June 05, 2012

Stairway to Heaven


You know how some projects are so satisfying that you just can't stop until they are completely done? This isn't one of those. While we gutted the stairs (by we, I mean our awesome carpenter) and did all of the painting pretty quickly after moving in, we didn't install the runner for almost a year. I'm hanging my head in shame. The truth is, it wasn't even all that hard. So the other truth is, we don't really have a good excuse.


Now that it's done we realize it was stupid to wait so long. Sometimes the fear of the unknown keeps me from starting when I know perfectly well, if I will just dive in, I will figure out a way to do it.




















I almost hated to post these before pictures. I have the shakes just remembering what it looked like when we moved in. That carpet was inset into the wood and though we knew the treads would have to be ripped out, we weren't counting on the fact that we would have to rip out the risers too because of major jackassery. That was back in the days before we came to expect such things.


The biggest payoff is that once again I have a place to sit and snuggle with Emma in the mornings before school and sing You Are my Sunshine. Who knows how much longer she will want to do that.

26 comments:

  1. THAT LOOKS SO WONDERFUL!! WHAT A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BEFORE AND AFTER.AS FOR THE HUGGING, I FOUND THAT BY THE LATE TEENS/EARLY TWENTIES YOU GET THAT BACK, ONLY BETTER!!!

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  2. LOVE this and want to do it to our stairs. beautiful job!

    love "major jackassery" too!

    love,
    elyse
    xo

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  3. Love your choice of the runner. Where did you get it, if you don't mind my asking?

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  4. they turned out gorgeous. yes, you should have done it sooner, but i have no room to talk. i am the very same way.

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  5. The stairs turned out FABULOUS!!!

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  6. love them- the detail on the banister is amazing!

    the fear of the unknown- i so get that- and it's always unknown when it comes to home improvement. . . even if you've done it before!

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  7. Wow! Love that Dash & Albert runner! You must tell us all how you did it!
    xo~Jill

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  8. So, so super-so gorgeous, J! You're making me reconsider our current plan... (which isn't really a plan at all)

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  9. Hi Jen wow that turned out beautiful. Hey pop by my blog today we went to the Japanese Botanic garden over the weekend and Doug took some awesome pics very pretty.

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  10. i so want to do this to my stairs! will you tell me how??? my stairs are wood currently, no carpet. is that a dash and albert runner? love those rugs! "jackassery" - dying laughing...best word EVER!
    your stairs look beauty-ful!

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  11. Love the runner!

    And, You are My Sunshine is my song for my little girl, too.

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  12. How lovely! I just love the stripes and it really just makes the stairway. Good job! Kit

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  13. Oh- Isn't it the truth that nothing is ever exactly what you expect it is going to be? However, this project was SOO worth it...the steps and the runner look beautiful! I.LOVE.THE.STRIPES. Great job!!! xo Diana

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  14. Holy cow...that looks great! A perfect 10. Love the tread color too. :)

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  15. Absolutely love the stairs!I know you are enjoying them!

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  16. It's beautiful...great job!!

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  17. Beautiful! I love it. And I can so feel your pain about having to tear out more than you thought. We have been fixing up our 100+ year old home for 15 years and we too have learned to expect the unexpected!

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  18. I was going to comment on how I put off things that turn out to be easy, but that stair post just took over.

    WOW! It is beautiful. I don't have stairs (been there...done that... and don't want to climb anymore), but if I did, I would want to copy your stair post.

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  19. and it looks amazing! yay for completed projects!

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  20. Looks absolutely fabulous! That runner is unique!

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  21. Sorry about all the jackassery. But so glad you've figured out how to fix it! That is one beautiful stairway.

    xoxo, Julia

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  22. Wow, I love the update of these stairs :) I too have oak railings & bannister with carpeted stairs & your redo would look great at my house too...thanks for the inspiration...sometimes it's so obvious my house was updated in the 1990s!
    Smiles, DianeM

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  23. Hubby wants me to do this to our stairs. I have too been dragging my feet. Yours looks lovely and lively! Daughter told me I would love your blog and she is right! Your taste is so her too. I have a blog so come by and check it out sometime. foreverdecorating.blogspot.com

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