Hi, bigdoglover!

I did a google image search for "white iron balusters" and didn't get any hits.

However, if you search for "iron balusters", you get a LOT of hits. All black balusters. The style is very popular!

I'm not sure I would paint them. Will you be doing it yourself? Seems like a LOT of work -- especially since you have baskets in the balusters.

Plus, there's the "drip factor" -- aggggh!

Do you have carpeting on the stairs? This could help integrate and soften the look somewhat.

Thank you McClark & Allison --

Yes, McClark, there is carpeting on the stairs, tan colored. Had not thought of "drip factor". Yikes. The black wrought iron IS very popular -- what are people thinking??? (Just kidding, I know everyone has different taste.) Seriously, I went on a local (Dallas) website for stair re-dos and they had about 20 before & after pictures. All the before pictures look like what I'd like to have; all the after pictures look like what I have! I guess I'm just a traditional girl.

Allison, that is a beautiful stairway and exactly what I'd like to have but balusters are much more substantial and nicer than mine. They look like wood (which is what I'd like to have.) Mine definitely look like twisted wrought iron with baskets.

What would you all think if I just had the balusters replaced with traditional wood balusters, and then had it all painted off-white including the stair rail? I've seen a couple pictures of this and it looks good to me -- not as good as a wood rail, but better than what I have.

I could have the oak rail stripped down and stained a more cherry color but not sure if they'd ever be able to get that dark brown out of it.

If you're going to replace the balusters, I would replace the handrail also and get what you want.

Yeah, I agree. I also prefer the wooden balusters. Oh! And I have them! (LOL)

Get a couple of estimates on replacing the whole thing -- balusters and railings. Then you'll know how much the dream will cost.

You might be able to sell the iron ones to someone who wants what you have -- your alternate personality!

Maybe you can find someone with wooden balusters who'd like to trade with you.

I agree with attempting a trade, or purchasing what you want and selling what you have... Please don't paint what you currently have if you plan to sell your house in the next 10 years... folks will most likely want to strip and redo them, and the amount of work involved will be a deterrent to potential buyers. If this isn't a problem, then do what you like and don't worry about our opinion.

JM2C

LOL, McClark, OF COURSE you would recommend that, but then your taste is perfect.

Has anyone seen the staircase and room on the "8 foot ceilings" thread? Wow, another "yum" staircase -- wish I could transform my house into that entire look.
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/decor/msg0811025831777.html?12

Thank you so much, all, you are right get the spindles and even the new handrail if at all possible, it's clear to me now that it would be ridiculous to paint the wrought iron -- can't turn wrought iron into wood no matter what you do to it!
If worse comes to worse and DH won't spring for the new handrail, what would you think of painting everything off-white as I indicated, and painting the handrail a deep tan (but not brown) color that goes with the carpet on the stairs?

I once saw someone's house where they had their oak handrail fauxed to look like a real dark mahogany, and it ended up looking like, well, faux mahogany, or even like deep brown shiny paint. But maybe this was just not a good job. Have you seen anything like this successfully attempted?

I really appreciate the opportunity to talk this out.

Thank you so much for your kind words!

Is your stair carpet a solid color tan?

Can I recommend a pattern? When we moved into our house, the POs had a tan carpet on the stairs. It had only been there for ten years, it had gotten pretty dirty. We replaced it with an oriental stair runner.

This hides the dirt really well.

And can I guess? You have big dogs?

A pattern will also help soften the look... Visually, stairs are always a mass of hard lines. A solid color will emphasize the contrasts, whereas a pattern
will soften it.

I did a search on yahoo images & found an iron stair painted white (and gold). But clicking on the image brought up "page cannot be displayed" so I am going to paste the page with the little clickable icon. If it reverts back to the basic search, you can search again ith the search terms painted iron stairs.

I think the white looks pretty good, but IMO the black with oak looks classier.

I found a couple more. This blog has a stair with wrought iron balusters painted. Not exactly what you want to see because it has an iron top rail too, but it's pretty.

This RE listing has a stair which is probably all metal but painted in neutral colors with carpeted treads and looks really nice.

McClark, yes the carpet is a solid tan (light tan). I love an oriental runner with exposed treads, especially coming down to a hardwood floor. Wish I knew how to post a picture, I'm going to do a search how to. Anyway, as you intuited, the stairs are very linear. No curves. Only one side of the stairs have exposed treads/risers. Due to the design of the staircase the "back" side of the stairs goes to the wall and the builder did not put exposed treads on that side, the carpet goes to the wall. IE, only one side of the tread is exposed So I wonder how an oriental runner would look in an asymmetrical arrangement like that. I will try to post a photo.

We used to have a big dog, a German Shepherd, what a darling. Of course he scratched up the oak floors in two houses but I'd have him back in a minute! No replacement yet but nonetheless I am still a big dog lover and always will be.

Marti, those really are pretty staircases, especially the curved silver one. They are clean and light and fairly contemporary. Mine is dark and fairly traditional, the dark being my main objection. I really have to post a photo. I will go look how to do that now. Thank you for finding and posting the photos.