing floor, etc. However, we will need to extend the steps over for aesthetic reasons.
Below are pictures of the work in progress.
Once the prep work was done and flooring was installed (we used a durable SPC product), it was time for the new railing to go in. We chose a smooth black rectangular handrail with horizontal square rails. This created the modern look we were after and I love it! It's just the right pop of contrast.
Because this stairway is rather narrow, we chose to only put railing on one side. However, the other side is an option, though I personally think it would overwhelm the space. Most welders will want to paint the rails after they are welded. I prefer powder coating them prior as that is more durable. Unfortunately powder coating doesn't work well on seams, so those as well as the screws will need to be hand painted to match. Powder coating is a more expensive process, but the quality is worth it.
Check it out!
By the way, there is a skirt and trim where the stairs spill to the right, it just didn't show up with the lighting on the pictures when uploaded to the website.
A small note: While the white risers can be difficult to keep clean, we chose them for safety reasons. The white contrast is easier to see at night than when everything matches and allows one to better see the steps as they are climbing them.
Lighting was also added for nighttime safety as was clear film for traction since these stairs are rather steep. We chose not to incur the extra expense of wiring the lights, but instead chose to install these inexpensive simple battery operated, motion detecting ones from Amazon. They work very well and we are pleased with the choice. I've taken detailed pics of these elements below.
Next up, I'll highlight a double staircase in a luxury home that's truly eye-catching!
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