I've never heard of painting a tile though. Would the paint not chip off?

Hmm, it sounds like you're on board with the white on white? I wouldn't worry about the tile until you're ready to change the material. You can put rugs down. While I agree they're not really right for the space, I think if you get that trim painted and refinish the stairs you will be able to step back and see where you want to go from there. Just doing those two things will be a really positive change.

there are tile coatings available and people who apply them, yes.

My daughter bought an eighth floor flat (top level) last year in Edinburgh, Scotland and it has a sky window in the foyer. The building is over two centuries old and is on a protected buildings list. They have no problem with roof leaks and it floods their flat with natural light. She can even grow potted plants in the foyer. So, that is the way I would go with your foyer.

Maureen, that is a cool table!! However, let me tell you from experience, never ever buy a glass top dining table unless you resign yourself that it will never look sparkly clean. I put up with this: http://www.heals.co.uk/dining-tables/calligaris-tokyo-dining-table-glasswalnut/invt/tokyo for 6 years until this last move 3 months ago when I refused to take it in to the new house. It looks wonderful, you can easily feed on it, but try keeping it clean... it's bloody cursed, all it takes is a touch with only the very tip of your finger and the smudges start to show and multiply worse than cell dividing bacteria! Or maybe I'm a lousy (lazy) housekeeper, but whatever! I'll never have a clear glass dining table ever again!!

Apologies for indulging in this little rant on your thread, Marjan but I just couldn't abstain when I saw that table. Now, I realised I only gave you some links to ceiling lights, completely neglecting the gorgeous wall lights! Do you want me to have a look for you? As long as HE, the scary deporting monster doesn't find out, we can have a merry time looking at the wonders of illumination! Let me know.

On a serious note though, depending on your budget and priorities, you could spray-paint white the light you have and keep it until you find something you really like and can afford.

Luciana, thanks for the input. I currently have a 50 inch square glass coffee table, and although I have naughty persian cats and am not a total clean freak, it hasn't been too bad. On the other hand, maybe a glass dining table would be worse because it is higher up. I'll ponder it. The problem is that I seriously have looked at a bazillion tables and this is the one that hubby and I agree on. I like it because it has a lovely organic shape, is elegant and refined, not too rustic like many wood tables, and is modern but would sit well with traditional pieces, of which I have many. Sigh. What to do. Also, this table starts at $8000. :-( I may pay 3 or 4, but 8 is too much.

Might have to spray paint the current light white until I can find something else. BUT I do want to have a bigger hanging light feature above the stairs upstairs. Can you see in the pic where there is a big wall/space in front of you as you look over the banister to the left/as if you walk down the stairs. Was thinking of some sort of multilevel twirling down light fighting that would fill some of that space and provide some more light.

Also there are no electricity points for wall lights. :-/

Hmmm, wouldn't be great if they'd invent some really classy LED wall lights on batteries - then you wouldn't need wires in the wall for them.
All I can think of on the spot is climbing lights, either this: https://shop.ligne-roset.co.uk/store/596-p-le-plic-wall-light-set-of-3.html or this: http://www.black-blum.com/products/climbing-light/ - that is if you have plugs in the hall. Or this, which looks a bit less childish: http://www.archiexpo.com/prod/la-lampe-gras/design-steel-wall-lights-adjustable-67937-778310.html. I'll have a think for a multilevel light.

I have the Black and Blum in my den (I promise I'm older than 9!) - it scratched the wall already!

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Maureen, I know is not ethical what I'm about to suggest to you, but when prices are prohibiting you have to learn to improvize. How about you find a good carpenter/ cabinet maker and ask him to cut-carve and varnish the legs of that table (I think they have the sizes on their site) - it can't be that expensive. Then you either search for a glass top or buy a cheap(ish) table with the top you want, use the glass on your custom made legs and voila! - the Bonaldo table at half price!

Paint colors really change with different lighting. I would add sconces to the right wall perhaps and also change the light fixture to illuminate more. I know people normally don't change lights first but seriously if you are painting with your current lighting, it will still look different after you change the lighting in the future. Hmmmm. I also wouldn't paint the stair rails.

Luciana, no, it's not exactly kosher, but I was thinking the same thing. I do woodworking myself and I know this is a walnut, multi-laminate piece. I have already priced out glass and could find someone to manufacture the metal centre hardware piece. The problem is the grain pattern. The pattern follows the form (or visa versa) and they are all bookmatched. I have a very good lumber yard close by but I sincerely doubt that I will find anything suitable. The table isn't really hard to make at all.

You could do a velux sky light above the stairwell. They are amazing and help with the lack of light and then get a chandelier with a lot of wattage and maybe a few sconces in the foyer to help with lighting there as well or up the stairs.

I may just design my own. I am an artist and could come up with my own design. hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to the lumber yard I go...

Yikes! I can't believe all the comments! I'm a white woodwork lover (sorry!) and think it really brightens up a place. What about leaving the stairs bare, and painting the risers a light color? Also, you could line the hallway wall with pictures, and put those little artwork lights above each?!?

