Railing in sunkin living room

6 years ago

family/living room · More Info

I am updating flooring in our home and it was suggested to either update the railing or remove it completely. There is one step down from the hallway to the living room and a step down from the dining room to the living room which has no railing and it has not been an issue. (the dining room is behind the black couch in this picture with plenty of room to step down.

family/living room · More Info

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Featured Answer

groveraxle

6 years ago

Depending on what you mean by updating the flooring, just be aware that if the flooring is all the same, a step can be easy to miss for someone not expecting it. I would remove the railing, but you may have to do something else to signal the change in levels.

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Comments (8)

A B
6 years ago
I’d get rid of it, unless you have infants
deborahhines
6 years ago
Remove it.
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User
6 years ago
get rid of it. my sister has a sunken living room with no railings and there's never been an incident in 15 years. not even with little kids, elderly, or clumsy folk.

if you're worried, an led strip along the bottom of the step can help make it more noticeable (if there is a lip you can hide the lights under).
decoenthusiaste
6 years ago
A bright and interesting rug on the hallway part can grab the eye and help guests notice the flooring change before they step very far into the room.
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Patricia Colwell Consulting
6 years ago
I would remove it but that step can be a safety concern but if you have not had an issue with the one you show than go for it.
Valinta
6 years ago
Look at that dining chair, then visually slide it back - yikes. I would install a minimal railing, it does not have to be “heavy”. I agree with groveraxle that it is hard to distinguish between steps if flooring is all the same.
decoenthusiaste
6 years ago
Turn the dining table to get it a bit farther from the step. Should have 36"-42" between the table top and the step even if it was a wall. Measure and adjust accordingly.