Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Even if I don't like your opinion, I'll promise I'll still like you!!!


It's crunch time on the stairs. And I need opinions. Honest opinions.

We have opened up the stair case and widened the bottom four stairs a bit now that the wall is removed.

We knew we wanted box newels, and that the treads would be stained darker and the risers painted light like the trim.


The questions we now have to answer - quickly - are these:


1. NEWEL POST: Paint it the same color as the risers? Stain it the same color as the treads? Do both?

2. BALUSTERS: Paint them white? Stain them? Get decorative wrought iron ones?


Here's my thinking - and this is where I need help.

I want the stairs to be noticeable when you come in the front door. I want them to be classic and pretty.

However, I do not want them to be the first thing your eye focuses on as you look from the sitting room to the family room, or from the family room to the sitting room.



Since both rooms have darker paint because the front of my house gets a TON of light, I'm afraid that anything painted white will stick out too much and be jarring.


On the other hand, it's so pretty with the contrast of the dark stain and crisp white.

What to do, what to do....

So you can see my dilemma.

I'm hoping that the pictures below come through on this post (I've tried it 20 times and sometimes they don't).

I got them all from Houzz.

1. Painted & stained Newel Post, Wrought Iron Balusters


Cheryl Shinabarger  entry




2. Painted Newel, Painted Balusters

Cummings Architects LLC, Ipswich, Massachusetts 01938 :: Historic Preservations traditional staircase




3. Stained Newel, Wrought iron Balusters



Stairs traditional staircase


traditional staircase design by charlotte general contractor Grainda Builders, Inc.

The reality is, I think I know which way I'm going on this, but would love to hear if anyone has any thoughts, opinions, etc. You can leave a comment or e-mail me.

Seriously.

I need a decision.

I am now holding up installation and Brian will lose interest as soon as golfing season begins.

Which is like, now.



(PSST!  To see what we finally chose, go here!)

2 comments:

Connie in Hartwood said...

I'll use my old house as an example ... the railing, newel, and treads are stained, and the risers and balusters are painted. Okay, the balusters WILL be painted as soon as I paint them ... right now, they're stripped of their decades of globby paint and are bare.

Life in Rehab said...

I like the painted newel and balusters, but you're probably already done with this project, aren't you?