Some of you know that I have spent years flirting with the notion of painting my staircase black. If you follow me on Pinterest, you will see lots and lots of inspiration photos on my s t e p s board:
The main reason it took me so long to pull the trigger is resale value. I wasn't worried I wouldn't like it; five years of pinning black staircases told me that I would love it. But I know that with older homes, many folks are hardcore against painting wood.
But here's the thing: much of our woodwork has already been painted and then faux finished to look like stained wood. In the case of our staircase, the spindles were definitely never painted, but the millwork, steps, and banister were. So, that knowledge made my decision easier. Plus, in the case of many old homes, some woodwork was meant to be painted. Our soft pine floors have not worn well over the last 130 years. Clearly, these were meant to be covered when the house was built.
All of this to say, I talked myself into it.
I know some of you will still be horrified, or at least against my decision, but at the end of the day, my home is not a museum. It's a family home, meant to be loved, enjoyed, and used well.
Thus, my decision to paint.
Chad was initially hesitant, for reasons already outlined, but he trusts me when it comes to decor decisions, so he gave me the green light.
Ready for some Before and After photos?
Before
And After
Upstairs in the hall, leading to the bathroom. I'm showing photos of the house as it looked when we bought it ten years ago and later, after the wallpaper and carpet were removed.
Before
 |
| Add caption |
After
The upper landing.
Before
look how small Fiona was!
After
The runners are just basic ones from Walmart.com. At $15 each, they are a little shorter than I would like, but in my world, affordability trumps design most of the time.
Since I know you will ask, here's the process.
Step One: I vacuumed and washed down everything that would be painted, step by step and spindle by spindle. Hands and knees, people.
Step Two: I used Glidden Premium Interior, which is a primer and paint in one. The color is Onyx, which I would call almost black but not quite.
For the final protective coat, which I only used on the banister and millword, I used a water-based, satin polyacrylic.
Honestly, I'm not too worried about wear on the steps because I kinda like that look. And I tried the clearcoat on the spindles, but didn't like how shiny it made them. Plus, I can't imagine they will be at risk for chipping and wear.
Seriously, about 20 minutes into the whole project, I was sincerely regretting it. But after I got a full coat on, all my regrets dissipated and I moved forward with confidence.
Now, I l o v e it thoroughly.
The project took me about 4ish days, and after some creative problem solving, I was able to reach even the fiddliest bits of millwork.
I did it. And I adore it.
What about you, dear readers? Thumbs up or thumbs down?