Get Creative and Consider Painting Your Stairs

Most people don’t think too much about the stairs in their home…they are intended for function, to get you from one level of the house to the next. But if you give them the chance, stairs can be part your creative decorating. They don’t have to be covered with carpet that gets dirty, is hard to clean, wears out fast due to high traffic,and expensive to replace. Your staircase can be included in the decor of your home and painting them can be a great home improvement project. So let’s get creative!

What statement would you like to make?

Choose complimentary colors: Maybe you’d like to make a bold statement with your color. Choose a color that is complimentary to the rest of the space, but not the same, something that will stand out a little bit. Example: If the area is painted  in grays or whites, maybe you’d like to add a little spice by choosing colors that will add a pop of color such as teal, and if you’re really daring, you could add a great red.

Paint for fun: Maybe your stairway leads to children’s bedrooms and/or playroom, you might consider painting words, letters, numbers or a colorful design on the face (riser) of the stairs. Another idea for stairs in this environment would be to paint the face of the stairs in rainbow colors, colors that are cheerful, and are in a similar color tone, then keep the treads of the stairway the same, in a neutral color or natural stain.

Create a a beach house effect: If you have a home on or near the beach, or you just want to feel like you do, paint your stairs a nice shade of gray and create either white or a soft yellow stripping down the sides of the tread (creating the look of a runner with paint), or paint your banisters yellow.

Create a modern look: Paint your stairs white and your banisters black, or just the opposite, paint your stairs black and your banisters white. It will create a very modern, dramatic look.

Create a combination effect: Maybe you would like the best of both worlds, a little carpet and a little paint. Choose the color of paint that works well in your home and then add a carpet runner to attach to the middle of the stairway. By adding the runner, you will be adding a little warmth and padding for comfort.

FAQs about painting stairs:

• Painted stairs are actually easier to clean, they are easily swept or vacuumed, and can be washed down rather than having to use a carpet cleaner.
• When you’re ready to re-decorate, painted stairs can easily be repainted, or a carpet runner or full carpeting added.
• Painted stairs could be slippery. To prevent this from happening, use a low luster paint or a paint additive.
  • Glossy paint works best on banisters.
• Over time, painted stairs may show some wear, but as they do you may find you don’t mind that look, depending on where they are located, and how your home is decorated.

There are quite a few steps involved in painting stairs, such as stripping an older finish, sanding and then the painting itself, so if it’s a look you really want to create, you may want to choose a professional painting contractor to do the job for you.

Claffey’s Painting is a full service painting contractor serving Western Washington, Chelan, Douglas and Kittitas Counties. We have painted over 7000 homes and would enjoy the opportunity to help paint yours. We can guide you through all the decision making processes so you get the right paint for the right job, and the professional job you’re looking for.

Contact us or give us a call for a free estimate – (425) 888-3634