In my opinion, I would not paint the railing or banister. I think the feeling of darkness or desire to update comes from the carpeting. I would prioritize removing the carpeting, examining the wood condition underneath.


I've seen some beautiful two tone staircases where only some parts are painted. Perhaps look into that to still preserve the beautiful wood but get the update you desire.

can i ask how old your house is? while I understand it is tempting in the day in age to paint everything black or white DONT. just by looking at this picture I can tell this is an older home and that staircase is not something you can get today. original wood like this which has been stained is becoming harder to come by as people are ignoring the architectural value of late 19th/early 20th century homes. it is important to ignore what is "trendy" with these architectural details, because once you paint it it'll be hell to ever get it back, the natural patterns of wood grains and unique color of a stained finish is much more valuable than a coat of paint I would look into removing the carpet and researching other restored homes of your style to see how people managed to brighten up the space without damaging any of the woodwork.

Instead of painting your gorgeous wood, replace the carpeting both on the stairs and in the bottom hallway. Make it light and fresh. Don't wrap your stairs with the new carpet, instead keep more wood visible. Just do the reverse, dark stairs and light runner.

I think your stairway is just gorgeous. I agree with replacing or removing the carpet.

Agree with everyone do not paint until you at least remove the carpet. This staircase is beautiful and will be beautiful long after the current trends are over

Yes, remove the carpeting, add a new runner, and paint the walls and ceiling. Add some lighting to brighten it up, maybe sconces from the period the home was built.

I agree with everyone above. Don't paint it!! Update the carpet to a runner. Paint the walls instead. Good luck!

Don't paint. It will get chipped down the line and you will be so sorry.

Keep the wood. It seems to be in great shape.

The carpet really detracts.

If you can figure out how to check under the carpet to see if the wood on the steps is the same as the rest, then you could get rid of carpet and go with only runner on wood.

There are benefits to both, it really just depends on the customers preference. I can see that painting this to a crisp white might update and brighten the look of the home, but on the other hand, the wood is beautiful and in good condition, so if the homeowner likes the look of the dark wood, they should keep it.

The carpet is really a horror story. Regardless of what you do to the wood, I hope the carpet's going? As for the wood, all my instincts say, "DON'T PAINT!!" On the other hand, have you ever seen the movie Giant, with Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson? It's one of my favorite movies. Easterner Leslie (Taylor) marries Texas rancher Jordan (Hudson) and moves with him into the ranch house on Riata. The ranch house is very masculine, with tons and tons of wood paneling, stair railings, what have you. It's beautiful but, when we move several years into the future, and Leslie has redone the ranch house to her own taste, including painting all that dark wood. The result is to transform the rather oppressive house into a cool and comfortable home. So, as much as I hate the thought of painting wood, it worked a treat for Elizabeth Taylor!

I'd have to agree with many of these comments. Carpets gotta go. Hopefully the treads can be restored somehow to match the rest of the staircase. The rich tone of the wood is gorgeous but really it's going to depend on the decor of the rest of the house. :) Good luck!

These are the best "before" and "after" photos I can find to go along with my Giant story, above.

Take out the carpet and choose a wall paint that is brighter. One that will create more light. The wood is amazing!!! unless you plan to live in the home till death don't paint the wood. I for one would take money off the asking price to bring the wood back to it's original state.

No to painting. Yes to ripping out that carpet - like, right now.

Wood is beautiful! Carpet, not so much. Love to see the rest of the house.

First: let me apologize for these crimes against Photoshop - it's late on Friday and I was trying to be quick. :) I lightened your walls in both pictures, as well as ditched the tiny mirror you have and replaced it with this one from Pottery Barn (which is $400, and can be found lots of places for way cheaper).

Second: in the first photo I tried to give you a vague idea of what it would look like if you had the dark stair treads (removed the carpet) but had a lighter-colored runner down the middle than the one you have now. In the second photo, I left the carpet but made the uprights cream (I would never use white on them - I love Swiss Coffee from Behr for trim in an old house. It's barely off-white, and looks lovely on old trim. If you use white, everything else looks dingy).

Neither photo is a masterpiece (for the love of all that is holy, don't zoom in). But, if you sit back a bit, they should give you an approximation of what either option would look like.

I think your walls would be really pretty in something with less yellow, as well. I used a very pale sage green in a home with a similar staircase, and it was beautiful. It all depends on the light in your rooms, though.

I'm sure you've heard enough about the carpet! I'd like to address that tiny mirror and art vignette on the stairwell - they need to go. Then there's the massive stone fireplace in the other room. If you paint the stairs a light color, that stone FP is going to jump through the door and throttle you. I don't think you want to change the stone - I wouldn't!

I totally agree with @Cynthia Taylor-Luce......that carpet need to come off

Remove the carpet and if you paint something, paint the walls a nice popular color. Something a little brighter. That wood is absolutely gorgeous. Keep the spindles dark.

Leave the wood as it is! It's lasted this long in great shape, and to bury it under a coat of paint on a whim would be a sin.

And, yeas, that carpet has to go.

Celebrate the history of your house and honor it.

Develata has skill! Wow, I think you just solved my stair/tread conundrum! Thank you#!

