To open a staircase?
Hi all, looking for an advice of how to brighten up a space.
I am thinking of making an offer for the house, it's a 1900s 2 bedroom terraced house.
Otherwise, it's perfect for me but the problem is that it's quite dark.
Back of the house (2nd reception room and kitchen) are facing North East and so they are quite dark, especially 2nd reception room.
1st reception room is bright, though, facing South West and to the open parkland.
I was wondering how complicated/expensive is to "open a staircase" to share a little bit of the light from the front of the house.
This is a 2nd reception room, highlighted is an entrance to the staircase. The staircase is very steep, as well! Under stairs there is currently a storage cupboard.
Insipration is this:
For a context, I am a single mother with a small child (1.5 y.o.), I always want her to stay in my sight when I am cooking/working etc. So the open space works for us but I would consider any at all other ideas to brighten the 2nd reception room, I can't think of anything else more feasible besides this radical solution.
Is it possible to ditch the under stairs cupboard and add something like a window in the staircase without ruining it completely? Never seen anything like this, though.
Please help! :)
Comments (11)
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Comments (1)You could add hardboard & carpet to the treads....See MoreEntry Ideas for House where Front Door Opens onto Staircase
Comments (6)I too have a teeny tiny hall and there isn’t really much you can do, but it can be brightened up with a nice paint job and accessories. I have a small coat rack (3 hooks) in the hall. The stairs I’ve kept clear of pictures as the stairs are so narrow. At the top I’ve a couple of small family pics and a large driftwood heart. My walls are Dulux Egyptian Cotton and the carpet is a stripy one from Crucial Trading. You could put up a nice mirror in the hall, assuming the front door doesn’t bang into it, and maybe another one at the top of the stairs? You are right to stick with paler shades. I know dark shades are in vogue but maybe not where an area has no natural light. It would be grim. Do you have a favourite colour? Palest green, pink or mauve would look good. Plants wouldn’t fare well in a dark area, but there are some fantastic faux ones about that would look good. Here’s a few pics of mine, not the best pics as so little room, I feel your pain!...See More1960s open tread staircase renovation suggestions please
Comments (14)I agree with you 100%. Design is all well and good but if it doesn’t function well then it soon loses its appeal and for me if it means more cleaning then forget it! The images on the blog look great though I notice that the treads are also ply. Like you I am not entirely convinced ply will work with teak. I think it would be a shame to paint the teak so could you do the reverse of what you propose, keep the teak and have painted the rails? Another consideration is painted rails will stand up to wear and tear much better than painted treads. Wumis suggestion to use metal is good though I would prefer something softer such as laser cut metal panels which come in all sorts of patterns. The coppery colour of Corten steel might look good. They would also create patterns from the light shining through from the roof light. Good lighting might be another consideration. Box in the treads and use strip LED lights hidden under the treads. Not quite the same but once the children are grown you could remove the risers. These could be painted to match the rails. I expect the teak is slathered in a hard varnish that crazes and scratches easily and cannot be repaired. It would be nice to take it back to the wood and finish it in something that is easier to maintain. I used Sikkins on new oak window frames which was a doddle to maintain. Mind you it won’t be so much of a doddle to strip the varnish off the teak! A job not for the faint hearted but, none the less, worthwhile....See MoreDesign challenge: Fix for front door that opens directly onto stairs
Comments (11)I’m in a 1930s terrace, and my hall is tiny too! Yo made me chuckle with your acrobatics to enter your house......... All the houses in my road are the same on the outside, but configured slightly differently inside. My neighbours house has a much bigger hall leading to the kitchen, but it eats into their sitting room which is much smaller than mine. You could remove the wall into the kitchen, or move it further into the kitchen giving you a wider hall? Or as CWD suggests adding, maybe a porch to the front crating a bigger hall? A floor plan or pics will help envisage your problem....See More
PROlast yearI will suggest just changing the type of stairs into cantilever with glass or metal wire and open up the kitchen wall so it open plan
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no problem these type of stair is beautiful and has many variation, as you dont have large wall area for the stair foundation (as my first pic the stair cantilevered to the side wall) I think local contractor will suggest you floating stairs with load bearing steel. do keep the LED though the maintenance is cheap, useful at night and looks lit.
Alex thanked Devyra Atelier 
last yearCould you do something like this but obviously open both sides? You could potentially keep the cupboard
I did look at the house (sorry!) and it seems like there is a wooden structure in front of the window plus a lot of greenery which will be reducing light. Look at Little Greene paint as they show the Light Reflectance Value. pale paving like limestone could help plus a mirror on the tv wall
Alex thanked minnie101- last year
Angie