SFGate

tayler_samone Maybe changing the carpet to hardwood to give it a more modern look!

creeser I think tayler is right. Removing the carpet and having wood treads would help.
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nadaibr I find interesting the idea of changing the oak banister into a carpet one! In my opinion having a carpet scale is so special and nice on an apartament interior..

Bonnie What is a carpet scale? A carpet banister? What?

Greg the PAINT-IT! guy The railing is A MUST! Do NOT do away with such a safety feature! They can be STUNNING "accessories" when done to furniture finish quality. You're going into VERY dangerous territory if you remove and do away with it! NO, no, no way... unless there's acouple of matresses stacked on the floor. Keep the video camera handy and don't ever let your Insurance agnet come to visit.

jagwyre I agree. Remove the carpet from the stairs, but it needs the bannister for safety. Maybe make it wrought iron?

Interiors International, Inc. I would replace them for safety reasons. Remove carpet and paint the rail and treads black. It looks great and gives it a bit of a contemporary lien. Check out the TV show Revenge. The Greyson house has that combo and it looks amazing.

ashleycajthaml I would change the flooring too...maybe some new tile to bring it into 2013

judyschwartz55 I was actually going to replace the floor and put in tile and I've decided to put the banister back but I will be refinishing it. Thank you all!

Tres McKinney Design The most important change you could make is to remove the fully carpeted stairs and replace the treads with hardwood and a carpet runner if you like. Creeser's photo example is an elegant solution.
Don't throw good money after bad recarpeting your stairs as did the original builder trying to skimp by not installing hardwood treads in the first place. Removing the banister on that short length opens up and lightens the look of the stairs.Replace the parquet floor with hardwood.

judyschwartz55 The stairs are hardwood treads, I recently put that carpet on them :( my teenage son has gotten it dirty in 6 months. The naked stairs looked really odd to me and they were so noisy.. also, wouldn't the upstairs hallway need to be wood as well - would seem odd to have a carpet on the hall floor and not on the stairs.

houssaon Here is my take. The carpet just doesn't work. Get a medium colored pattern runner for the stairs, For the noise and for safety - you less likely to slip on the rug and if you do it adds a bit of cushion for the fall. I would put the rail back up, as you have already decided to do. Again for safety. See: Jenkins Baer Associates, Staircase Newel Post and Curved Staircase Stair Runner Installation.

The medium color and pattern will hide dirt the best. Maybe you need mats by the doors to catch some of the dirt that comes in. I have one from LLBean that is great at my back door. I can't believe the dirt that gets tracked into the house. This is one example, a funny herring "bone" and there are other patterns, sizes and colors: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/76528?feat=902-CL1&page=herring-bone-waterhog-mat-18-x-28

About your question haing carpeting upstairs: the runner can end at the last riser at the top: Foyer