• Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Collaborate
  • Blog
  • Parties
    • Children’s Parties Ideas
    • Holiday Parties
    • Adult Party Ideas
  • Holiday Ideas
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Fourth of July
    • Spring
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Seasons
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Autumn
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
  • Project Gallery
    • Crafts
    • Decorating
    • DIY
    • Good Ideas
    • Tutorials
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

  • Book
  • Speaking
  • Meet Vanessa
    • Featured

March 4, 2021

Painted Staircase Handrail Makeover

Hello friends! Happy almost Spring! Between the historic ice storms we had here in Oregon, power outages as a result of the ice storms and subsequent school closures due to the power outages, I feel like I’m finally getting my bearings again and making it back to relative normality. Although we are still dealing with storm damage and have spent every weekend taking a chainsaw to downed trees and cleaning up debris. But, I’m here today to share with you a makeover that I did MONTHS ago but never got around to sharing with you.

So, I’ve realized that I need a category for home projects called “why did I wait this long?”

Somehow we manage to get major projects, like our kitchen makeover, completed but when it comes to those smaller ones, I find myself procrastinating. Please tell me I’m not the only one who does this!

But, as the holiday season approached last year and I knew I was going to begin decorating my home, I was determined to not hang garland on the banister one more year without painting the handrail.

It literally only took about two hours. Again, why did I wait so long??

 

Once I stopped kicking myself over the 13 year delay, I was so thrilled to step back and see just how much of a difference a little bit of paint made in updating our entry.

This space has come a LONG way! Here is how it looked many, many years ago. You can see that the handrail was a very glossy cherry wood tone.

BEFORE

I could not be more happy with how it looks now! Fresh and clean and covering up decades worth of chips, scratches and the wear and tear of an active family.

And before you ask, yes, my children did try to slide down the banister when they were little. They would also regularly attempt to climb up the stairs on the OUTSIDE of the railing. Sometimes my heart still beats faster just thinking about all of the times I caught them doing that!

With several bigger home projects still to complete (we have a couple of VERY dated bathrooms that need to be totally redone) there is something satisfying about being able to check a smaller project off the list in no time at all. Or, I should say, it’s satisfying to wait 13 years to finally check off a smaller project only to realize that it took no time at all! 😉

What about you? Are there smaller projects in your home that you have been putting off? Please help me feel like I’m not the only one!

Much love,

*I used RePurpose paint by the brand Diamond Hard from Hobby Lobby*

10 Comments Filed Under: Decorating, Good Ideas

Subscribe

Get the latest goodness straight to your inbox!

Previous Post: « A New French Country Dining Table
Next Post: Lessons From Growing Out My Bangs »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Patricia says

    March 4, 2021 at 2:53 PM

    looks terrific…..now you are done, that’s a good feeling!

    We all have projects which take to long and this shut down has made procrastination syndrome worse.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 5, 2021 at 11:06 AM

      It’s such a good feeling! Thanks for stopping by Patricia! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Carol Shoults says

    March 4, 2021 at 3:56 PM

    What kind of paint did u use and did u prime it. Any suggestions on how to paint would be appreciated.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 5, 2021 at 11:06 AM

      Hi Carol! You reminded me that I need to add that info into the post. I used a paint called RePurpose by the brand Diamond Hard and I found it at Hobby Lobby. It didn’t require any prep work (no sanding or priming!) other than making sure the surface was clean. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Tami says

    March 4, 2021 at 4:34 PM

    I love it! The contrast is stunning.

    Reply
  4. MARY-ANN (FROM CANADA!) says

    March 4, 2021 at 6:07 PM

    Always nice to meet you at the Picket Fence, Vanessa! Your stairway looks great! The darker color is outstanding! I can assure you that you are not the only one who puts off doing projects! I think we are all guilty of this! Covid restrictions have sure helped us get a lot of our projects done. We still can’t have anyone over except those who reside in your home. So, this means my hubby and I. We have accomplished a lot but there is still a “to do” list — and I think that there always will be something on the list!

    Have a great week!

    Reply
  5. Michele M. says

    March 4, 2021 at 11:18 PM

    As I keep telling my adult daughters:

    “The little things are now the BIG things.”

    Well done – looks great.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 5, 2021 at 11:03 AM

      That is definitely a true statement Michele!! And really appropriate for our lives no matter the circumstances. Thanks so much for stopping by! xoxo

      Reply
  6. Hope says

    March 6, 2021 at 11:37 PM

    Please tell us how you painted the railing and with what paint color. Mine needs a paint job, bad!!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 8, 2021 at 7:22 PM

      Hi Hope! I included the paint brand at the bottom of the blog post but I did forget to include the color. It’s just the basic black that they had and it didn’t require any prep work at all other than just making sure the surface was clean. Not having to sand anything was a huge motivation for me! LOL! All I did was tape off the spindles prior to painting and I ended up doing two coats. Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Search This Blog

Get the book!

Invite Vanessa to speak at your event!

Stay updated!

