Falling up the stairs

Last year, I was itchin’ to tackle a certain project for MONTHS. In fact, I researched it for quite some time – and in January I finally got up the courage and went after it…and I’m SO glad I did. :)

That project was ripping the carpet off of our stairs and staining/painting the wood underneath. Hands down my favorite transformation in our house. Because we were lucky and had beautiful treads under that carpet, the whole project only cost $30 – the investment (like usual) was in my blood and sweat:

Like I said, I had been dreaming about the wood stairs for quite a while. So long that I bought the Martha Stewart mice silhouettes on clearance last fall, knowing I would use them on the steps someday. I was SO excited to pull them out of the fall stash this year! Yippeeee!

I knew I wanted to add a little somethin’ extra along with the little mice, so I used some random magazine photos as inspiration and decided to do an arrangement of itty bitty pumpkins along the side of the steps:

Because I’ve spent so little on fall decor this year, I splurged on real pumpkins. For a little extra PADOW, I added a little votive holder to each step as well:

Don’t worry – there’s no flame. :) I only use the LED votives anymore, and these are two for a buck at Dollar Tree. LOVE THEM. They even have the little flicker and look so real.

Do you see how the pie pumpkins are positively glowing? I used Stephanie Lynn’s technique for preserving pumpkins (petroleum jelly) and they are GORG!!

The Bub and I arranged our mice here and there along the risers and let. me. tell. you. – they are stinking CUTE!!:

This is the only time of year I can stand spiders and mice. :)

A couple of months ago, I showed you how I finished off the stair redo by adding the detail along the side of the staircase using mdf:

After that post, my friend Layla, being the brilliant mind that she is, (a brilliant mind with Photoshop), sent me a picture with a potential change to the staircase – one I was considering for awhile, so it was AWESOME to see how it would look:

It was subtle – just changing the color of the railing. She also changed the brass fixtures to a brushed nickel, which looked so sharp!

It totally pays to have friends with Photoshop. :)

I’ve been meaning to make this little change since, but it was only when I starting falling up the stairs that I decided to just do it already, and I’m SO glad I did!!:

I sprayed the hardware in oil rubbed bronze, to work with the rest of the house. (I just took them off, sprayed with primer, then the ORB.)

The handrail got a quick sanding, then two coats of brown paint, leftover from our dining room walls. I put a coat of poly on top and plan to add one more.

I don’t know what took me so long to make the change – the dark color looks fantastic!:

A reminder of how it looked before, with the white rail:

Notice the difference in the picture quality too? ;) I LOVE my new camera!!

Pretty crazy how the color matches exactly what Layla suggested too!:

The pumpkins fit perfectly into that space under the handrail – we haven’t had any issues with them in the way at all. Now let’s just hope they hang in there a couple more months, when the Christmas decor will come out. (OH the possibilities!!)

I love how our staircase has turned into another space I get to decorate! :)

Tired of seeing my stairs yet? (Don’t answer that.)

Adorable. I big fat love ya Martha.

Especially at half off.  :)

**Be sure to check out all of the inspiration at the Before and After Party!

**I got my mice from Michaels, but here’s a link on how to do them on your own!

(Adding this to Susan’s Met Monday!)

Thank you to this week’s sponsor!: