The house retrospective: Day 12. The stairway
A response in avoidance of the Daily Post’s Writing Prompt https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/faq/
FAQ = Interview? Really Daily Post?? Oh, sorry….did I say that out loud?
Anyway, a really simple avoidance-as-house-retrospective today in that it’s a space we have done virtually nothing too, not that it doesn’t need work. It does. This is the stairway from the main floor to the second floor.
Here is the bottom of it. Wood paneling continuing on from the foyer.
And here is the view up the stairway.
We still have the ugly green carpet on the stairs (the same carpet that used to be in the Pantry and the upstairs hallway before we ripped it up and had the floors refinished). The stairs are unfinished underneath, so someday we will probably just replace the carpet with a nicer runner. Refinishing stairs is apparently not a fun thing to do, even for the experts!
Also, notice the wallpaper. Yes. Wallpaper. The same wallpaper that was on the walls in the main floor hallway. And not JUST wallpaper, but layers of paint over wallpaper with plaster underneath it all. This scares me. I want to get rid of the paper, but don’t want to have to stand a ladder in the stairs getting it off the really high walls. But I can’t in good conscience paint over paper. Although, that would, apparently, be in keeping with the stairway’s history.
I should also point out that there was a big hole in the wall. Alas, there was nothing interesting or icky hidden in the wall. And our drywall/plaster guy repaired it for us before we moved in. I do, however, believe there are more holes hidden under all that wallpaper. More reasons to put off tearing it all down!
One of the best parts of the stairway is the light fixture, which matches the one in the main floor hallway. We got these on Used Victoria – a STEAL of a deal, and they are vintage fixtures that really work with the house.
The other best part of the stairway is the stained glass window. We had to have one of these panels repaired when we bought the house as it had a small crack, but we found a great stained glass guy who took it away and fixed it. We do love our stained glass.
Someday we will finish this stairway with a new runner and painted walls. It is not, however, at the top of the priority list (which doesn’t seem to be getting any shorter). Someday…
Posted on October 16, 2015, in Daily Post and tagged Daily Post. Bookmark the permalink. 10 Comments.
So scary to work on stairs. You’ll need scaffolding rather than a ladder. But it will be interesting to see exactly how many layers of paper/paint there are…do you have all the deeds to the house? Maybe you could match the layers to owners? Gorgeous windows.
We pretty much know who owned the house over time, but I suspect the first owner (1907-1957) contributed to many of the layers and we have no pictures from that time, nor was there family left behind to have pictures. But it would be cool…
Gosh, those windows though! Gorgeous! I’m sure they make the wallpaper much more tolerable!
They do help!
One thing about stairs – you are either going somewhere or coming back – not a place to linger. Not until you get around to this section, anyhow. I think replacing the runner is a good idea, certainly safer and quieter. On the walls, I bet I’d take the real easy option and just wallpaper the wallpaper! I love your windows.
Very true. And thanks – we love them too 🙂
I love your wood paneling and stained glass! Beautiful!! Oh, yes. Some people paint over wallpaper; then you have to score it so the steam can get through… That is one of the harder jobs. I’d certainly put it off.
Putting unpleasant things off is what we do here 🙂
If’s fun following your renovations although I get tired just thinking about this! Thanks for liking my smoking blog.
I need to get back to those posts, don’t I. I guess my posting about our renos is as laden with procrastination as the renos themselves 🙂