Is that wood paneling? If so, I don't know how well you'd be able to wallpaper that. I do like the idea of something graphic, since your light fixture and stair runner are pretty neutral. If not wallpaper, I'd do vertical stripes in an unexpected color, like magenta and white. That will tie the white from the first floor to the magenta on the second. I would not do black and white, since that would make the light fixture blend in a little too much. You want the black to stand out from the colors you choose.

You could paint it the teal colour that is in the piece of art on the wall (and within the colours in the upstairs bedroom). Framing that window may give it a more finished look and adding a soft curtain that is fitted to the window could soften the space (I assume you wouldn't be closing them, so this would be more of an aesthetic thing).

Paint the peach area but leave the white. I like the idea of a bright turquoise similar to the background on the art piece. I also think it could be fun to go dark charcoal. The window could then be painted red.

One crazy thought for accessing the space is to build a plywood platform that rests on top of the ledge where the white paint meets the peach? (after you remove the hand rail). You could stand on the platform while you paint. Assuming that you test it for weight and safety of course. Otherwise, you have to get an adjustable ladder and be sure to secure the upper part of the ladder to the wall. Hopefully you can rent a ladder from Hertz Tool Rentals or similar.

You already have the greatest elements: An unexpected and interesting window, wood paneling slats, a very cool light fixture, and an interestingly shaped staircase. I would change the peach to match the color that is on the lower half of the staircase and be done with it. You have a fantastic space. Let it speak for itself. Less is more here.

I would do the surround of the window black to complement your light fixture.

The railing white so it disappears and is easy to keep clean...you will be able to see dirt.

You said the art is not necessarily staying but it is pretty! I would take the reddish/orange (hard to tell) color from the base of the flowers and do the wall in that. Neat little area to work with! Please post an after!

I second the less is more. Paint it white to show off the panelling that white washed look and let the window, texture and light fixture be the point. Especially once the runner is in, you won't need anything more graphic. Besides, painting it all one colour is alot simpler to do in an awkward space, and getting too fancy just guarantees you will get annoyed and be back up there doing it over soon. Nice space!

I would change out that handrail, and I agree the peach has to go. But why not all white? It would keep everything really bright and open feeling.

PS - Love Jill Bliss :)

I think it's really pretty as-is, sort of like a Scandinavian farmhouse (or what AT has led me to believe Scandinavian farmhouses look like, lol). I can see how the peach would drive you bonkers, but a very pale sky-blue would be really pretty and still have that spare feeling. Or hang a quilt on the wall and play up the farmhouse feeling (quilts can be surprisingly modern if you find the right pattern).

Because of the pain-in-the-ass-ness of painting up there and then having to re-paint if you don't like it, I'd suggest you paint the area white and then hang artwork or something that has a punchy color it in that you can change out if needed.

Since the area faces the window something reflective would work well, such as a collection of mirrors (maybe you can paint their frames all one matching punchy color?) or pale colored things framed behind shiny glass.

paint it white to match the lower half, maybe put gloss alkyd on the new railing to match the stairs, since i think that light fixture looks fab, and would become a focal point.
if you're concerned about painting, there are extensions that allow you to use a roller and a brush without putting yourself into a risky situation. go slow, and consider painting the ceiling to match the walls, and that way you don't need to be careful with the transition line from wall to ceiling.

You can buy roller/brush extenders at any home improvement store. You should be able to get this painted without any fancy ladder rentals, especially if you go white to match the wall below the peach (ie any mistakes due to awkwardness would be blended and not as noticed!).

I also agree with the less is more approach. The peach may drive you nuts but the paneling itself is cool. I love the light fixture and think it would be cool to highlight that. I would steer away from making too much of the window so it doesn't compete with the light fixture and art.

awesome light fixture and stairwell

I used a mop on a log pole to wash walls and ceilings in a stairwell, also taped paint brush to long pole for the corners, extension pole for rolling, was too afraid to balance on ladder over stairs, it was ok on the landings

If you are going all DIY then you need to really sit down and stage out how you are going to tackle it. On the plus side the light fixture is amazeballs. On the downside you have several issues that need to be addressed to make the space seem uniform.

A swing for the fences approach.

Take down the wall where the banister is and open it up by leaving it open or adding a glass wall. Move the baulestrade to the other wall and paint it black.

Open up that window and make it longer. Don't add any moulding to it just leave it as finished plaster or sheetrock.

Rip down the old beadboard because it's crooked and pretty jacked. refinish the wall and ceiling behind it so that it matches what is painted white below it.

Like your rug but not LOVING the rug you have chosen as your runner because those vertical lines will only make a narrow space seem narrower. I would go with a more dynamic black and white pattern. Something that moves the eye around and takes away from the narrow feeling of the stairs.

Nix the painting. I would go for something larger with bolder pops of color. Preferably something longer. If you can find a zGallerie store they have a pretty wide mix of artwork and many pieces are affordable. I would not wallpaper the area where the window is because it leads to your bedroom and it would be too much inconsistency.

