If there's nothing wrong with your current staircase, or you're installing a new unfinished one in a self build, painted stairs ideas are a great way of elevating your staircase to lofty, new heights.
Be it adding a bold new colour, adding patterns to your treads or giving your spindles a stylish new twist, there's a host of options available that can bring character and charm to what is often the first focal point in your hallway.
So, if including paint in your staircase ideas is on your list, you're in the right place. Here's 13 painted stairs ideas that will transform your journey upstairs.
1. Pair dark blue painted stairs with a vibrant green runner
When choosing your hallway design colours, it can be easy to turn to lighter shades, particularly if you are dealing with a small or narrow hallway. And while light colours will increase the sense of space, when it comes to your staircase, darker shades can also add depth – and, in a busy family household, feel a little more practical.
While experts say blue is often tricky to use in interiors, here it helps turn a staircase into a stunning focal point, by combining dark blue with a green and blue stair runner.
For an alternative eye-catching blue and green painted staircase idea, try this Hornblower Al Fresco Paint from Frenchic, and this Sophie Robinson Zig Zag Wool Stair Runner from Dunelm.
2. Transform your painted stairs with tiled risers
While painted stairs ideas look good, they also need to be ultimately practical, which means understanding how to paint stairs is your first point of call. But, as well as knowing how to paint them, it's understanding that sometimes, using other products on the parts of your stairs that are most prone to scuffs and mark can work well too.
In this light and breezy hallway, a fresh shade of turquoise is used on the stairs and walls, while the risers – the part of the stairs which is often the recipient of scuffs and kicks – has a patterned tile.
Practical and pretty it's a great way to make your painted stairs ideas longer-lasting and harder wearing.
3. Create a contrast with wallpaper under painted stairs
If your painted stairs sit atop an empty space below, and you don't want to build understairs storage, rather than colour drenching it in the same shade as your stairs, why not pick a pretty wallpaper to provide contrast instead?
Here, this Annie Sloan Cambrian Blue Satin Paint (available from B&Q), is paired with white floor paint – also used on the treads – and then contrasted with a patterned wallpaper in the understairs alcove.
I love this pink patterned Creatura Emma J Shipley wallpaper from Wallpaper Direct and think it could also be a perfect partner to this soft shade of blue.
4. Choose red and white chequerboard for a modern twist on tradition
If you're renovating a Victorian house making sure you pay sufficient homage to the traditional features can be a challenge, and sometimes costly.
Painted staircase ideas are one way of nodding to the past, but instead of sticking with tradition, add a taste of the present by choosing bolder colours for a classic chequerboard pattern.
The key to success with painted stairs ideas that involve a lot of DIY? Plenty of prep, say the experts.
"When it comes to painting stairs, you need to balance style with functionality. As it's one of the most high traffic areas in the home, ensuring that you prepare properly will be key in order to achieve a high quality and long-last finish," says Anna Hill, brand director and colour consultant at Fenwick & Tilbrook.
"The treads, risers and step edging should be properly sanded, cleaned and primed to ensure that the paint adheres well and will withstand daily usage," recommends Anna.
"Prep is key," agrees Abi Hugo, Frenchic Paint's neutrals stylist. "Start by ripping up any old carpet and removing all staples and tacks. Give everything a good scuff sand with 120 grit sandpaper, then clean it down with sugar soap to get rid of dust and grease."
Kit for prepping your painted stairs
A sugar soap kit including ready to use solution, gloves and cleaning sponge
Get your stairs smooth and ready for paint with this pack of graded sandpaper
Remove nails and staples when restoring your wooden stairs in preparation for paint
Anna Hill is the Brand Director and Colour Consultant for luxury, British independent, family-run and owned paint brand, Fenwick & Tilbrook. The go-to for premium, pigment-rich paints, Fenwick & Tilbrook's extensive palette of colours is available in six finishes, and is made-to-order using only the highest quality ingredients.
Abi is one of the Frenchic Paint experts, specialising in Neutrals. Frenchic Paint has partnered with mental health charity, Samaritans to help raise money for their vital, lifesaving services. Find out more here.
5. Match your painted stairs to your walls and woodwork
If you're looking ways to make your stairs a little less obtrusive, colour matching your painted stairs ideas to your hallway and woodwork colours is just the ticket.
In this hallway, a pale green shade is used on the lower half of the walls, skirting, architraves and on every part of the stairs. The result? The staircase blends in beautifully and your eye is drawn to the natural light that floods in from the glass hallway door.
If this is a concept that might work in your home, make sure you pick the right paint, says Anna Hill.
"Choosing the right paint finish is just as, if not more important than, the colour you pick. You want to pick a high quality, durable finish that is wipeable for the treads and handrails as these will stand up to the scuffs and marks that come with repeated use.
"Slightly flatter finishes will also bring a refined touch," she adds. "Interior Eggshell works beautifully on risers and spindles, while Pure Matt Plus is perfect for surrounding walls in high traffic areas such as hallways."
