Stairs dilemma

8 years ago

I have almost finished decorating my hallway and have taken up the carpet on the stairs and landing. I had thought to put down another carpet, but now I'm wondering about painting the stair

s and landing instead. But I can't decide! The walls are Egyptian cotton, with white on the picture rail and above. I am going to put Lemon Punch on the window wall you'll be able to see as you go up the stairs. The hallway floor is very old parquet that I'm planning on renovating. Any suggestions much appreciated!

Featured Answer

Susan Peock

8 years ago

A hard-wearing runner would be great. This is Mouse and Cornflower from Vanessa Arbuthnott.

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Comments (28)

fujimusume
8 years ago
Hi Asteroid

Painted stairs are way too treacherous (think socks in the middle of the night or long skirt and cup of cocoa). For me, a great look for stairs is to paint the edges to match the skirtings and then fit a central hardwearing carpet runner with a contrast stripe border (Natural Stair Runners UK have a good range). From the photo, it looks like that was how it was done previously before the all-over fitted carpet. You can start the runner at the base of the bottom riser and continue it across the landing at the top.

Fujimusume
London Asteroid
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you, yes. That sounds like a good idea! I'll let you know how it goes.
j9rob
8 years ago
We have timber stairs, polished with painted risers, see pic. I don't find them too slippery at all. My kids go up and down no problems too. Just another idea for you.... You don't have to paint the whole thing, maybe just the risers and polish the treads.
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Andrew Millar
8 years ago
would like to see the parquet flooring finished, will be lovely I bet .
London Asteroid thanked Andrew Millar
London Asteroid
Original Author
8 years ago
Your stairs look amazing! I'm definitely feeling inspired. Thanks.
Lauren
8 years ago
I second the stair runner. I absolutely hate carpets but stairs just feel naked without a runner!
London Asteroid thanked Lauren
PRO
User
8 years ago
Probably going with the Stair runner. I'd opt in your case for painting the outside tread as you are never going to get all the gloss paint out of them. Also, the stairs are not going to be the same wood as the parquet, so may start to conflict. We've got pine stairs and pine floor, so we kept ours natural, luckily they had never been painted. We do have a runner, chose a very good quality carpet and had it professionally edged, looks beautiful. You most definitely should not paint the whole stair tread, it 's too dangerous to walk on. Alternatively I'd go for carpet the same as the upstairs landing and bedrooms. I always chose the same carpet for everywhere as it gives better flow. However, in two of our total house renovatioins we went with stripe carpet on the stairs and a contrasting plain in all bedrooms. did look lovely. We always renovate a whole house not room to room. So give great thought for a base colour to all rooms not one at a time. You can have different accent colours in each room, but the base pallette should remain the same.
London Asteroid thanked User
London Asteroid
Original Author
8 years ago
That's good advice, thank you. I am going to go with a runner, the stairs are not in great shape and there is a lot of wiring that needs to be cut out and the stairs made good. So runner and paint is the plan. I'll upload some pics when I have them. Unfortunately, I have been decorating a room at a time, but the base is calico and my colours are chalky. I think I have too many types of wood on the floor though! Old pine in one bedroom, new oak floor in the living room and parquet in the hall! Ah well. You live and learn.
PRO
Petronella Hall
8 years ago
add a Stair runner, you'll see the wood at the sides without them being noisy and dangerous. there are some good subtle stipe ones out there which will add interest to plain walls without being overpowering.
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GRD Interiors
8 years ago
Would suggest to repair the timber floor on the landing and keeping them and adding a stair carpet runner with a carpet that has a fleck in it or two tones of colour can look sophisticated and still be practical
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User
8 years ago
Wooden floors upstairs are great unless you have kids, then the noise is deafening! I like the idea of the subtle stripe as per Petronella's idea, we did that in one of renovations 'Contemporary Caramel Stripe' has some very lovely colours in it. At home funnily enough we have a mid biscuit colour carpet as a runner on the stairs and in all bedrooms, landing etc. That has a fleck as per Gillian's idea, so that it picks up on all the different wood tones. That's called Harvest Natural Berber Twist
PRO
Pat Oliver Interior Design
8 years ago
Traditionally, runners were used because carpets were woven in 500mm widths, then joined and joining stair carpets would have been too fiddly and too expensive. They were also held in place by stair rods that were regularly removed and polished if in brass or bronze.

