Ask A Designer™
Ask A Designer: How To Freshen Up a Frumpy Staircase
Updated on July 26, 2023
In this Ask A Designer column, Gillian Atkins’ shares advice for improving a staircase and foyer.
Question: We’re looking to update our staircase spindles and resurface the treads and risers in wood. For the spindles, we’re torn between simple iron or classic painted white. We gravitate toward a modern farmhouse aesthetic, and we’d love something timeless. Are iron spindles a trend that will scream “2020s,” or do they have staying power? Should we stick with tried-and-true classic white? — J.B., Brooklin, Ont.
Do you have a design dilemma? Send your questions to [email protected].
Replacing the dated beige floor tile with wide-plank hardwood is a great start for updating your entryway and its lovely curved staircase. Don’t go too rustic! That will date your home in the long term.
Choose a hand-scraped pale oak engineered hardwood to give it that warm and airy feeling we all love about the modern farmhouse look. Clad the stair treads in the same wood and paint the risers off-white like the walls.
With light floors, your space can easily handle a simple black iron railing. Choose plain square spindles and a thin iron handrail. Avoid chunky newel posts if you can, and opt for a sweeping curve instead. This look is timeless.
Complete the refresh with a natural- looking fibre stair runner.
Consider replacing the chair in the alcove with a small round table, then add a vase with real seasonal branches.
And if you’re updating your entry cabinets, why not try a freestanding armoire?
Gillian Atkins is a senior designer at Lynda Reeves Design Studio, LRDS.
House & Home