do a chair railing or wainscoting on the bottom half of the walls....that would look great in a white color and then paint the upper part a darker color in flat paint. Darker and Flat paint will hide some of the boo boos....then hang a nice light fixture or something so that people will notice that first perhaps.
Then keep your gallery wall to hide some imperfections as well going up above the wainscoting.

As a suggestion, paint risers same color as walls, add a runner with a harmonious pattern, and replace railing with one that is fancier with interesting hardware that is same metal as the bars holding runner (brushed gold or silver).

Thanks! @J&D Interiors - had you meant to attach some wallpaper pics? I'd love to see! :)

I agree with J&D Interiors. I would wallpaper with a metallic paper to add interest and light reflection.

Are you up for a little fun? Pic #3, while not closed, gives you a bit of the impression you'd get from the beadboard. How about a mural in the stairwall - possibly a family tree, or I like this wood wall installation for something different. Wallpaper could be fun and lighting may be a key item for you too.

I like the dark- it looks navy blue and wonder if you can find some accent color for the walls. I also agree with adding beadboard.

Whatever that dark paint color is it looks beautiful.

I just did a stairway in new construction that is very much like yours. I painted both the treads and the risers the white woodwork color (I used Acadia) and ran a runner.

So, I am with mp on this one. Paint the hall dark and flat, the same color as the walls I love. Choose a runner with it and white. Would you consider an animal print?

I love that Sims road photo with the wainscoting below in white, very crisp....maybe after painting the white riser putting a sisal runner up would be lovely, they can be rough so look for a nice one. I would paint a pale shade of that dark grey (?) of the room below OR a sisal color that could go down the upstairs hall also. Good luck and remember when it comes to paint, my saying is "its only paint" Katy Werner of Katy Paints

[houzz=]

I like the wainscoting idea too, but like the asymmetry of the NW Homes example above to eliminate the tunnel effect. If the wainscoting was the same on each side as in the Sims road photo, then I would decorate asymmetrically - maybe one of the upper portions with gallery artwork and the other with giant up and down arrows or sculptural light piece? I would prefer subtle geometric carpet runner similar to:

Traditional Staircase by San Marino Interior Designers & Decorators Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC.

Woops - having trouble linking photo

Thanks everyone for the great ideas! I like the Sims Road pics as well as the NW Homes Pic. Will wallpaper cover unseemly "bumps" in the wall from a bad tape job on drywall? The seams are highly noticeable (especially with any "side light" that streams into the stairwell from the dining room below). Wouldn't the seams make the wallpaper job look uneven?

i think i would just fix the drywall..............new tape, mud and sand!

You'll be happier if you repair the drywall and then paper and do your wainscot installation.

Yeah....haha. I was hoping to avoid this. Since it's an older home, the texture has been layered on several times....like someone has tried to "fix" it over the years. It will be a big job especially since it goes all the way up on both sides at every joint. Ack!

All the more reason to "fix it and forget it" permanently. Don't let it make you miserable - just bite the bullet! You'll be so happy you did when it looks like Sims Road!

Ok, I've got it...I do a decorative treatment I call rag on /spattering and it is really ez and can be done in 1 day! Of course I'd recommend some repair work but if still uninterested this should hide everything as it is dimensional looking because you'd use flat and gloss paint. You need one of those LITTLE GIANT ladders because they work well in a stairwell which you probably can rent at rental place (I own one and use it on EVERY job)Tape off anywhere the wall meets trim or ceiling or baseboard. If you go with my idea of a sisal runner, paint the background of wall Sher Will. color "IVOIRE" in a flat finish. By the time you are done you can start the next step. I could go into more detail but let me know if you are interested. Basically I rag on 2 colors over the Ivoire, one a lightened version of Ivoire and one a slightly darkened and then" bag "on white over that (which leaves little "spatters" of white). I have attached a photo. The paint is thinned down so a little goes a long way, and keep in mind you just can start the next step when the previous one is done. If you need a professional just call!

This would go well upper wall with white bead board at chair rail height