A full on budget approach.

Paint the entire space white.
Paint the handrail black and remount it with brushed nickle hardware
Upgrade your artwork. Maybe so a small artwall.
Get a funky runner. Black and white Ikat maybe or go with some other complimentary colors.

What about doing an ombre pattern on one of the walls (my pick would be the window wall) using shades of the Teal or Magenta from the bedroom upstairs? The other two walls white and the handrail one of the shades from the ombre'd wall. It would give you the color you want and just a little softness against that wonderful chandelier and the b/w runner.

This is not a helpful comment to you, but could you share the source of the light fixture, which I agree is amazing!

I agree with the "simplicity" comments - paint the wood white.

I'd be itching to put a multi-coloured stained glass design onto that window, and have the colours shine all over the white woodwork.

Thanks for all these suggestions everyone, you've got my mind racing!

The chandelier is from ZGallerie. I just looked on their website and I don't see it anymore, but I have seen it in other places as well, so you can probably still find it somewhere.

I'd go with white also, if you don't want to paint, and are willing to do a ton of DIY work - then tiles (think Heath Ceramics type, but obviously cheaper supplier)

The light fixture is a bit of an issue since the visual center from the top of the stairs is that bundle of black cords and not the lights - and it is also in the middle of the window...

Agree with many others that the paneled walls should be the same white as the walls below. An old trick for drawing the eye upward (to highlight your spectacular fixture) is to paint the ceiling a very, very light shade of the palest blue or palest teal. I would also paint the handrail white to match and replace existing mounting hardware with a nickel finish hardware. If you are hanging art, think about natural birch frames to balance the overall black-and-whiteness. And, most importantly, anything that goes in the space should make you smile because you love it, not because it's matchy-matchy.

My house also came with an odd peach/beige color a lot like yours in it. Something that works with the color scheme of the bedroom and the white/gray that are staying would be nice.

I could see something vibrant in that area like teal that ties into the bedroom.

Hate the peach too. I'd paint all of the walls white except for the window wall. As soon as I looked at it, I thought of the light as stars and pictured a turquoise sky with blue clouds. Done with restraint, it would look cool and not like a kid's room. Otherwise, I'd paint the window wall turquoise - maybe do the window trim in silver to pick up the light fixture.

I agree with Parnassus, ChooseHappiness and Torndale, I would keep it simple, paint the upper part in turquoise and leave the lower part white. I wouldn't frame the window though, not to compete with the interesting lighting fixture. Btw the peach would drive me bananas as well :)

I agree with Parnassus, ChooseHappiness and Torndale, I would keep it simple, paint the upper part in turquoise and leave the lower part white. I wouldn't frame the window though, not to compete with the interesting lighting fixture. Btw the peach would drive me bananas as well :)

The light is called Fifteen Tales(or Ten Tales) by Neuvo living http://www.nuevoliving.com

I think the light fixture is amazing but I think that might be your problem.I think a fixture that casts a pattern when lit on white wall would look great and the fixture could be moved where it might be shown off a bit more.

I'd like to second @tarainsevenvalleys' suggestion to paint the window frame black! AWESOME chandelier!

I don't see being able to paint with just extended handles, but it might be worth a try. It doesn't seem like you could get enough leverage, much less be able to cut in at the corners, etc.

What I would do is build the plywood platform, though if you don't have the tools, that would be hard. Actually, I would hire a couple of laborers at $10 or $15 an hour to put it up for you - you'd be amazed at the scaffolding put up by the Mexican men who helped me with a similar project, and they did it in no time flat. Screw some vertical 2x4's into the walls every 2 or 3 feet, run joists between them, and leave the plywood loose - so you can get up and down the stairs!

if you do use a ladder, please SCREW some wood chocks into the steps to make sure it doesn't slip.

That ikea rug looks great and seems like a fantastic idea. If I can suggest, though, you might want to buy just one of them first, and just put it somewhere on a floor where you walk about as much as you go up and down the stairs. The reason I say this is I've bought two ikea rugs with low pile, and they are incredibly hard to get clean even with a vacuum. Also, the black and white one I got (the bathmats, black with white squares) look HORRID in less than a day. I would fear that a black rug would necessitate not just vacuuming the stairs every single day, but having to really work at doing it inch by inch.

I don't have a good suggestion on how to do it, but I would want to paint the whole stairwell white and either arrange something framed posters or hang a large textile, like a colorful rug, to make it less claustrophobic. And/or mirrors, to give the illusion that it isn't such a tight space. As to the window... either a sheer white curtain, to diffuse the light, or stained glass, which would add a lot of interest to the walls and stairs depending on the time of day.

If it were me, I would paint the two parallel walls your white, but choose a really wonderful, punchy color that I really love (and that shows up in a small way somewhere else) for that paneled wall with the window. Maybe the magenta from the bedroom? Just because I would smile every time I went down the stairs.

Also, a different/less noticeable handrail.

