UPDATING MY STAIRS AND HALLWAY.. actually my whole entrance!!!

Hi, I'm Karen and this is my first blog!  
    I am a single Mom for a number of years now.  I have always enjoyed renovating, decorating my home.  There is always something to do in it.   I have learned to do many things being on my own.  I have moved in this home in 2009.  It was built in 1986, so yeah it is dated.  I have so far did 3 bathroom renos, partial finished basement, painted everywhere even my brick fireplace!   My sources for advice is the internet as well as friends that also do renovating.
     One thing I have never liked is carpeting on the stairs, so in September 2013, I began to rip it out!
Picture here is what it looked like.  My dogs do miss the carpet though!  

     So I began with painting the entrance way.  I could not take looking at it the way it was.

Patch, patch, patch......

 I wish I had the fund to remove the popcorn ceiling.  So the only thing I could do was create a border around the ceiling to update it as least.

 Progress is always inspiring

 Part one, entrance complete!

       It was a little overwhelming sometimes and I wondered WHY I started it.  When that happened, I would Google and look at other DIY's and they all said. "DON'T GIVE UP!" I was warned about all the staples OMG, they were not kidding!  I have no idea what the stairs were going to look like but chances were they were going to be pine.  All I wanted was them to be in decent shape.  Pic below shows what was revealed!

After some serious sanding and wood filling, the stairs began to look like this:

below is a side view showing the cut stairs.

YUP.... pine wood stairs were actually not in bad shape.  Just paint from the builders paint on the left side.  Paint remover took that off.  The only dilemma was the ends of the steps were cut.  So thinking of how to cover.  So I bought some oak moldings and covered each step.  Then I decided to add some details on the side, which will be painted white.   see below.  You can also see the end piece I added to each step.

     Back to sanding and more sanding.  I also painted all the spindles white.  Thanks to my Daughter who did most of the painting which allowed me to continue other things!   BUT then I made another decision because that is what I do!  I ripped out the carpet on the upstairs hallway.  It was a lot easier meaning not as many staples!  Wow what a difference it is!  As I start to see even a bit of progress keeps me going!

     I had to purchase a new newel post because it was loose and when I removed it, there was no way saving it.  Yet another trip to Home Depot, I was able to find one very similar to the other one.What a relief that the railings are finally stained espresso!
Now all fixed and I am so happy to have a sturdy railing for the first time since I moved in! :)

     A hard part was cutting around the spindles.  I could not remove them because having no help, I could not leave the upstairs with no railing.  So completing that, another other hard part was finishing off the other side of spindles. (see pics) many many hours figuring out HOW to cover it.  Finally used a chair rail and casing and I think it turned out okay! 

     The final part was the edges of upper stair and landing.  SO again lots of "racking the brain" trying to figure out how to cover them.  I ended up using different types of moldings.  It turned out alright.

     


     Well it has been a long road to complete this project.  The floor has been laid and now just the touch-ups begin.  Sometimes I can admit I can be a perfectionist which prolongs completion!
I am very happy with the flooring.  It is called Kaindl ONE 12.0mm with 2mm padding purchased at my favourite store Home Depot.

     Completed just in time before Christmas! 

     Thank you for viewing my first blog.  I hope that you enjoyed it! :)   Welcome any questions or comments. (well not really nasty ones, for I did this with no help other than my daughter).  This could be a start of posting more renovations !! :)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! <3