These gorgeous DIY staircase makeovers are full of great ideas for updating your old stairs whether you’re looking to make a small change or a huge statement.
Staircases are often the very last part of our homes to get an update which is really kind of odd. A lot of staircases are front and center in our homes and are clearly visible from our living spaces and even our front doors. Updating your staircase can really make a huge difference in how your home looks and feels.
I’ve been thinking a lot about stairs lately because my own staircase is the main thing you see when you walk in the front door. And while it isn’t terrible, it could definitely use some love.
Whenever I’m thinking about tackling a project, I love to gather lots of inspiration so I can see how other people have tackled similar areas in their own homes. And when it comes to DIY stair makeovers, I think it’s especially helpful to see examples of staircases that have a similar layout to your own.
Staircases may seem pretty straightforward, but there are actually a lot of different ways you can update a staircase:
- Removing old carpet
- Updating the treads with paint or stain
- Adding a runner
- Updating stair risers with paint or fun wallpaper
- Replacing dated or broken spindles
- Updating old railings with paint or stain
- Adding new railings
- Adding board and batten or other trim around the stairs
I’ve gathered 21 different staircase makeovers that show the whole range of different ways to update tired, boring stairs. From ripping out old carpet and replacing balusters to doing a quick facelift with paint, there are ideas for staircase makeovers big and small.
No matter what your staircase situation, I know you’ll find inspiration here.
You can find more details about each staircase makeover along with the full tutorial at the link below each photo.
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DIY Staircase Makeover Ideas
Replacing stair treads
A lot of staircase makeovers start with ripping out old, ugly, stained carpet. And when you rip out carpet, you really never know what you’re going to find underneath. You might have beautiful hardwood stair treads that you can easily refinish or you might have particle board treads that were never meant to be seen.
If you do end up with stair treads that aren’t going to work, you have several options for replacing them including new hardwood treads or LVP (luxury vinyl plank) treads.
Carpet to Hardwood Staircase DIY from Satori Design for Living
When Shauna from Satori Design for Living ripped up the old worn out carpet on her stairs, she knew it would be best to install new hardwood treads and risers. If you’re not sure how you feel about hardwood stairs, she shares all the pros and cons after living with her new stairs for over a year.
Easy Tips on How to Replace Stair Treads from How We Do
Angie from How We Do also completely revamped her staircase by replacing both the treads and the risers when she found cheap particle board underneath her old stairs. I love the mix of the black risers and light wood treads that she chose.
Sharpie Painted Staircase Tutorial from Anika’s DIY Life
Anika from Anika’s DIY Life upgraded her stairs with luxury vinyl planks along with new risers. My favorite detail is the subtle pattern she added to her stair risers using a Sharpie – such a fun (and super cheap) touch. If you’re considering LVP for your stairs, her tutorial has lots of good installation tips.
Basement Stairs DIY with Persian Rug from Bigger Than the Three of Us
Ashley from Bigger than the Three of Us completely transformed this space by ripping out the carpet, installing Luxury Vinyl Planks on the stairs and then using a vintage rug as a stair runner. She even made her own DIY wood handrail with brass caps. All the little details really come together to make this a beautiful staircase makeover.
Staining Stair Treads
A fantastic way to update dated stairs is to stain the risers. Whether you’re re-staining dated honey oak, staining wood risers that were previously covered with carpet, or staining brand new riser, the right stain can really help make your stairs look beautiful and blend in with the rest of your home.
How to Convert Carpeted Stairs to Wood from Average But Inspired
Whenever you start peeling old carpet off stairs, you never know what you’ll find underneath. Bri from Average but Inspired was lucky enough to find pine stair treads which she was able to completely transform with fresh stain and paint. If you’re looking for inspiration to rip out your old stair carpet, the before and after photos in her post are very inspiring!
Stained Staircase Makeover from Birdz of a Feather
This grand staircase has a beautiful shape, but the 1980s stain was dragging it down. Sara from Birdz of a Feather was able to completely transform it by stripping the old treads and railings, re-staining them dark, and adding a new updated runner. Now it’s beautiful curves can really shine.
Stained Wood Stairs from Repurpose and Upcycle
After removing old, stained carpet from her staircase, Lindsey from Repurpose and Upcycle had new stair treads installed. She stained the new treads herself and in her post, she shares lots of tips for choosing the right stain for stairs.
Painting Stairs
Another great option for updating worn stairs is paint. Painting stairs is usually easier and faster than staining because there’s no need to strip the old finish. Paint is also a great solution when your dealing with lower quality woods that don’t take stain well. And when you paint your stairs, the color possibilities are endless.
Magnolia Green Painted Stairs from The Crazy Craft Lady
These stairs are a great example of what an amazing difference a fresh coat of paint can make! After ripping up the old, stained carpet, these stairs were looking really rough. But Aimee from The Crazy Craft Lady was able to clean them up and make them look fresh and beautiful again. I especially love that pop of color from the fun green shade she chose.
