This Plain White Staircase’s Makeover Defies "Comfort Zone Colors"

Sarah Everett
·2 min read
wood staircase with white shelving underneath before makeover
wood staircase with white shelving underneath before makeover
wood staircase with shelving underneath that's been painted in shades of peach, orange, and pink after makeover
Living room with wood staircase with shelving underneath that's been painted in shades of peach, orange, and pink
Living room with wood staircase with shelving underneath that's been painted in shades of peach, orange, and pink
Living room with wood staircase with shelving underneath that's been painted in shades of peach, orange, and pink

ABOUT THIS BEFORE & AFTER

HOME TYPE: House

PROJECT TYPE: Living Room, Stairs

STYLE: Colorful, Eclectic

SKILL LEVEL: DIY

RENTAL FRIENDLY: Yes

There are plenty of places where you can add maximalist flair and color to you home, including often passed-over areas like staircases and stairwells. Take this statement-making staircase makeover, for example, or this retro-inspired, maximalist makeover.

Using pink and orange paint, homeowner Patsy Daley transformed the staircase in her home into “a display of sorts — a hero piece in the lounge room area,” she says.

wood staircase with white shelving underneath before makeover
Living room with wood staircase with shelving underneath that's been painted in shades of peach, orange, and pink

The DIYer used leftover paint and samples.

When Patsy and her family first moved into their home, the cubbies under the staircase were plain white. “At first I thought, ‘Let’s fill it all in and make most of it usable cupboard space,’” Patsy says. “But we realized we had more than enough usable space in this home, which is a huge bonus.”

She decided, instead, to paint the insides of 13 of the cubbies. “I grabbed a paintbrush and a couple of leftover paints and sample pots from other projects in our home and started to randomly paint in the boxes,” Patsy describes.

Her advice? “Pick up a paintbrush, give it a go, paint, and be bold!” she says. “I’m so glad I went out of my ‘comfort zone colors’ for this project.” (And if you don’t have built-in under-stairs storage, you could consider doing a similar project with IKEA KALLAX cube storage.)

Living room with wood staircase with shelving underneath that's been painted in shades of peach, orange, and pink
Living room with wood staircase with shelving underneath that's been painted in shades of peach, orange, and pink

Pink and orange accessories tie the whole room together.

The funky orange rug, brown leather sofas, and pops of pink and orange throughout the living room tie everything together. Patsy says one of her favorite parts of the project has been accessorizing each of the cubbies.

“It’s made the lounge room a real talking point — a comfortable and cozy place to mingle and entertain,” Patsy says.

Inspired? Submit your own project here.

Further Reading

I Tried the 90/90 Rule and My Closet Is Now Fully Decluttered

See How a Stager Used Paint to Transform a 1950s Living Room

We Asked 8 Pro Travelers What They Never Pack in Their Carry-On, and Here’s What They Said

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