  • A New Look for the Family Room

    A New Look for the Family Room
  • Honey Tea Cake Loaf with Lemon Glaze

    Honey Tea Cake Loaf with Lemon Glaze
  • The Slow Exit

    The Slow Exit
  • Honed Quartzite Kitchen Counters Reveal

    Honed Quartzite Kitchen Counters Reveal

Sign Up and Never Miss A Post!

Must Reads

Latest Recipes

Honey Tea Cake Loaf with Lemon Glaze

Apple Bread Pudding

Grandma’s Banana Bread

view more recent recipes

Recent Posts

  • Winter Decorating Ideas January 27, 2023
  • Nostalgic Christmas Home Tour December 10, 2022
  • Vintage Inspired Hot Cocoa Bar November 21, 2022
  • Autumn Home Decor Tour October 7, 2022
  • Built In Shelving Makeover in Family Room August 31, 2022

Footer

Stay Connected!

Instagram

I just went to make my mid-morning protein shake a I just went to make my mid-morning protein shake and grabbed a banana out of the freezer and was about to put it into my shake before I realized it was a frozen egg roll. Sooooo that's how my day is going so far! 🤪How about you?

It's honestly fairly representative of my state of mind these days as I can't seem to make the date on the calendar match the date in my spirit because it feels like it should be January 45th. Every year this month drags on and every year it seems to surprise me for some reason. In addition, my heart just feels heavy as I witness a lot of darkness and sadness around me. So, I'm choosing to control what I can control by making my house feel as cozy as possible, relishing the sunshine whenever it dares to peek through the clouds, gathering inspiration for warmer weather projects and, most importantly, resting in the comfort of the sovereignty of my Father.

“God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ So that everyone he has made may know his work..." Job 37:5-7
What if you could do something at the beginning of What if you could do something at the beginning of your day that would be a gift to yourself later on? That’s what we’re talking about on this week’s Tip Tuesday! #tiptuesday
The sun decided to make another appearance today! The sun decided to make another appearance today! It’s been such a lovely Sunday. Chocolate croissants for breakfast followed by church then naps/football/reading/etc and soon we’ll be heading out to dinner with friends. These are my favorite kind of weekends. Hope yours has been lovely too! 🌿
Yesterday was stormy and cold but today the sunshi Yesterday was stormy and cold but today the sunshine is breaking through the fog and my house just seems happier. We definitely needed to see that light streaming in through the windows and it’s a gift I don’t take for granted.

And yes, there are still twinkle lights on my mantle because those help when the sunshine goes away again. ✨
Happy weekend! The rainy and gloomy weather here i Happy weekend! The rainy and gloomy weather here in the Willamette Valley has me feeling less frustrated about my migraine forcing me to just snuggle up indoors and these flowers in my kitchen are lifting my spirits. What are you up to on this holiday weekend?
It’s time for TIP TUESDAY! This week, I’m offe It’s time for TIP TUESDAY! This week, I’m offering a gentle reminder from my own parenting experience after feeling my heart pricked with conviction about what was waiting for my daughter every day after school. I hope it will encourage you! 🌿#tiptuesday
The day after Christmas I found myself laundering The day after Christmas I found myself laundering and folding all of the linens we used the previous night as we hosted my husband's side of the family for dinner and other festivities. As I laid out each cloth napkin and folded them one by one, I couldn't help but be struck by what a simple, yet meaningful, task it was. It's such an honor and privilege to be the hostess and, at this stage of my life, I realize that this has almost one hundred percent become my role now. Our parents are in their 70's and have either downsized significantly or simply don't have the energy to take on hosting duties for a large group. I could resent this. I could feel overwhelmed by it. But, instead, I'm choosing to embrace it knowing that, someday, I too will pass the hosting torch and I hope that I will be welcomed with love and attentiveness. So, I fold the linen napkins, taking pleasure in the way all of the creases line up and how neat and tidy they look in the drawer of my dining room buffet. These seemingly simple chores are part of the lifeblood of homemaking and my attitude towards them can either be one of gratefulness or grumbly-ness (yes, I'm making up words now). 

And I’m choosing gratefulness. 

“This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him. Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God’s way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness.” (Elisabeth Elliot⁣)
Welcome to Tip Tuesday! I’m so excited to be kic Welcome to Tip Tuesday! I’m so excited to be kicking off the year with a brand new series! Each weekly installment will feature a tip for everything from your home to faith to parenting to family life and so much more. My goal for 2023 is to have far more personal interaction with this community while continuing on with the mission of weaving together all things heart and home. I hope you enjoy this first tip and I’d love to hear from you about whether or not you decorate for winter! 
#tiptuesday #organizing #winterdecorating
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. H “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” 

Here’s to beginnings. Happy new year friends! May you experience the majesty and sovereignty of the Lord in 2023 like never before! ✨
Oh how I love this week each year! It’s my favor Oh how I love this week each year! It’s my favorite for sure. Everything is still festive and decorated but there’s none of the stress of the cooking and wrapping and making preparations. It’s the week where we get to take everything slowly and simply enjoy being together while the house still has twinkling lights and we can just be cozy.

What about you? How will you be spending this week? ✨
Load More... Follow
Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2023 At The Picket Fence