What do you mean by rizers? (Lost in across pond translation here). Do you mean the spindles on the staircase? Or the chair rail? I am planning to paint the chair rail in the same colour as the wall. So it's not so segmented. Aargh this is so hard to decide I keep going round in circles with this colour choice on wall vs just painting it all in Dulux Frosted dawn (like living room). Definitely sticking with my plan to paint the wood. Velux window wouldn't work as the ceiling isn't the actual ceiling there is loft space above it so would have to go with one of those light tubes if needed. Not sure I want to go that far. Or husband would want to go that far. This is getting a bit epic. Just a quick vote. Imagine white woodwork, same tiles, light fitting spray painted white, stairs carpet (poss colour of that basket I posted a pic off) and now vote: 1) Dulux frosted dawn, 2) F&B skimming stone, 3) F&B cornforth white or 4) f&B elephants breath?

Risers are the front of each step. Not the part you step on but the vertical front part. (The decorated part in this photo: )

Thanks Susan! Those are very cute Risers :) Marjan, I think using the color from the living room is a nice transition. Would the white woodwork contrast the walls a bit? That would be very pretty. Lots of choices make it hard. Just go with what you like, and add some of the ideas people have shared if you like them. And please don't forget to show us the results!

FROSTED DAWN gets my vote. And yes on painting the little light fixture as opposed to keeping it the current color. I do think the stairs should be refinished but natural but if you choose to paint white, they will still turn out great. Any carpet is better than whats there now! Please post pics of the finished project! I love a good before and after.

Dulux (and Fired Earth) would always get my vote ahead of any other paint makers. And Frosted Dawn looks great!

Hi Marjan.
I haven't commented before but now that I've completed reading this, I have just some suggestions. Do not put sisal down on the stairs. Here's why: it gets dirty very fast in a high-traffic area. I have researched this & it can often smell bad. Even when sisal is professionally cleaned there's no guarantee that stain(s) will come out. Whatever attractiveness it may have when you first put it down will be gone within 6 mos. That would be an awful lot of investment for something to become such a headache & you not get your money's worth out of. For the steps, I would recommend either a pretty oriental type runner, with some lighter colors than you have now. In lieu of that, a Berber carpet might be a good solution. These are softer than sisal, have great durability & can really lighten up your space. Also, 2 problems with wood or painted stairs is that they are quite noisy, &. if painted, the paint can easily chip.

I think that you should do your decorating by degrees. Paint the stair spindles white, while leaving the chair rail dark as well, as the newel posts. Live with that a while & you'll see if its a successful combination or if you need to go back and paint the railings, too. That is handling it by degrees.

And dark wooden trim can be easily painted, without going through a lot of hassle. Krylon makes a paint called 'Fusion' that covers plastic, ceramic, glass, woodwork, etc. You don't even to prime first to apply this.
In addition to painting the door a light color on the inside, it would be a great to enlarge the glass in your front door. Maybe you know of someplace where you could get that done. If you want regular glass, as in window panes, you could install a rod on the inside of the door with a privacy curtain over it. Just make sure that the fabric there will also allow a lot of natural light in. If you go with etched, wavy glass, etc., you may not need fabric there at all. I believe that you should get an estimate on installing a skylight. If the installer comes in to look & see if that's a possibility with the architecture of the space, be sure to get an idea of the labor, any problems that might arise & cost that you'll incur. Balance that with the amount you're willing to spend. Then you'll know at once if a skylight is right for you.

I respect the historic nature of your home. But while giving a nod to your home's past , you must make your home right for those who live there NOW. Keep that in mind while your decorating. It's possible to go overboard if one a slave to the past. Doing that might make a case for outdoor privies, cooking over an open fireplace or using kerosene lighting. But times do change & a lighter, fresher look is something that will improve both form AND function within those walls.

As decorator/designer Christopher Lowell has said, "Wood isn't always good". And a few painted surfaces will work wonders in your home's entryway.

Start with your chandelier. Paint it a lighter shade. Paint all the way up your wainscoting, too. After you've lived with that combination a while, & you decide you want a different look, its only paint, for goodness' sake. It's easy enough to change paint colors & it's one of the most economical changes you can make. And be sure to add sconces on the walls where they're most effective and you should probably add another ceiling light as well.

I haven't seen this anywhere in this post before. Where your longest un-interrupted wall is, why don't you consider a mural? If you can locate a good local artist, that would be great. But before you hire him or her, check out some of their previous work to observe the quality of it, if it's too traditional or too modern, whatever. Ask about references, too. And as a nod to the past, a beautiful mural might be one of your street, when it was newly built. Or it could be any kind of wonderful scene that you imagine Also, you can often find pre-done murals in a good wallpaper shop. They are applied like wallpaper, too. For the rest of your hallway, alternate between mirrors and pictures, coordinating with oriental rug(s) on the floor.
Hope this helps some.

your living room mirror is nice, where did you get it from ?

The mirror is from a market in Belgium by a craftsman who makes/sells them. It was a wedding gift.

