SFGate

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design It's time to get out your paintbrush again, and two cans of paint, one black and one white. Take a look at what was done in the house below.

Re|Structure Design-Build, LLC I would recommed you continue with painting the posts white. To my eye, the scale of the balusters is a bit heavy for this staircase. Keeping things simple will help with this situation.

jasonkorff Where does the black paint come in? Do you think chair rail would dress up the wall?

jasonkorff I'm sorry. Not chair rail, but wainscoting.

jasonkorff Thanks for the help! Any ideas on paint? I put a coat of behr extra bright semi gloss, but it seems too bright. Thinking of heading to sherwin Williams to get a can of white instead of ultra white.

Re|Structure Design-Build, LLC Yes, I think toning down the white a shade, like you are proposing, is a good idea.

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design Sherwin-Williams Creamy is a nice off white.

Chambers Well...I'm going to disagree with the others and suggest painting the newel posts dark. Leave the balusters white as they are, but do the newels (the top and bottom posts) dark. I think it would add some drama to the entry. And think about another handrail on the wall, even if you have to do it later; it's too "Home Depot" looking in your nice entry...maybe even a wrought iron rail with beautiful brackets would be nice. Peruse entries on this site and see what strikes your fancy...but I like the idea of dark rather than light.

joanjean1 I agree with chambers. Dark newel post. The floating rail on the left going up looks really bad. Can you continue the rail on the right rather than the floating rail. Also the balusters are chunky and the alternating length at the base looks weird.

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design Back to Jason's question about wainscoting. No, I do not think it's necessary. As for the black that I mentioned, it was an idea for the handrail, not the balusters.

jasonkorff Thanks for the suggestions. I darkened the white and it's starting to look a bit better. I'll add another picture. As for the idea of darkening the top and bottom, would you suggest doing that with stain or paint? My whole house is Brazilian cherry hardwoods except for this room, same color as the floor on the stairs. I can't extend the railing on right further because the wall ends at the top. I have a wood worker matching the handrail on the left to the same railing on the right. The guy I bought the home from must have run out of money or something because he didn't care to match the left side handrail or the rail at the top of my stairs to this railing at the bottom. My wife thinks I'm crazy for caring so much about this, but this is my new winter project. Gotta have one!

joanjean1 jason, this is what I meant i can take a better/more recent pic of the stairs it curves around the wall at the landing.

jasonkorff Joan, here are some updated photos, showing the latest paint addition using Sherwin Williams basic white. Also, this is a good angle showing how the wall on the top of the stairs stops and turns into another railing. Crazy design - trying to make the most of it. Thanks for the help and ideas!

joanjean1 Jason, I have attached a link to a staircase. Finish the floating rail on the left; it will make a world of difference.
. Post updated pics when you are finish.

joanjean1 Jason here is a another option