I recently moved back into my condo after renting it out for a year. The renters destroyed the carpet with cats, and living in Alaska, I wanted to go with a Swedish Country feel anyway to make it feel sunnier in our dark winters. I ripped the carpeting off the stairs while putting very light wood laminate throughout the house. I was stuck at the stairs, though. My parents live with me. So do my small children, so slipping was a concern. No one wanted anything but carpet but I was determined to keep with my lighter decor. I decided to paint the stairs white and stencil designs on the risers. I did this with sponges to keep it rustic and imperfect-looking. Then, to prevent slipping accidents, I used a non-skid agent I added to the final coat of polyurethane. I'm so happy with the results. I smile every time I go up the stairs!