Phase One Begins!
Embrace the drama! I’m thrilled to share our plans for transforming our tired foyer and stairwell into a space that embodies my love for cozy, organic style with a touch of moody elegance. If you follow along on Instagram (@gracefully_jenni), you might have caught glimpses of my inspiration and the progress so far. But today, we’re diving deep into Phase One!
The Vision:
Our current stairwell and foyer lack personality and no longer reflect our evolving style. Lets not forget that it still has a patched ceiling from our mold remediation and a crusty, pink paint color the previous owners painted. (nothing against pink, but these walls have seen some shit). It’s also been without a railing for the past 2 years or so because I broke it trying to fix the wobble LOL. That’s why we’re giving them a major upgrade, focusing on:
- Statement Stairs: Bold and beautiful, black risers and spindles will be complemented by warm, inviting walnut treads. This striking combination will add major visual interest to this central area of our home. The railing, newels, and balusters were salvaged from a 1800’s Friend’s Meetinghouse in Philadelphia! How cool is that! Check out this reel to get a glimpse at them!
- Moody Wainscoting: We’ll be adding a classic touch with a twist: wainscoting painted black for a sophisticated and edgy feel that perfectly aligns with the “moody” part of our vision. Thank you to Weaber Lumber for sponsoring this part of our renovation!
- Organic Touch: To introduce warmth and break up the black, I’m choosing a gorgeous wallpaper with an organic, natural pattern. This will soften the space and add a hint of our beloved style. Check out this post to help me decide which wallpaper to choose!
Phase One: What We’ve Accomplished So Far
Even before the painting and wallpapering begins, Phase One has been a whirlwind of exciting changes! Here’s what we’ve achieved:
- Tread stain: The treads have been sanded and stained Dark Walnut. I used THIS gel stain and it turned out SOOO GOOD.
- Spindle Swap: I figured out a way to retrofit the salvaged balusters by using dowels in the existing holes on the treads and using a spade bit to create holed for the dowels in the balusters. It was so much simpler than I thought it would be!
- Structural Fixes: During demolition a couple years ago, we uncovered a few “surprises” common in older homes. Luckily, we’ve addressed them and are ready to move on to the truly transformative parts of this renovation! Really… the problems were the wobbly stair railing and that broke so… I should get on putting this new railing up.. Or do you think we could just live like this forever. Scratch that, we would never pass inspection LOL
Stay Tuned!
While Phase One might not be the most glamorous, it’s crucial for a successful renovation. Now that the foundation is set, we’re ready to start adding the elements that will truly create that organic modern, moody vibe.
I still have to finish installing the wainscoting down the hall, paint it all black, and pick & install wallpaper.
We’ll be sharing the progress along the way, with plenty of before and after photos. Can’t wait to bring you on this exciting journey!
What do you think? Are you a fan of the moody and modern trend? Would you ever consider black stairs in your own home?
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