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alex_r_29

Help disguising pillar!

4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago

I ended up with a hideous concrete pillar at the top of the stairs. Any ideas on how to disguise it with art, shelves, paint?? Walls are still being done on the upstairs remodelling...






Comments (31)

  • PRO
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Hang a fab piece of art on the wall beside it to take your eye somehwere else

    Alex R thanked Patricia Colwell Consulting
  • PRO
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    How far back is it from the top stair?

    To where is the staircase leading?

    Alex R thanked JudyG Designs
  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Can you post a photo from other angles? Right now it looks fine - just blends away. If you hang something on the wall to the right of it ( straight ahead of the stairs ) , that will draw your attention even more. Try hanging something there and see

    Alex R thanked Debbi Washburn
  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    It leads upstairs where I will have a family room, bedroom and office. To the right there will be a slat wall panel. Seemed ok on the drawing but now I hate it... slats will be grey so not sure if I should leave that bit white or a darker color. Can't find any inspiration photos with a similar situation.


  • PRO
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Again, another photo...what is to the left?

    Looks okay to me. Just don't paint the walls a light color. (doesn't have to be green). White walls, well that's when you see all the shadows in the corners.




  • PRO
    4 years ago

    I'd start with a handrail on the wall.

  • 4 years ago

    American houses have things like this all over the place and most people don't notice them.

  • 4 years ago

    @JudyG Designs, if I paint that front wall a dark color won't it be more evident against the light ceiling? And also make it look even narrower?

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    leave it and just do decor or art around it.


    maybe you could curve out that spot so it's smooth w/no indent.


    or, make it into something usable? what if you floated shelves on it for small plants?

    or, enclose the whole thing for a books? imagine this type of look going vertical?


    amybe implement some type of wood slat accent around the pillar, or on the wall,


    without really seeing the overall look of what's going on, style-wise, hard to say.

    once everything is finished, I don't htink it's going to be a big deal. draw the eye away by doing other things.

    do a nice light, maybe a gallery wall


    Alex R thanked Beth H. :
  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Thank you @Beth H. : I really like the books look, but unfortunately I can´t extend it downstairs, as the stairs cannot be any narrower due to fire regulations.

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    no, I meant go vertical w/that same look

    horrible photoshop! does this make sense?


  • 4 years ago

    Sorry, Not picturing it... But I can´t cut into it because it's concrete and I can't add to the walls because both stairs and landing are already at the minimum measurements allowed. I can only use paint, furniture or lighting basically...

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    ok. well nevermind that suggestion. I thought you had drywall.

    wait until everything is done and come back w/pictures on how to style.

    are the stairs going to be modern?

    painted? wood? handrail? wall color? any wainscot up the stairway wall? up top?

    do you have any nice artwork?

    I think this is cool. you could do a dark batten accent (they just ran some vertical battens) painted it black, and hung a gallery of pics. if you did this, you wouldn't even notice the step out portion if you included it.


    I love the black antelope stair runner too.




    another option to disguise. (you don't have to use this exact color, but you get the overall idea)


    Alex R thanked Beth H. :
  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Hi... you might as well say or show photo of what the slats will be like. Adding a 3D structural feature would seem to draw attention to an irregular shape, which it is. Plain wall would seem best, just imo. But if it'd feel better, what about a bright, and dimmable light at top of the stairs?

    Alex R thanked everdebz
  • 4 years ago

    Design is what a person wants it to be. So if your house style fits with a striking "art pillar," you could make that. You could shine a light on it, and do whatever you and yours like, metallic paint or wallpaper. Or have it blend in. As you choose.

    The Del Rey Barn Light - Short Angled Sign Light, White · More Info


  • 4 years ago

    I agree with @chispa as no one notices these. I live in a high rise which has structural beams and columns and they are just painted and blend for the most part. I wouldn’t do anything differently and attempt to disguise it.

  • 4 years ago

    True... nothing to worry about.

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    I agree - I think once you have " stuff" in place, you won't notice. The slat wall will grab your attention immediately when you head up the stairs .

    Here is my attempt at a visual:



    Alex R thanked Debbi Washburn
  • 4 years ago

    I moved the wall further right because I thought it would be too obvious. I may add a rail to the left though to move the center more to the right. I am thinking about adding a hanging lamp to draw the eye somewhere else...

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    "Obvious" can be ok, and even a welcoming design. Slats can look like a door - "sorry" but I think all the lines including new handrail look so functional, it's blah... unless ya know some part had design in it. Would a set of 3 photos or canvas art look good, hung to follow the stairs?

  • 4 years ago

    One way to deal with a distraction like this …is to make it look intentional… painting all the walls in that area slightly different shades. … could make it look like an architectural feature rather than a oddity

  • 4 years ago

    To add to that aesthetic… if those steps are concrete… you could stain them instead of using carpet…much easier than strapping yourself with the chore of vacuuming… if the surface is slippery … a non slip coating can be applied or there are lots of modern stair step pads that can add an interesting simple pattern in neutrals or color..a penetrating stain can sometimes make the concrete look like marble …especially beautiful in green

  • 4 years ago

    The stairs are finished :) It is micro concrete, the same as all of downstairs. Upstairs will be jatoba wood.

  • 4 years ago

    “Micro” ?..Jatoba wood…Are you in the US?… but I like both of those elements…is the concrete slippery?

  • 4 years ago

    @btydrvn I am in Europe. The concrete is not slippery, looks great from a distance. However it scratches easily and I do not reccommend. Probably just in bathrooms to not have any seams, but if it is not perfectly sealed then it stains and you need to redo the whole thing. Or maybe it is this specific brand and/or the contractor...

  • 4 years ago

    I am so sorry to hear that…my favorite floors ever were stained concrete…so we stained it a green mottled finish that i loved……used a sealer that had a slight sheen for the surface… that never scratched…

    Alex R thanked btydrvn
  • 4 years ago

    I guess at some point I may give a try to a new finish. But moving everything out of a whole floor at this point in order to do that is just not possible. Unfortunately as there are no seams I can't even just do one room at once...

  • 4 years ago

    Perhaps the manufacturer has some product to recommend to apply to disguise/fill-in scratches?…

  • 4 years ago

    I had to laugh at the title when I saw your pictures. Honestly I see nothing even remotely objectionable.

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    As a couple of other commentators have suggested you need to look up at something on the wall which will make the pillar insignificant.



    While you are at it, the stairs need railings. Make them unique. Something else to look at will also draw eye away from the top of stairs. (Of course Code applies to what you do with stairs, but as long as it is securely attached for your safety, , Code won't enter the picture unless you sell).