Step by Step Staircase Transformation

I finally finished painting the stairs over the weekend. What a tedious task! I thought I'd never finish, but I love how they turned out...

The picture above is a little deceiving, because it's not the exact same pair of steps. In fact, we completely relocated the staircase altogether -- installing the new set perpendicular to where the old set had been. (The picture's portrayal of the grossness of the original stairs is pretty accurate though.)

This might help you visualize the change a little better. The picture below was taken at the same angle (notice the window is the same). In the top picture the stairs descend off to the left in front of the stove, whereas in the bottom picture the stairs descend where the old sink and cabinetry used to be. Personally I like the hallway better than the kitchen...

Here's the process of how the steps came to look so lovely. It only took about 15 months, but we've finally got something here!

That's my dad (above), prepping the wood for stain. And that's my arm, doing its staining thing (below). You have to be a little messy to make sure it gets in the cracks. (Now you know why I didn't show you the "in progress" pictures before. Slightly scary.)

And then, voila! After much taping and painting (and repeating), we have gorgeous black and white steps! Loving the crispness.

Like I said... I'm excited. It's amazing what a little stain and paint and patience can do. It just makes everything feel more finished. That is, if you ignore the fact that half the house is still gutted... But let's not think about that for awhile, k?