When your daughter follows interior designers online and starts dreaming of sleek, modern spaces—but lives in a 20-year-old home—it might be time to step in and help bring that vision to life.
She fell in love with a stunning staircase design featuring bold, decorative risers—an eye-catching focal point that instantly elevates the space. Her existing staircase, however, was still carpeted and finished with original white spindles, basic painted handrails, and dated trimwork.
To stay smart with the budget, she chose to refinish and repaint the existing handrails and trim, freeing up room to splurge where it mattered most: the stairs themselves. We installed solid hardwood treads, custom-matched to seamlessly blend with the existing wood-look tile flooring for a cohesive, high-end feel.
The real showstopper is the risers. A vibrant pattern called Reverie, sourced from Arizona, adds color, personality, and designer flair. The paint color for the hand rails and trim was pulled directly from one of the tile’s feature tones, professionally color-matched by Sherwin-Williams and expertly applied by City View Painting—a small detail that makes a big difference.
To complete the transformation, new iron balusters were ordered through our friends at Beach City Stairs, using the L.J. Smith catalog. The ¾” iron allowed us to reuse the existing holes in the upper railing, keeping the project efficient while upgrading the look. By rotating in a decorative baluster at every third post, the staircase gained just the right amount of visual interest without feeling overdone.
The result? A dated staircase turned into a modern design statement—proof that with thoughtful choices and the right craftsmanship, even a 20-year-old home can feel brand new.