How to Paint a Stair Runner from The Heathered Nest
Heather from The Heathered Nest updated her stairs with fresh paint including adding a painted runner. Now this staircase is light and bright and I love the added detail of that runner.
Adding a carpet runner
Sometimes your actual staircase is fine, but you really just want to add a bit of style. Adding a runner is a great way to do this.
Adding a Modern Stair Runner from Average But Inspired
After refinishing her stairs, Bre from Average but Inspired decided to take things up a notch by adding a runner. Adding a runner can help protect your hardwoods and can also help make stairs less slippery.
How to Put a Rug on Stairs from Abbotts at Home
There are tons of great runners out there that you can buy for your stairs, but they are typically only 24″ wide. While that’s great for most staircases, if you have an extra wide staircase, a wider runner looks much better. Stephanie from Abbotts at Home used several 3’x5′ area rugs to create a runner for her extra wide stairs. In her post, she shares a full step-by-step tutorial for installing a runner yourself with lots of helpful tips.
Updating stair risers
Stair risers tend to be a bit of a blank canvas. Traditionally painted white, there are lots of creative ways to add style and color to your stair risers. It just gives your stairs an extra bit of presence in your home.
Staircase Makeover with Wallpaper from DIY Beautify
As the final touch in her staircase makeover, Cindy from DIY Beautify added beautiful strips of wallpaper to her stair risers. Wallpaper is a relatively quick and easy way to really bring your personal style to your staircase.
Marimekko Stair Transformation from Pillar Box Blue
Claire from Pillar Box Blue gave her steep stairs a major makeover with this cheerful Marimekko wallpaper. I love how this photo really shows how wallpapering your stair risers can have the same effect as adding an accent wall to your space.
If you want to make things even easier, you can also purchase peel and stick stair riser decals. These decals are already cut to height and designed specifically to look great on stairs. I’ve got my eye on these and these as options for my own stairs.
Rainbow Painted Stair Risers from Charleston Crafted
Paint is another easy way to update stair risers. How fun are these rainbow stair risers by Morgan from Charleston Crafted! These stairs lead up to her kids’ playroom and I love the fun rainbow effect.
Staircase Update with Numbers from Noting Grace
Jen from Noting Grace gave her staircase a fun makeover by painting the risers black and adding vinyl number decals. This is a pretty quick and easy makeover and gives the whole staircase a great vintage charm.
Stairs Painted with Inlay from Tea and Forget Me Nots
Or you can use paint to add more subtle flair. When it was time for Rachel from Tea and Forget Me Nots to repaint her stairs, she decided to take things up a notch by adding decorative paint transfers to the risers. It’s a small, simple project but it really helped add some life to her plain staircase.
Painting Stair Railings
Painting your stair railing is another small change that can make a big difference. Whether your railing was showing wear, the color was outdated, or you just wanted to paint your railing to match your balusters, a fresh coat of paint on the railing can update the whole staircase.
Black Painted Stair Rails from My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
When her stair rails were starting to show a lot of where, Kristin from My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia freshened them up with a coat of fresh black paint to match her metal balusters. Now it looks like it was always meant to be that way. In her post linked above, she shares lots of tips for the painting process.
Painted Stair Railing from Home with Marieza
When Marieza from Home with Marieza wanted to lighten up her dark staircase, she decided to paint her dark stair railings. The new color really helped make the staircase lighter and brighter.
How to Easily Paint Oak Spindles and Newel Posts from Burlap and Blue
Sometimes even a very small update can make a world of difference. Burlap and Blue updated her honey oak spindles with white paint and that simple change really helped modernize the entire space.
Replacing the Balusters
Another change that can really modernize an outdated staircase is to replace the old balusters with a more modern design. Whether you prefer wood or metal balusters, there are lots of designs out there to choose from.
Replace Wooden Railing and Balusters with Metal from Charleston Crafted
Morgan from Charleston Crafted replaced her old wood balusters with metal ones and also re-stained the handrail while she was at it. This is one of those projects that seems small but makes a huge difference in the overall look of the room.
Iron Stair Balusters from Pine and Poplar
Zoe from Pine and Poplar also replaced her builder-grade wooden balusters with very modern, minimalist iron balusters and the difference is amazing.
Adding an Accent Wall
Sometimes you can completely update the look of your stairs without changing the stairs themselves at all. Adding a wood accent wall next to your staircase is a classic way to add architectural detail. Board and batten, picture molding, box molding, and even shiplap can look amazing around a staircase.
DIY Board and Batten in Staircase from At Lane and High
I love the simple DIY box molding Wendy from At Lane and High added next to her staircase. It’s an inexpensive project but it really elevates the entire space.
Hopefully you have plenty of ideas for updating your own staircase now – I know that I certainly do!
More DIY home ideas:
Looking for more DIY ideas for updating your home on a budget? Any of the posts linked below are a great place to start.
I’d love for you to pin this post on Pinterest!
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