Well, we finally made some progress after having our walls reskimmed. The horrible carpets are gone. New ones are coming this week so the paint has to be finished. Cornforth white (F&B) on the walls. White satinwood paint on trim.

The spindles, skirting boards and door frames will be white. Doors will eventually be painted white too.

Dilemma: we are planning to paint the dado and picture rails in the cornforth white too. We thought this would give it a cleaner, more modern look. Good or bad decision?

Dilemma 2: front door internal colour: black (outside is black) or white?

Also the colour needs to still be painted above the picture rail up to the ceiling. Ceiling will remain white. I know the tiles aren't nice but they worked when the walls were yellow but can't change them for now. This is the carpet colour sample vs floor tiles, vs wall colour.

You can always investigate looking at a light well http://www.velux.co.uk/private/products/sun_tunnel

Can you replace your front door with a shatter proof glass one to let in maximum light

Looking lovely so far Marjan. Main thing is: do YOU like it? My preference for skirtings, stair spindles, door frames, doors (including internal side of front door), dado and picture rails would be to have them all the same white. I think you mentioned white satinwood? or perhaps that's the name of an actual product? This way you get the lovely lightened-up effect you are after while still very subtly highlighting/acknowledging the historic details. On the other hand, leaving the internal side of the front door as unpainted wood ties it in nicely with the varnished timber railings. I wouldn't introduce black to the internal side of door. It certainly will look a lot brighter and prettier, whichever way you choose. Nice work :)

What a difference already! I love the white woodwork - what if you paint the back of the front door white, or one shade darker than the walls (?!) The architectural elements of the door(s) if you paint the ones upstairs too would be more visible if you painted them a light color. Love the carpet selection! I hope you're enjoying the process!

I'm a little confused. The last set of pictures, isn't the second one the front door from inside the house? If so, leave it; don't paint it!!!!!!!!! It matches the railings and looks great!!! I think the before pictures ha too much dark wood but you've done an amazing job and leaving the door is the perfect amount of wood. DON'T PAINT it or any of the doors upstairs that have that gorgeous wood on them!!!!!!!!! :)

I completely agree with kristylou, leave the doors and railings alone!
They're gorgeous and add so much charm to the hallway!

I too was thinking that I would leave all internal doors, including inside of front door, the colour of the timber because it looks great with the railing. But if you are set on white doors then I would do the inside of the front door the same, don't add black.

I don't know if there is a historical value to the railing that is there, here is a railing we have used to open up a space. #jmkarchitects.com

Wow, that really did open up the space gpe66! Good job.

Thanks. Looks nice so modern and clean. Would you say paint the dado and picture rail in the wall colour to blend them in or leave those white. I think it would look cleaner and more modern with them painted in the wall colour rather than being very traditional in white?

Hi Marjan, sounds like you are after a quite modern and sleek look which would mean playing down the more traditional timber details like the spindles, panelled doors, picture rail and dado. You could go to town and totally remove all those features which would definitely streamline the look. If you are considering removing the spindles then definitely remove all the other timber details as well. Otherwise paint the dado and picture rail the same as the wall, paint all the other internal woodwork white. Personally I would be loathe to do either of those things because I like those details and would leave them in the warm timber tones like you've done so far. But hey, it's not my house, it's your home!

Try adding light carpet, a different banister, and can lights. You could even paint the walls a pale color like a very light green or blue.

All done. :-) the little table is getting painted together with the light fitting in lamp room grey still but other than that it's done. Until we decide to start on the doors!

picture attempt.

Add rope light fixture to each step. A down lit effect.

Picture attaching attempt.

Current state. Still considering painting doors white and hardware black (instead of brass). Table and light fitting will need to be painted still, maybe also in the same colour as the walls (Cornforth White) or a slightly darker grey (Pavillion Grey).

More pictures. Still don't think the tiles are the best colour but whenever we replace we will go more neutral with those.

This one was before the carpets were installed.

I like to think in terms of theme and feel. At first glance, the chandelier actually makes the space look even smaller. If it were me, I would replace the chandelier something less obtrusive and then decide on a them. One trick to make the space feel larger is to have designs climbing higher up the wall and gathering near the top. You can use vines, draperies, etc. The effect of them gathering at the top with something large over the head can make the space feel larger. The other option is to decorate it based on a theme that is inviting. Imagine candlelight and decorations such as statues that people want to pick up and examine. Monochrome paint solutions are far less effective than well thought out designs. http://www.rosebudtheatre.com/index.php/meetings-and-events

Love the stair carpet, please can you let me know the make and colour?

I would have a good trim carpenter carefully remove the wainscot trim and move it up creating a band with the upper wainscot trim about three feet tall. Paint the area above and below the band a light cream color and the banded area a slightly-darker-than medium gray. Use the banded area to hang large, framed black and white photos. I would straighten the \_/ wainscot trim on the stair landing and reinstall it straight across creating the same upper band. Install gray carpet the same color as the painted band and replace the light fixture with one that has good LED lights.

http://to-p.com/black-and-white-tile-with-classic-and-simple-design.html
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Lovely, Well done you!

Nice, Marjan -- thanks for the update!