Hot Homeseller Tips: Improve Your Staircase, Improve Your Home
Your staircase is usually one of the more prominent fixtures in your home yet it is surprising how many people never really give the way it looks a second thought and allow tatty chipped banisters and old fraying carpet to drag down the overall aesthetic appeal of whatever space they are located in, whether its the hallway or the lounge or somewhere in between.If you are getting ready to put your home on the market for sale though the staircase is likely to be one of the first things potential buyers see, so it is definitely time to give it a long hard look and make an effort to improve it as needed.
Improving your staircase’s appeal does not have to mean ripping them out and starting again though. A few simple tweaks are usually all it takes. Here are some ideas that are easy and affordable:
Replace the Banisters
Replacing the banisters on your staircase is not as expensive as it might sound and doing so can completely change not only the look of the staircase but the tone of the whole space as well. From simple wooden rails to ornate metal or even metal and glass options there are a great many options to choose from and it won’t take a good tradesman long to install them. If you really want to push the boat out though you could opt for custom made banisters that will almost certainly cost more but add a very unique touch to your home décor.
Do Something about the Stairs Themselves
If your stairs are covered in carpet that was last fashionable when disco ruled, or is so stained and worn you cannot actually remember what colour it used to be, it’s time for change.
If your home is an older one and the carpet was in place before you moved in you might want to take a peek at what lies beneath before you just go out shopping for replacement carpet. I have heard stories from tradesmen about ripping up decades old carpet only to reveal a gorgeous hardwood that just needed a good sanding and refinishing and in one case a gorgeous marble staircase was hidden below a grubby old Axeminster that the home owners never had a clue was there. Simply painting stair risers can be very effective as well.
Make Use of Under Stair Space
If you have some space under your stairs why not put it to good use. Under stair space can become a small compact home office, a cozy reading nook or even, as I saw recently, a nicely stocked wine rack! It will be another little staging tweak bound to appeal to buyers that you might find very useful yourself for your remaining time living in the home too.