6. Pair dark wood and white with a dramatic wallpaper
If you prefer a wooden look for your staircase, or you're restoring a staircase that is worth preserving, using dark stain instead of painting stairs can be another alternative that creates a similar look.
For added contrast, use hallway panelling ideas painted in shades of white, but draw your eye to high ceilings with an eye-catching wallpaper mural that extends through your hallway and up into the stairwell.
But, if you do opt for darker stairs, you'll need to think carefully about the other colours you choose to go with it, says Anna Hill.
"In terms of colour, painting stairs offers the opportunity to allow your personality to shine through. Do take into account how much natural light falls on the area though - darker colours, although more dramatic, could make a narrow and dark stairwell feel even more enclosed and uninviting," she warns.
7. Opt for something more neutral to match your home decor
Abi Hugo opted for a more neutral colour palette when painting her stairs, choosing to remove an old red carpet and updating her stairs and treads with a lighter shade and soft brown carpet runner.
"I used Cream Dream from the Frenchic Al Fresco range," she told us, "which is perfect for high-traffic areas like stairs (and even outdoors). It took three coats and around 1.5 tins to fully cover everything apart from the centre strip where the carpet would go.
"For the rails, posts, and some of the trim, I used Frenchic's Browning Wax to create the perfect natural wood look (faux… not fake ), by brushing it on in a downwards motion, leaving it to set for 24 hours, and then I went over it the next day in the opposite direction.
For extra depth and character, you can also use a small detail brush to add a little more wax in certain spots," she adds.
Shop for staircase paint
Add depth to your painted staircase ideas with a darker shade of grey
Add light and durability with this high-resistance cotton white floor and stair paint
Choose this soft sage green paint for a fresh and inviting painted staircase idea
8. Draw attention to your painted staircase with decorative details
When painting your stairs, don't forget to focus on the smaller details too, particularly if they can be enhanced with some extra design.
The waved pattern that runs along the length of this staircase could have been painted a different shade, but in this instance, a steady hand has outlined the shape with a dotted design in a darker colour instead.
It's simple but eye-catching and is another way of making your painted staircase ideas a focal point in your hallway.
9. Colour drench your stairs and storage in the same shade
Opted for a bespoke understairs storage idea? Make sure you match the same colour of your cabinet doors to all or part of your stairs. It'll help create a more cohesive finish and prove more practical when it comes to touching up any marks or scuffs.
And, while painting bannisters is a little more simple, spindles can be tricky, particularly if they have a wood-turned effect. However, worry not, as Abi Hugo has a top tip for tackling the awkward shapes.
"Painting spindles can be a total faff, but here’s my go to trick: pop a plastic glove on your hand, then an old sock over the top, dip it lightly in paint and glide it around the spindles. You’ll get even coverage without all the drips and brush marks."
10. Make stepping easy with a coloured painted tread
Although painting your stairs in the same shade can be effective, it can also be harder to see where you need to step, particularly if you haven't yet got round to adding some new staircase lighting ideas.
To make it clearer where each step is, and to make it visually more interesting, why not choose an all white finish topped with coloured treads. Benjamin Moore Sea Salt is used in this image, but any other colour that suits your interiors would work just as well.
But, if you are considering painting stair treads, make sure you choose the right type of paint, warns Anna Hill. "While glossy finishes might make more of a dramatic statement, they can be slippery underfoot. We recommend our Exterior Eggshell, our most hard-wearing finish with a subtle satin sheen of 20%. Despite being formulated for exteriors, it remains extremely low in VOCs, making it a perfect choice for interior woodwork."
11. Can't paint? Use stickers or stencils instead
Although painting stairs is easy enough once you know how, if your painting skills are more practical than Picasso, adding design and detail in the form of patterns may seem a little out of reach.
Instead of stressing about using stencils or trying to tackle it freehand, stick to the basics of painting everywhere but the risers, and either use stencils if you want to stick with paint, or adhesive stickers instead.
Amazon has a great range of staircase stickers if you fancy giving this painted staircase idea a go.
12. Keep it simple with an all over colour refresh
Whether you have wooden stairs that are in bad condition, or your old paint job is scuffed or dirty, repainting your stairs doesn't have to mean a dramatic change.
A fresh coat of paint will be necessary every now and again, especially with lighter colours such as white, but the effect is a bright and inspiring hallway that hasn't required too much effort.
Just be sure to do the rest of your woodwork at the same time so that it doesn't look dull once your staircase is given a boost. And make sure you use the best skirting board paint so that you don't have to repeat the job too often.
13. Create a stair runner effect with paint
You could also consider creating even more of a feature of your staircase design by painting it with a runner. This classic design is a great way to bring some character to your staircase without resorting to the expense of staircase carpet ideas.
Creating this look is really easy – all you need is some painter's tape, such as this Frog Tape from Amazon. A small paint roller will work wonders here, while the best paint brush to use for the edges is a small detail brush.
Need to replace or add a new staircase for your loft conversion ideas? Find out how much you will need to set aside for staircase costs. And, before you even think of picking up a paintbrush, make sure you've fixed your squeaky stairs so your fresh new finish isn't spoilt by an annoying sound.