Leave the wood and lighten up the carpet on the stairs, install only a runner, or remove carpet altogether. Even if you just installed it. We all have our "oops" stories in decorating. Un-do it and move on.

I have lived in a lot of old houses. Victorians can be very dark, unpleasantly so. They were built to minimize the natural light. I say paint the paneled doors and the riders, but leave the bull nose, treads, balusters, and railing alone. All of the star parts are very hard to paint. You can keep some historical features and lighten up by just painting the flat, easy to paint surfaces. And yes, do remove the carpet.and consider leaving the stairs bare. Carpet on stairs is hard to clean and contributes to a heavy look.

And what is going on with the fireplace in the other room?

Remove the carpet then paint the risers, rails and styles, baluster caps and interior of the paneling white.

Don't paint the wood. The best way to lighten up an area is to install a solar tube skylight. No maintenance, as opposed to paint, and cuts electric bills and falls on the staircase.

Please don't paint the wood! It is a beauty. The fuzzy rug in the stairs and the runner are the issue.

I suggest removing the carpet and leaving the stair case and railings as is! It's beautiful. Love the look of a much larger mirror on the staircase to open up the space. Trying a different paint colour such as revere pewter will really brighten things up and it looks rich and beautiful with dark wood!

Definitely not painting. Still considering dark for foyer, it's my main entry, floor gets destroyed,. So would wood and tile would be too cold and would not fit the feel of house. Steps are in pretty bad shape so I need to stick with my my wrap, don't want mess of refinishing. Also considering gray paint for walls.. Am I going in the right direction?

Sueloma commented on fireplace in other room. That was posted as another decorating dilemma under river Rock fireplace. It was varnished stained before I purchased house 45 years ago. Not happy with it, put have to live with it

Thanks for all the input. My husband especially thanks you! He loves his wood

Honestly, there's not going to be much you can do with the surrounding area that's going to detract from that carpeting.

This is the main room of foyer

May I ask: Is the darker color on the rails/balusters already painted a dark color? From my screen the darker tone appears to be a paint. If so, I would have no problem thinking about repainting those white (I have done it and would recommend a pro). I agree the carpet is not the ideal look, however stair case work is not inexpensive. If the carpet came off I would recommend dark wood treads in same tone as the existing posts, railing re-finished to match new treads/posts, white risers, white balusters.

carpet go. Wood leave! Carpet colour kills the beauty of stairs

Depending on the condition of the staircase...if it's in bad shape I would paint a beautiful white dove by BM and stain the treads, balusters, railing and posts.

Everything is stained. Not all it in great condition

Remove all the old varnish and stain. It will brightened up the wood and give you a new refreshed look, that is what I did when I lived in our 1892 Victorian home. It made a world of difference.

No paint on vintage Victorian woodwork get a high quality skilled painter to refurbish stain and re-lacquer the woodwork. Keep finishes light and bright add geometric wool carpet runner and update finishes such as lighting with a modern vibe to juxtapose and create a modern Victorian while preserving the heritage and vintage craftsmanship.

Oh my goodness! I BEG of you NOT TO PAINT this staircase. It's just beautiful. I've only read a handful of the comments, but it seems as though most people are telling you to deal with the green carpet. This advice is spot on. I can't begin to tell you what people go through to strip their painted woodwork and then stain it to end up with the beautiful wood that you have currently. Bask in its beauty, you are EXTREMELY lucky!

Thanks for advice, I am replacing rugs.

Find a "woodworkers' supply" store, get the name of a cabinetmaker, tell him you need an in-house consult re: "What wood is under this old varnish?" He can select an inconspicuous spot and remove the varnish. You might have a wood that may benefit (lighten up) from removal of the old varnish.

I haven't read through the replies so I may be repeating other thoughts, but from a glance I'd say to get rid of the rug on the steps. I love the dark wood, and the walls are pale so the contrast is lovely, but everyone has their own taste when it comes to colour and design. My biggest suggestion would be to keep looking at photos and you may find something that will just scream 'this is the one' to you :) but I strongly suggest the rug needs to go. Runners can be very beautiful and there are so many different colours, materials & textures to choose from.

Leave the staircase alone but paint the paneling

Carpet on stairs needs to go. Wood treads and risers or a carpet runner centered between rail and wall with space on each side would be preferable.

The carpet on the entry floor should go. Wood flooring or tiles would be preferable.

Art/mirror on wall above landing should go. Anything colorful or cheerful and more size appropriate to the space and centered above the landing and hung at eye level would be preferable.

Mirror on door below staircase is fine. If you paint the wall, you could paint the door on which the mirror is hung and the triangle of dark wood that matches the staircase.

Consider whether your light fixture for the entry (not shown) should stay or go.

Generally, wood with stain or natural wood finish in good condition should stay wood finish because anything that is painted inevitably needs repainting and begins to look awful as it gets that way and the rails and spindles of a stairway in particular are a chore to redo.

As nearly everyone has said, dump that carpet on the steps as well as the carpet in the entry. Refinish the floors, which are probably grade A white oak, in a natural stain. That will lighten up the entire area. This looks like a Craftsman home. Don't mess with the beauty of the bones of this house, enjoy it!