Decorating with Plaster Stenciling

The UGLY Staircase Make Over Lesson

Step one, prime and paint base color then add streaks of yellow and blend.

Step two, create graining

Step three, blend

Step four, create knot holes

Finished

Ah....now I feel better!

I BEG you to tell me you DON'T have stairs as ugly as these!

During my last trip to our Idaho home, I ripped the carpet runner off the stairs leading to the lower level. What did I find? The stairs were formally painted PURPLE AND BLUE! Really? Purple and blue? (I scratched my head in confusion).

They must have been in a hurry to sell the house because they painted the stairs white  "around" the carpet, leaving the former mess beneath for me to find...oh yippee!

Faux finish to the rescue!

Step one: I primed then base coated them with a warm brown, then added streaks of yellow, blending to soft differences in color.

Step two: With a "fan" brush (find them at the craft store), using dark brown paint, I added lines to mimic the grain of wood. Create series of lines with slight waving patterns, with groups close together then some far apart. Do each stair differently to give the look of real wood.

Step three: Blend the graining with a DRY paint brush by lightly brushing over the top of the graining and pulling the paint slightly. Go in one direction only.

Step four: Create a knot hole just here and there by painting a 1/2 circle, then outline it many times with your brush as shown in the photo.

Step five: seal with three coats of polyurethane for durability with foot traffic.

Designer's tip:

There are many types of wood that you can style your project after. You will see that you can vary the background colors significantly. Graining also varies in style. Choose your favorite and give it a try! Here are some examples:

Check out Victoria's new "Decorating With Class" Blog!