Red is a perfect contrast to gray and just happens to be my favorite color! Get a large pot with a (very well done) fake red plant and put it in the corner as you go up the stairs. Also add (on each stair) tiny red plants in red pots going up the stair case. Consider adding 50% red frames and pictures going up the stairs.

I personally think it looks great!!! but I also understand that I am not you, so that said.. what about painting the longest wall on the landing up the stairs a contrasting color or maybe a wallpaper or some other treatment.

clarifying... paint, wallpaper or some other treatment on the wall with window.

Im also wondering about painting the stair tread black.

What Beth says, absolutely.

Just wanting to know what your gray color is called? I'm presently looking for a gray color for my living room walls. Thank you.

The wall is balboa mist ben moore- i loved it till we put the carpet in :)

I think it looks great! I agree with above about adding colorful art.

I also like the entire look.

Looks great, Beth H hit the nail on the head. Replace all the family photos with bright art work, and the window on the landing needs a new shade or curtain with complementary color.

by the way what gray color is that?

Love it as is

I would change all the parts of the staircase that are white. Paint all the white parts black. That will provide the contrast you are looking for and will make the staircase look much more elegant.

I think it looks great, could it be that you are just not used to the change? If its different than you imagined, it may just become your inadvertent better choice given a chance. I'd suggest give yourself some time, enjoy the holidays and when it's time, put away your decorations and reconsider effect. It looks like whoever installed your stair carpeting did stellar work.

In the first picture the carpet looks dark so I thought is that lovely then looking at the other pictures it is almost the same color as the walls. I think it is a great design for the stairs. I think you have enough black with the railings. I love balboa mist and it was probably looking more greige before the carpet. I just used it in a condo with floors like yours and an oriental that is cream/beige/blue and it looks more beige. I think color will be your friend . Maybe start with a roman shade on the window.

Leave it alone it looks great and add color with art and no fake plant maybe a nice red tall vase on the landing

The paint is BALBOA MIST. Scroll the thread )

Beth nailed it, add art.

Hi Theresa-

The stairs runner looks great, and not too much grey at all.

Here's what I suggest-

If you do need a window covering, please switch out whatever it is you have at that window now to something more permanent of your choice.

Family photos are totally appropriate going up the stairs, however they are not making an impact because they are hung too far apart and all have different frames, so it looks a bit haphazard, rather than a well-thought-out installation.

I suggest taking all the photos down and really studying them.

Pick out the best ones, the ones you can really see something in and that are well done.

If there are some like that but they are small and you can only see them if you stand in front of them and really look, then make a decision whether they belong on that wall or in an album.

If you want them on that wall, go have them enlarged. You don't have to pay a fortune, you can go to a copy shop and do it yourself, and you can turn it into black and white if you like.

(I love the gallery/professional look of a black and white photo.)

You can buy great inexpensive black frames with white mats and buy plenty of extra for the future.

Or, buy some cans of black spray paint and spray all the frames the same color.

Measure all the frames and cut out pieces of paper (freezer paper or craft paper) to match each.

Then play with the arrangement until it looks good and makes sense as a whole.

There are plenty of places to look up how to properly arrange a photo wall along a stairway.

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS862US862&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=zkMCXpaVAcPT-wSu5q_wBQ&q=how+to+arrange+a+photo+wall+along+a+stairway&oq=how+to+arrange+a+photo+wall+along+a+stairway&gs_l=img.12...42063.47660..50036...0.0..0.78.1283.19......0....1..gws-wiz-img.......0i67j0i8i30j0i24j0i30.6mhBEIxa6fY&ved=0ahUKEwiWtPn44M7mAhXD6Z4KHS7zC14Q4dUDCAc

I like the grey. Have you thought about adding stair rods in black at each step? I know they are not needed because your carpet is fixed but maybe the extra would break up the string of grey carpet. If you wanted to test the look before going all in on rods, look around at home for anything that's a black rod. Maybe an old curtain rod or dowel painted black. Place a couple on the first steps and take a picture. Then look at each with or without.

Search in Houzz under stair rods in pics. There is a carpet runner almost identical to yours.

Looks great! Woven shade at window. Nice artwork on wall.

Not a gray lover and I tell you, the stairway is gorgeous. Keep it. Just beautiful!

I love your colors. The space is beautiful. I would just add accents of color.

I agree - I don’t usually like gray, but your staircase and walls look great. The floors are a really nice color. I agree with adding large scale, colorful artwork and a plant on the landing.

Your place is gorgeous leave it add flowers if you feel down! But believe me it"s awesome!

I would move the photos to the wall at the top landing and do as suggested to unify and tighten them up. One hand's breadth between them usually works well. An appealing, colorful painting and a pretty window treatment with something slender sitting in the corner of the first landing will do it.

Since the stair runner has a lot of pattern in it I don't find it or the amount of gray objectionable at all. As others have said add artwork that will act as a foil.

I love it, you just need some color as suggested.

Thanks everyone- i dont mind the additional input at all!