In more modern times, runners tend to look better on wider stairs and are easier to clean either side of the runner. If you have an older property, with narrower stairs, you can upholster the full width of the tread, but have a runner effect on the 2 bottom steps, rather than have them fully upholstered on the open edges.

Ulster carpets have a houndstooth design called Boho Chic and a range of plaids called Beaumont that you may want to consider instead of stripes, just to ring the changes.
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Lauren
8 years ago
That's really interesting Pat. Didn't know that!
London Asteroid thanked Lauren
minnie101
8 years ago
Hi. I might consider a jute or coir runner. If you want more of a wow impact consider varnishing the treads or painting a darker shade. It may also tie in better with the different floors. Not always the case but in my opinion striped runners don't look as effective on stairs with a curved turn (rather than a square turn) as the stripes don't line up
London Asteroid thanked minnie101
PRO
Pauls Floors
8 years ago
Definitely go for a runner - it will look stunning! You can then decide whether to add rods or not. They're purely decorative now, they're not used to secure the carpet and there are some great looks.
London Asteroid thanked Pauls Floors
vjanko
8 years ago
Hello there, I have painted many a stair tread and Ive only slipped on carpeted ones so don't be too frightened - there are textured floor paints that work a treat, if a little tickly on bare feet - Your parquet floor is lovely - my advice would be to sand the treads and wax (not varnish) to as near to the parquet colour as possible and paint the risers white to match the skirtings x failing that black always looks rather fab with wood floors and white woodwork - you could paint the banister rail to match x
London Asteroid thanked vjanko
163 hrd
8 years ago
Old stairs without carpet just make far too much noise. Even with carpet they will creak.
London Asteroid
Original Author
8 years ago
I love that runner! Was going to paint the treads and risers white to go with the skirting and spindles, but might opt for same colour as walls now.
H H
8 years ago
I painted the stairs all the way across as it was just as quick as trying to paint just the edges. I had intended to add a runner but liked the look so much I haven't done. The bottom two stairs are curved and I couldn't work out how the runner would sit over them. I used floor paint but it does need repainting every year or two, so it's not the most practical solution.
marianda01
8 years ago
Hi Asteroid,

Please see a picture of my painted & stained stairs. I also have parquet flooring and it look lovely. Good luck with the project. Marianda
London Asteroid
Original Author
8 years ago
Wow, the parquet looks really good! The stairs, too. My stairs aren't in very good shape and I'm reaching the end of my budget, plus noisy children, so I'm going to get a runner. But thank you for your advice. I hope my floor comes up as nicely as yours.
Ro Ro
8 years ago
Please don't get a stripey one! They are lovely but unfortunately becoming ubiquitous and therefore beginning to look dated already. I think Minnie101 has given good advice. I'm in the same boat, actually, facing exactly the same dilemma. Good luck.
PRO
StairBox
8 years ago

Hi, I'd maybe suggest going with stair cladding, or more specifically- Stair Klad. It's really effective and creates a gorgeous looking staircase without needing to replace your staircase!
London Asteroid
Original Author
8 years ago
I have finally finished the floor and stairs! Thank you to everyone for so many helpful suggestions.
163 hrd
8 years ago
Thanks for posting photos of the finished project. It seems too few people do this.
PRO
User
8 years ago
Excellent job! So nice to see the finished pics
marianda01
8 years ago
Well done!! The stairs look lovely. You've done a fantastic job and the parquet looks great. I agree 163hrd it so nice to have follow up photos of the finished project.