Before and After – Our Staircase Transformation


I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am about today’s post. Guys, our staircase is officially d-o-n-e and it looks sooooooooo good. I have the staircase of my dreams. Instead of this area being a dated eyesore, it’s now a gorgeous focal point in our new home. But before we get to the goodies, let me remind you of what this spot looked like before the staircase transformation.

Our Staircase – BeforeOutdated staircase plansStairwell before

Casey and Finn sitting on the stairs

Here we are the week of our closing. We removed the office area right away and took a picture to document how everything looked before the real renovation began. While I loved the idea of having a staircase in our home, this one was soooooo dated. The clunky banisters, orangey oak wood, and light green paint didn’t do any favors for this light and bright filled space.

Staircase Transformation – Metal RailingsStairwell transformation with metal railings and painted risers

Here’s our staircase now! Can you even believe the difference? Of course, the rest of the downstairs is not finished…but just focus your eyes on those gorgeous black railings instead of the plywood floors, dust, and construction tools everywhere!

I worked with Kendall from Marmora Design and he did such a gorgeous job with the metalwork. From the start, I knew he was the right choice for this project because he was just so passionate and excited about the space. Marmora design metalworkOf course, Kendallย wanted it to be functional and safe, but he also wanted it to be a showstopper in our new house! I think he achieved both so beautifully.Sleek black railings

The sleek design and black metal really bring this look up to 2019 standards. It’s modern, without feeling too cold, and I adore all of the clean lines. I’ve honestly never given much thought to stair railings in the past, but now I’m so appreciative when I see a railing that is done really well. It can totally transform the look and feel of a space.Finding the perfect staircase railings

As you read in this post, I had a few different designs in the running for our final look. I showed all of my inspiration pictures to Kendall and together we were able to tweak it until we found one that worked well for this exact space. It took a few meetings with Kendall to nail down the design and materials for this project. He also returned to our house a few times to dry-fit pieces before he built the entire piece. I’d say, all in all, it was about four weeks from start to finish. The installation took a few hours to get it all in and stable.

The Stairs

Wood oak treads and white risers on a stairwell transformation

We had the hardwood treads sanded, stained, and sealed to match our new flooring (more details on the flooring coming next week). I think they did a great job matching the white oak coloring. My painter then painted the risers and sides Benjamin Moore “Simply White” in an eggshell finish for extra durability.White oak stairs

The fresh paint brightens up this space and gets rid of all of the beige on beige on beige that we had going on before. My painter still needs to give the stairs one more coat of white and caulk everything…but I’m considering this 98% there!

Sparkly Chandelier

Stairwell transformation in Chicago

Finally, the jewelry of the space…this gorgeous chandelier. I’ve adored this piece forever and I can’t believe I now have it in my home! I went with the large size and it fits the space beautifully. I was originally worried that it might be too big, but if I went with the smaller one, it would have been way too dinky.Serena and Lily capiz honeycomb chandelier

It’s such a statement piece and the view upstairs in the hallway makes me gasp every.single.time. I imagine walking through this hallway on our way to bed each night and turning this beautiful light fixture off. It’s going to be a nice way to end each evening.

Final Before and After

Okay, my favorite part…the big before and after of our staircase transformation. Let’s start downstairs…Stairwell beforeOur stairwell after

And here is the evolution of the upstairs…Before photos of the railings in our homeOpen laundry roomAdding framing for a laundry roomLaundry room drywalled in home renovationStairwell and hallway with light fixture from serena and lilyStairwell transformation with metal railing

And here’s the view from the other side of the hallway…

I’m in l-o-v-e and this staircase transformation has made me feel a lot better about the craziness that happened on the first floor. Even with most of the house still in disarray, this little area makes me so incredibly happy.

Once we get settled in, I want to add a few more finishing touches – maybe some wood detailing or frames on the wall by the landing. Then I think this area is good to go!

Casey

 


The Year of Casey

Hey there!

Iโ€™m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. I’m a Chicago gal teaching you how to design, DIY, and maintain your home…by yourself! Learn more about me right here.