Wallpaper the bottom half, paint the top half white and move the light fixture up so that it's framed by the window.

Will look amazing, methinks!

1greatkid had excellent suggestions, and I want to agree with everyone else who said:

1. paint the peach part white to match the rest
2. paint the railing black
3. paint the window frame black
4. a graphic runner is a great idea, but definitely not vertical stripes - they really do emphasize how narrow the space is. The suggestions for herringbone, chevron, ikat are all excellent, so long as they're oriented horizontally rather than lengthwise. Just like horizontal stripes on clothes make a person look wider, horizontal effects on your runner will make your staircase feel more spacious and less narrow.

A final note re: the fixture and the window. I love the fixture, but am not sold on it being right in this spot, crossing the lovely window with the black cord. I'd at least try to drop it so that the bulky part isn't in the window. Ideally, I'd move it somewhere better and install several recessed lights into the stairwell wall at the baseboard level. That way nothing competes with your beautiful window. Is it possible to expand the window into that square below it? That would be awesome.

Here are examples of the stairwell lighting:
http://www.houzz.com/photos/387171/Milton-contemporary-staircase-toronto
http://www.houzz.com/photos/345511/Victor-Wharf---Private-contemporary-staircase-london

Personally, I'd spend to get the right lighting before I spent on the runner - I'd move the beautiful fixture elsewhere. For visual interest, you could hang a beautiful modern-y quilt on the (now white) wall as art instead - something about attics and quilts just fits. :)

+1 more vote for painting it all white–then hang more artwork

For the love of paint... go white on the upper walls... you will not regret it. Especially with the hassle it will entail in painting it as a DIY project. I notice that the ceiling has an uneven shape in the upper left side above the window - all the more reason to make that disappear.

The handrail could be fun wrapped in rope (seems to be a trend of late to wrap stuff up) yet I am not sure if it would not lead to splinters in the fingers! Painting it out a high gloss black would be a safe and somewhat dramatic solution that would give the small space some pizzazz.

Add drama in a fantastic piece of art that makes you feel like wanting to start your day with your best foot forward :) Good luck. Would love to see the after shots...

A gallery wall would look spectacular there! But if you are determined to paint the walls, you should go for something bold that brings light into the stairway. In the photo it looks a bit dark and grim.

yah...take down the wall.
make an addition of glass.
move.
move back.
please paint the walls the same charcoal as the stairs, or a shade thereof to let that wonderful light fixture really shine.
use some sort of giant rope/nautical bannister, because something mundane will just not cut it.

Agree with all white in such a smaill space. Artwork or matting can have color. Paint the banister white or something fun like gold. Your runner idea looks great!

Well. I think a bright punchy color on the top around the window might compete with the chandelier a bit. Now seeing as you are doing a black and white rug and keeping in mind the bedroom color.......I vote for painting the space the same white as the wall below. It should make it feel larger and make the wall feel extended more than it is. Then I would frame the window and paint the frame a grey. That way you have some visual interest on the wall but not take away your eye from the chandler. I don't know if I would paint it the same as the stairs below it. That make take away from the chandelier. You would have to try some test paint to really see. Maybe even a really good frame job will create enough interest. I would keep the art that you have. Its nice and it pops well and sounds like it matches the bedroom. I would try once you get the new runner you are making down on the stairs, just moving the piece down a little. Or maybe a bigger frame. That way the black on the stairs can extend "into" the wall. Like a visual effect to make the stairs seem longer(at least when you stand at the top of them). Its something you would have to play with to see if you could get it to work. Good luck and remember the most important rule. Keep It Simple.

does anyone read the shit that came before?
we're working in a vacuum.
heidy ho.
o

I would repaint the peach wall with a much lighter shade of the same teal or gray you already have in your bedroom. I think neutrals make the light such a great focal point. Woudn't change the window at all, but I would reframe the art on the bottom of the stairs with a softer frame and would replace the railing in either a white, gray or black.

I just finished wallpapering the hallway going up to my second floor, and it was a royal pain. Even with one of those articulating ladders, there were sections of the wall I just could not reach adequately. Also, your staircase looks narrower than mine, and those ladders are very difficult to maneuver, especially in tight spaces. So unless you have a really high tolerance for frustration, I'd find some other was of redoing your hallway.

Don't remove the wood panels! Doing so will end up costing you much more than having the hall professionally papered. If your house is as old as it looks from the photo, what's behind the boards is mostly likely plaster and lath. I'd say, paint the walls white, and then buy a couple of vintage art posters (or ones that look vintage) to bring in some color. And rather than invest in a runner, think about doing something creative with the stair risers. I know that this website has posted some interesting ways to decorate risers.

By the way, I know I'm in the vast minority, but I think your light fixture is hideous and absolutely the wrong height. It should probably be shorter, so when lit, it is visible from the outside (that is an outside window, isn't it?), which would make it even more difficult to change a light bulb, but the way you've got it hung, all that can be seen from the outside is that black fitter thingy. Not very attractive to me, anyway.

Thanks!