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Stair Makeovers
For Style
Often when you walk into a house, the first thing you see is a set
of steps. Often the stairs are functional, but actually detract from
the interior décor. First impressions do count in a house and making
the entryway inviting contributes to the whole atmosphere of the
house. Since stairs are usually so close to the front door, it only
makes sense to have a stairwell that enhances the appeal of the
home.
Stair makeovers can start from a variety of positions in relation to
the front door. In some homes, they start several steps from the
door. In most houses they are off to one side of the door. There are
many ways to makeover the stairs to add value to the house and
aesthetic appeal to the décor:
 Change the railing
Change the balusters
Change the tread
Completely rebuild
steps
Cover tread with
carpet or runner rug
Change the newel
posts
Stair Makeovers
There is a wide choice of railing and baluster designs to fit any
style from rugged country to sophisticated elegance. You can use
white railing and darker wood treads and risers for elegance. There
are even metal balusters made out of copper that have become
popular, or you can use wrought iron railing.
The more extensive the remodeling you do, the higher the cost of
course. Your choice of materials has the greatest impact on the
final expense total. But even if you don't have a lot of money to
put into your project, you can still makeover your stairs by
changing wall or railing colors, adding lighting, recovering the
treads or even just changing the top of the newel post.
When you do stair makeovers, it's a chance to add a personal touch
to your home. Give your stairs a new look by changing the treads
from carpet to hardwood, or from hardwood to carpet. If you can
afford a more extensive remodel, you can actually change the entire
staircase unless it's between 2 walls. But even in that situation,
there are companies that manufacture new treads that can be
installed in enclosed stairwells without tearing out walls.
When you do a more extensive stair makeover, suddenly you have world
of design options opened to you. You can install straight or curved
stairs for example. A curve can be created at the bottom of the
stairwell. You can also change the underlying stair support system
so the stair wall adds the entrance way décor. You can bow the
bottom steps or use a starting step with bullnose. You can stain the
railings and paint the treads and risers, or you can stain the
railings and risers and paint the treads. In other words, you can do
almost anything you want to do to enhance the appearance of your
stairs. |
