What will you do with the area under the stairs?

The thing that stands out to me is the stair rail. The pickets seem to belong in a different style house. Can you do something simpler, more modern? I'd be inclined to install light hardwood floors throughout, and paint the walls a white or cream color -- a Scandinavian look.

Congrats on your beautiful new home!

If you haven't come across Lauren Liess' 70s contemporary before and after it might offer some inspiration for you https://hookedonhouses.net/2015/08/06/before-after-how-lauren-liess-updated-her-house-from-the-70s/

I agree that you should remove as much of the stair structure as possible, but I would make the stair more sculptural.

See Napa house below for inspiration.

Nice! I’m just wondering when u remove the plants, will there be enough head room?

Good luck. :)

Congrats!! No 1 is remove as much wall as possible and remove the rail for something much more modern:

Thanks everyone! Not sure if that wall is a supporting wall or not. I will have to find out. Any thoughts on if I should add oak flooring to the carpeted areas or install the wood-look ceramic tiles? I have 3 small kids and 2 dogs. Thanks!

I think wood look tiles are okay, but this house is so unique and cool that I think it deserves a real wood product.

I would not do wood look tiles, they are fun in a bathroom but not to try to look like wood elsewhere. If you don't want wood, look up large scale cement tile-very cool

Seriously consider changing the entire staircase.

Leave only as little of the long wall beneath the upstairs door as possible (but at least the length of the balcony to support the balcony).

Rebuild the stairs in a design that is not ornate -- just basic quality construction. You could have them begin in the open area between the sunken living room and the dining room and double back with a landing at the wall toward the balcony and upstairs door.

Changing the stairs in this way would leave a larger open area by the windows (now beneath a stairwell landing) -- a space accessible from the dining area that could be used as a home office nook and/or a bar and/or a more practical place for potted plants.

At least some of the area beneath the stairwell and balcony could become storage space for whatever use you make of the space opened up by the windows.