I really hate the look and color, basically everything about our railing but we're not up for changing it. (We're usually DIY, so I dunno how hard or how much it would be to have someone change it). Is there anything I can do to paint or stain it that would make it look better?? Or would it just be like putting lipstick on a pig and just hopeless. All the trim in the house is wood, that you can see on the bottom of this pic.
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
I think painting the spindles white and staining the railing darker would help a lot, though you still won’t love the style overall. I’m not sure if I would paint the bottom part white or stain it darker. Do you have any plans to redo it completely? If so you have to decide if that amount of effort is worth it just for a few years or whatever. I’ve seen a bunch of tutorials online and it doesn’t look too hard to diy. And they have gel stain that makes the top easier- you don’t have to sand down to bare wood.
We have all wood railings and spindles and plan to do this- paint the spindles, darken the railing- when we pull up the carpeting that’s on the stairs.
pear / 1648 posts
I would paint black or stain like a java/espresso. I think taking out the honey color would go a long way since wood is pretty timeless.
ETA: Railing and balusters both black/dark stain
nectarine / 2400 posts
@Foodnerd81: this was Clinton be my suggestion as well - black railings, white spindles.
I think you can replace spindles pretty easily and if you can maybe changing those out would help too. I actually think the horizontal ones would look good like so - FYI I would still make the railings black
nectarine / 2460 posts
I have DIYed painting/staining a staircase and while it wasn't "hard" it was incredibly tedious and annoying. Mostly because you have a seam to tape off/paint around at the top/bottom of every spindle if you do it a different color. And all the areas by the carpet. Plus that is a lot of sanding in small corners if you have varnish to remove. I would hire it out and just replace the whole thing if it were me.
grapefruit / 4278 posts
I'd just leave as is and start saving up to have it replaced. I feel like the thick top rail and thick molding underneath really date it.
nectarine / 2243 posts
This might be because of the angle and perspective, but is that spindle spacing even to code? if you think it might not be, do not do any alterations other than painting the spindles. Worst case you bring in a guy to change the spindles out and he ends up having to redo the entire staircase to meet code ($$)
wonderful pea / 17279 posts
Hard to tell in the photo how bright the walls are, but I think painting the rails black would give it a nice punch.
pomegranate / 3809 posts
@Foodnerd81: i was thinking that has well, but was having a hard time picturing it and if it would help.
@JennyPenny: oh I'm sure it's a PITA, that's why I've just left it as it for the past 8 years. I even hated staining the railing on our deck, and that was all one color and I didnt have to be neat about it at all!
@kiddosc: lol, yes! I totally agree.. it's screams 80's (cause it totally is!)
@Littlebit7: I think it's just the picture. I'm not sure what the code spacing is, but it's definitely safe enough.... since my husband has been trying to stick our 5 months old head through it and it didnt fit!
pomegranate / 3809 posts
@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: ... I hate the wall color too! HAHA It's a lot of area since it's the entire entry way and connects to the upstairs hallway too which is why i haven't painted it yet. I was going to go with Edgecomb Grey. (I have that in my kitchen and like it, it goes with the wood trim - which I have a love/hate relationship with - fairly well)
grapefruit / 4045 posts
@PurplePumps: If you painted the walls the grey you mentioned, you could paint the stairs white. Just a suggestion that might not be too hard. I have similarly colored wood stair railing and we had it painted white and it looks pretty awesome for our tight budget.
nectarine / 2460 posts
I agree that painting the rails and spindles all one color is probably the best low cost/diy solution. It'll update the appearance a bit without driving you nuts in the process.
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