Any home, specifically a multi-story home, will have to have a number of different staircases and landings – and they truly make up a vital area of the home. In the event you and your family are going through some type of a home remodeling project, it is vital you do your absolute best to educate yourself as best as possible, before you begin to even get started, as its quite easy to make mistakes within this area. Plus, all too often, mistakes made within this area are often extra dangerous, as an individual can fall down the stairs and suffer grave injuries.

To prevent such injuries from happening, and to have the best staircase, and landing are possible – both functionally as well as aesthetically, the team at Realty Improvement will often recommend hiring the assistance of a professional, with quality experience. However, giving your home’s stairs a makeover can be a great way to change up the look of your home and increase property value! Finding new ways to spruce up your home doesn’t always have to cost a lot or be difficult to achieve, if you’ve got the right knowledge and education on your side. Regardless of how large or small your project might be, here are some important tips to know before you get things started.

• Removing Carpeting Can Be a Quick Change
  Just like it might be when you remove carpeting from your bedroom, and reveal the beautiful wood flooring right beneath, removing carpet provides a quick stair remodel. Get rid of old carpet and/or carpet runners and try a fresh look instead. Don’t cover up the beautiful wood hiding under old, ugly carpet. It’s outdated and can look worn and tacky. If you already have finished wood stairs underneath the carpet runners, let those beautiful wood stair planks shine. Sand, if needed, condition the wood, add a stain and finish! This can be a quick and easy DIY for your wood stairs for just about any experience level. If you don’t have wood stairs that have beautiful wood hiding under the carpet, you might have to replace the stair treads and risers with a different type of wood that is worthy of showcasing in your home. Oak is a great wood to work with and can be easily stained dark or light depending on the look you hope to achieve.

• Add Some Colors & Paint Your Stairs
  While painting the stairs and landing area might be somewhat foreign to most, at least when it comes to more colorful painting and actual aesthetic design work. However, regardless if your thinking something colorful and with an intricate design, or something simple one of the quickest and cheapest stairs remodels you can do is to simply paint them. You wouldn’t think painting wood stairs would always be something to consider, but if you know your way with a paintbrush (or wouldn’t mind hiring a professional), picking a trendy paint color to go along with the rest of your home remodel can be a fun way to change up the aesthetic of your home and your wood stairs. You can also add a fun, geometric design to the stair risers. This added feature can be creative and add a unique touch to your wood stairs. Are you an artist? Or know someone who is? Change your wood stairs into a masterpiece with painted art on the stair risers. This can be a fun and unique look to add to your staircase.

• Adding Art & Aesthetic Appeal to Your Stairs & Landing
  Even if you aren’t an artist, you can still add art to your wood stairs. Vinyl strips can be made and designed with any look in mind to add to the front of your stair risers. Add some words of motivation, a famous work of art or an eye-catching design!
• Change Your Railings or Bannisters
  Change out the rail posts and balustrade or banister on your wood stairs. This can be a simple fix, although if you don’t have much experience with DIY home projects, it might be a good idea to enlist some professional help on this one to ensure your staircase remains properly installed for safety purposes. Changing up the look of your wood stairs can be as simple as picking a new railing design or switching out the posts for something a little different. For example, adding in iron balusters with a wood tread and riser can be a fun, modern look for your staircase.
• Change Out the Posts & Modernize Things
  Use another switch up in the actual staircase – change out the newel post. Again, this project might be a little much for those new to DIY, but changing the newel post on your wood stairs can really change the entire look – for the better. Consider adding a bigger post, or going smaller for a sleeker look. Make sure the post you choose matches the rest of the banister and posts. Keeping the look cohesive will ensure your project looks professional and attractive.

• Add a Seating Nook to Your Landing
  This is a classic way to make use of the space on a stair landing, particularly if there’s a spot in your home (or planned home) to build in a window seat, as shown in this photo. If your landing has additional space beyond what you need for the bench itself, you can add more features or even a couch space if you’ve got the room.

• Add a Game or Table Area
  If you have sufficient room for both a table and a pathway for walking, another fun option is to build in a table and two benches along the perimeter of your stair landing, as this photo shows, to create a spot for playing a board game or round of chess. The booth-style seating nook shown here is reminiscent of what you’d see in a restaurant, which would also make it conducive for cocktails or a cup of tea. Installing drawers or cubbies beneath the seats provides storage for games, toys or your martini shaker.

• Add a Small Office Space
  Squeezing out room for a home office can be tough when you have a smaller floor plan, but if you’ve got enough square footage on a stair landing, this can make for a good spot. Here, a modest built-in desk, open bookcases and task lighting create an efficient workstation. This setup could function well as a work-from-home niche or a homework station, depending on your household’s needs.

• A Library or Some Books
  Many landings are simple, small platforms that serve as a transition between stair flights, but some lead into hallways, like the landing-turned-hallway pictured here. The long wall is a great place to install floor-to-ceiling bookcases, transforming what could otherwise be a plain landing and hallway into a useful place to store books.

For more information on all there is to know about your staircase, landing and other aspects of your home renovations, be sure to contact Realty Improvements today.