Stunning Stairwell | Before & After

From dark and dreary to bright and beautiful! Our staircase had been an eyesore for years, but I always had a feeling that one day I’d take on the challenge. I was determined to pull up that worn pink carpet and finally discover what was hidden beneath

I got lucky, sort of—the stair treads turned out to be solid wood! But they definitely came with their share of problems. Years of wear, countless carpet staples, holes, and 125 years of foot traffic had taken a serious toll. I was starting to regret my decision, really questioning if I could make it look better than it was. It absolutely looked worse than the carpet at this point and I was really panicking on the inside. But a space usually looks worse before it’s gets better.

My husband definitely didn’t share the vision I had. His idea? Rip everything out and replace the stair treads—no need to mess with what we already had (you know, the free option). He was less than thrilled to find I’d kicked off the project solo while he was at work. By the time he walked in, the carpet and padding were history. I guess he forgot when I mentioned this as a ‘one-day, maybe… possibly… eventually’ kind of thing. You wouldn’t believe the number of nails and staples these babies had! It took several weeks just to get it smooth and ready for paint. With a 9-5 job, running a household, laundry, etc.-this wasn’t a top of the priority task. The stairwell leads to a bedroom that we do not use other than for storage, but I was still eager to see it finished.

I also decided to paint the walls and ceiling. I wanted this space as light as possible since it’s closed off from any natural light. The stairwell did not have a handrail, so years of hands grazed the wall as people went up and down, leaving behind a dull, worn finish that no amount of scrubbing could fix. A fresh coat of paint instantly brightened it up and made the whole space feel clean and new again.

For the stair treads I chose Sherwin Williams Ultra White in a semi-gloss interior finish. Honestly, I thought two good coats would do the trick—but surprise! It ended up taking four full coats to get the look I wanted. On top of that, I added two coats of Minwax Polycrylic for protection. I went with the water-based version since I wasn’t too keen on using oil-based products in such a tight & non-ventilated space.

My husband fabricated the handrail since there wasn’t one before, and buying a pre-made piece didn’t quite fit the space. He measured, cut, and shaped it himself — the perfect finishing touch to tie the stairwell together. We went with a matte black to bring a little bit of modern contrast into the space while still keeping that timeless, classic feel I love.

And then came the really fun part—decorating! I’d been collecting frames, prints, and pictures for ages, just waiting for the day I could fill this space. Luckily, I had a nice little stash of gold and wood-toned frames to kick things off. I couldn’t wait to start hanging them and arranging everything in a way that felt just right to me

I envisioned a gallery wall that climbed up the stairs, inspired by the charm of old country farmhouses. I used a mix of family photos & generic prints. My mother-in-law gifted us several photos of the homeowner from the 1930’s and I made sure to incorporate those in as well. They are so unique! Our home from almost 100 years ago with a family who once walked the same floors — it’s special to see their faces on these walls again. It makes the space feel layered with history, like the past and present are finally meeting halfway up the stairs. Just look at this sweet baby girl posing right by our front porch.

And the final completed look!