A sage green would look nice with the wood.

Agree, you are limiting yourself with the brown shag. Maybe just take the original color a shade or two darker. Can you pull some color from the other areas of your home? If you can do it, I would use a carpet or runner even better, of gray. So much more will fit with it.

Paint the trim instead of the walls

nuthinontv, trust me my wife and I don’t disagree, but at least for now it will likely stay. Also, I appreciate some other feedback. I should have put as much as I’d like white trim, I really don’t want the undertaking of painting it throughout the entire house. As a result, if anyone has any great paint colors with the wood trim, for now, please let us know.

thanks everyone!

redoing the staircase will give you far more bang for your buck. It will make a huge difference. you could do white spindles and spruce up the wood portion, or do them in black w/all the wood painted white. tons of combos, all look better than what you currently have. Painted the baseboards in the house white will also look far better. take you time and do a little at a time.

these pics show different paint/stain combos, along w/wall color

this one w/black/white is my fave. even if you did your risers (including the side riser) in the white, it would make a big difference (along w/the baseboards)

this shows the overall look w/pale blue walls, all white trim, baseboards,spindles, and black railing.

before/after. this one has your pale gray on the walls.

I have grey with wood, but it is a darker walnut.

Have you considered a very light green/blue?

I like the idea of green. You could find a light one with grey undertones. See the room below.

Pale gray, perhaps with a green tint, could look very classy. The photos already posted provide some good options.

Look at SW Repose Gray. It has a very slight green undertone and looks great with wood tones as well as white trim.

It always amazes me how trivially readers throw out solutions that require significant effort and/or money. Penquin was merely asking about possible color choices for the stairhall - already a significant undertaking for the average homeowner, whether do-it-yourself or done by pros.

I don't disagree with any of the suggestions, other than saying painted woodwork is significantly less up front and continuing labor over painted woodwork. Personally, I have always found a classic oriental runner up a wooden staircase to be both elegant and utilitarian. Oriental runners wear like iron and quiet down the foot noise. It would be interesting to know what is under that carpet? Sprucing up the stair treads and/or risers could be done at a future time ( but save the touch-up paint ).

David thanks for your reply. I too don't disagree with any suggestions as I am always open to ideas, but for right now I think simply painting the walls and perhaps the upstairs hallway the same color would be the best option for us. I do love white trim, but with a few different rooms having a nice beige/tan color with the wood trim, I really want to keep those intact. So if I switch in one area of the house, I will have two sets of trim and I am not sure I want that as it will force me into having to make determinations about the transitions from room to room, doors, etc. Not to say in a couple years I wouldn't want to tackle that, but with us having a baby, I don't want to take on too much.

I am curious about the steps as well. At least the exposed portion of the first 4-5 steps leads me to believe there could be something decent to work with.

Priariemo61 - i will look into that color - Thanks for your advice!

Penquin,

It would not be uncommon that they are actually an oak or such, but likely unfinished. If the risers ( the vertical back board )are a lesser wood, they could be painted. If painted wood is to come in contact with stained woodwork, you want to make sure the stained surface is completely protected with its finish coat first, before starting the priming and painting of the painted wood.