Stairwell update..Natural oak just too dated now!

10 years ago

We are renovating the upstairs and putting up hardwood flooring on the upper hallway and bedrooms. We would really like the entranceway to have a more modern feeling to it. The terracotta floors on the main floor are staying so whatever is done to the railing will have to match with the feel of the main floor. We will have to match the colouring upstairs to the railing. We did not want to paint the staircase or spindles white as had been suggested by some people since there is nothing really white about the house. I would like to preserve the beauty of the oak, but is there any way this can be done without painting everything?We even thought of a glass railing but since it is a rounded staircase, it would be too expensive. We are leaning to a dark stain on the staircase so we can do dark hardwood flooring upstairs, but we don't want the main entrance to feel to dark. I

would appreciate some input on colouring, stain, or any other options? If we did paint some part of the staircase, which part and what colour? two toned?

Featured Answer

Nancy Ingram

10 years ago

I would stained it all dark. Do dark hardwood upstairs and replace the baulisters with a more modern iron ones. Or like pic 2 with painted newels and stained rails.

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Comments (11)

PRO
User
10 years ago
white railings, black banister...all your trim is white....
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emptynester777
10 years ago
I had honey oak staircase as well. I used General Finishes Java Gel Stain. It came out beautiful! Cost was about 50.00 including the top coat. I am trying to up load pics. but it doesn't seem to work for me.
PRO
Jeff Rice, Decor Designs, Inc.
10 years ago
White railing, risers etc... will tie in with the existing baseboards and door trim and give you more flexibility with the upstairs hardwood. Given that the terra cotta tile is staying, it would probably be better to avoid ultra dark stain on the staircase and/or upstairs flooring. You might consider a medium dark stain with subtle red undertones to compliment the tile. Either way I would refinish all the existing golden oak for a more updated look. Whichever you pick will make your staircase even more spectacular! Good luck!
Kathy thanked Jeff Rice, Decor Designs, Inc.
leelee
10 years ago
If your oak had a thick urethane coating on it I'm not sure you can stain over that without stripping it first? Paint might be easier.
Jillian - Interior design student
10 years ago
Replace the newel posts and balusters with square ones.
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Kathy
Original Author
10 years ago
thank you for all your input.

the staircase has a finish on it so we definitively will have to strip the colour and restain. I'm just wondering that perhaps if we go to that extent, changing them up to rod iron may be more modern and not that much more money.

Does anyone know how much it could cost to replace the baulisters with rod iron ones?
emptynester777
10 years ago
If you use the General Finishes Java

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gel stain you don't need to sand, just rough it up a bit. That stuff adheres to everything!
Kathy
Original Author
10 years ago
So i am wondering if I don't do the traditional sand and strip method, how well it will do overtime. Looking at it the railing looks great.
emptynester777
10 years ago
I put a clear gel stain finishing coat on top. It's been a year and it still looks great. If you google it, you will get all sorts of tips and pictures.
tfswest
10 years ago
You appear to have a federal-era inspired stair with a victorian-inspired newel and southwest saltillo tile, a random pastiche that gives you structurally ingrained problems.

Federal era stairs were often entirely painted except for the banister and treads.Going with that would give the stairs an internal coherence, but not go with the floor.

Switching to iron balusters and darkening the banister and treads would be much more consonant with your foyer flooring.

You may just need to choose which of the two you want to be the dominant feel to the space.

It looks like a roomy and gracious foyer in which to greet guests. Good luck with it!