Foyer Staircase Makeover- Part One

Hubby made the mistake of asking me what I wanted to do this weekend, after we decided it was best not to visit our new grandson, until I recovered from bronchitis.

My answer?  "TEAR UP THE STAIRCASE CARPET!!"

Sorry-I couldn't find a recent, or GOOD photo of the full staircase

I've hated the carpet on the staircase ever since I moved in!!!  Obviously, hubby was just fine with it!

Hubby:  "I was thinking more along the lines of going OUT and doing something FUN," he said, after his usual 'rolling of the eye'.
Me: "What could be more fun than tearing up that crappy carpet and finding beautiful hardwood floors?"
Hubby made it perfectly clear that he could think of MANY things more fun than that-but I wasn't about to give up.  Normally he has a sudden loss of hearing when I bring up the staircase, but not this time.  This time-I could see he wasn't ruling the idea out completely, so I had to push on.

Me:  "Pleeeeeeeeaaaaasssssseeeee Honey," I said (in my SWEETEST whine, of course), "It won't take that long, and we'll have the WHOLE rest of the day to do whatever you want!!!"

Eye roll.

But I could tell he was warming up........

Hubby:  "How many projects are you going to start-before you FINALLY finish just one!!"

Okay-so maybe I was wrong about the whole warming up thing-but at least we were discussing the possibility.  As for the 'unfinished' projects....well, I had no idea what he was talking about-and I told him so!!!

Hubby:  "Oh let me see....how about the fact that you've had paint samples on our bedroom wall for months now?  How long does it take to decide on a paint color?  And what about the ONE strip of wallpaper you pulled off the hallway wall?"

Now that was just downright MEAN!!!  First of all-we all know that choosing a paint color (especially for a room you do nothing but sleep in) is no easy feat!!  It take time-and a great deal of thought!

As for the wallpaper in the upstairs hallway.....

Well, I've wanted that darn wallpaper off just as long as I've wanted the staircase done-but after the disaster in the guest bedroom (for those of you who don't know-the plaster behind it came crumbling down), I kept putting it off.  But one day-as I was innocently passing by-I noticed the paper on this wall was coming unglued.  So...I did what anyone would do-and I pulled it off!!!  I was ELATED that it came off so easy-so I tugged on a few more.  Unfortunately, they weren't budging, and that old fear of an entire wall crumbling at my feet-prevented me from finishing what I'd started!!

Now the staircase was a TOTALLY different subject.  I'd already pulled up a corner of the carpet-and what I found made all my fears disappear.  There was real hardwood under there-and by gosh it was time to show it off!!

Hubby wasn't convinced.  "What happens if you're wrong?  Once we pull the carpet up, there's no going back.  And if you ARE wrong-we don't have the money, or the time to fix it.  Do you really want to take that chance!"

I knew he was right.  The kitchen should be my only priority right now-but......

What if I was right?  What if the entire staircase was in PERFECT condition?  What if all we had to do was a bit of sanding-staining, and painting-and we would FINALLY have the staircase of my dreams?

And so...my answer was a resounding-"YES!!!"

And so it began....my wonderful-VERY patient, hubby, who puts up with all of my craziness, and tolerates paint chips and wallpaper glue on the wall-(among other things), got out his tools and started the difficult, and dusty (how can carpet be so dusty when I vacuumed it weekly?) chore of pulling up the carpet!!!

I won't lie.  I held my breath (and said a prayer), before he pulled up the carpet on EVERY step!

The Good Lord must have been listening....because with each tug and pull-another glorious hardwood step appeared!!!  When we finally uncovered the last step-I breathed a LONG sigh of relief-and actually teared up.

I've got a LOT of work ahead of me.  Holes and cracks to fill.  Sanding.  Staining.  And let's not forget painting.  But the hardwood was surprisingly in good condition for as much wear and tear that it's endured these many years!!!

I can't tell you excited I am to get started-and I'll be sharing each step of the progress with you all!!!

Happy Monday!!!

Blessings,

Christine