Painting ideas for your staircase
The staircase is an area often left neglected in interior design. But there are many ways you can incorporate your staircase into your schemes.
The best paint colours for a staircase will depend on the space you are decorating and the look you want to achieve. You might prefer to make the staircase the focal point of your scheme by painting it in a bold, impactful colour. For something more pared back, leave your stairs bare wood or painted white to accompany stronger hues in other parts of the space.
Discover some of our favourite staircase painting ideas to help you elevate this transitional area of your home.
White Painted Stairs
White is one of the most timeless paint colours you can choose for your staircase. A white painted staircase feels very understated, keeping the focus on other elements of the scheme.
When painting woodwork, many of us opt for brilliant white out of habit. But for a more harmonious finish, consider selecting a softer, complementary white that pairs elegantly with the other paint shades in the space. Rolling Fog – Pale is the perfect choice to act as a white in this scheme. It accompanies Rolling Fog and Rolling Fog – Light on the walls, along with Attic II as a dark colour highlight.
Bold & dark stairs
If you’re looking for a scheme with more impact, consider painting your staircase in bold, dark hues. This colour palette will help to bring a statement feel to your hallway, creating a lasting impression.
Deep, richly coloured greens like Olive Colour and Obsidian Green are a great choice. They not only provide impact, but they also sit comfortably in the home due to their relationship with nature. These shades beautifully accompany dark wood finishes, so consider leaving your stair handrail as bare wood.
Neutral coloured stairs
Neutrals work wonderfully in transitional areas like hallways, landings and staircases. These classic shades provide a seamless backdrop that will effortlessly complement colour schemes in adjacent rooms.
To bring added character and interest to the scheme, combine two or more related neutrals on your walls, woodwork, stairs and ceiling. This welcoming entrance features shades from our Portland Stone family, paired with Pompeian Grey on the ceiling.
Contrast walls with painted stairs
When designing an interior, it’s important to think about where you want the focus of your scheme to be. Your eye will often be drawn to the boldest shade in the space. So, consider highlighting your staircase by pairing neutral walls with a more impactful paint colour on the stairs.
With this approach, you have the option to paint your entire staircase in your chosen hue, or add a colour accent on just one area. This scheme teams Inox on walls with the coordinating muted blue, Juniper Ash, on the side of the staircase.
Alternating colours
As a transitional space, your staircase is a fabulous place to add a little more personality to your interiors. By painting your stair treads and risers in different shades, you can create a fun ‘alternating’ effect that looks very visually striking. Read our guide to painting a staircase for more details about the various parts of a staircase.
Here you have the perfect opportunity to incorporate some of our brightest paint colours. Vibrant, eye-catching shades like Trumpet, Smalt, Leather and Marigold make fantastic colour accents. This contemporary scheme features Trumpet alongside Shallows on the stairs, with Loft White on the walls.
Grey staircase
Soft greys are excellent, versatile shades for many situations. They will bring a restful atmosphere to bedrooms, and provide an elegant backdrop to busier, high-traffic areas like your staircase.
French Grey is a balanced, neutral grey that contains both blue and red, so it sits comfortably in varying warm and cool light. Introduce shades from our French Grey family on the walls and woodwork of your staircase to infuse the space with calm. Consider adding a textural element with a coordinating grey wallpaper like Volières.
Matching stairs paint colour with wainscotting
When designing your staircase, you should always consider the colour schemes in adjoining areas, particularly your hallway and landing. By considering all three spaces together, you will achieve a sense of continuity as you move through your home.
Consider painting your stairs in the same colour as the wainscotting in your hallway to deliver a cohesive, all-encompassed look. This scheme features Wood Ash on the stair woodwork and panelling, which partners harmoniously with Urbane Grey on the walls.
Wallpapered stairs
Wallpapers bring pattern and texture to your walls, instantly helping a space to feel more characterful and inviting. Introducing wallpaper is a great choice for transitional spaces that can sometimes feel overlooked, like hallways and stairs.
There are countless wallpaper designs and colourways you could choose to add beauty and personality to your staircase. For an element of sophistication, consider a traditional damask print like Tulip in the dark ‘Blue Black’ colourway.
Colour-drenched stairs
Colour drenching has become a popular way to bring a cosy, cocooning feel to spaces like bedrooms and living rooms. But you can also consider using a colour drenching approach for your staircase. Embrace a bold, inviting shade like Etruria all over to achieve a luxurious, immersive finish.
Incorporate every surface of your staircase, including the walls, handrail, stringers and spindles. Our Intelligent Paints are suitable for painting almost any household surface without needing a separate primer – perfect for colour drenching projects like this.
Monochromatic staircase
Monochromatic schemes are a great choice if you want to design a staircase in a bold, contemporary style. White and black is a classic combination for adding impact to a scheme. Consider contrasting white walls with black on all the woodwork, including your baseboards, door frames and stairs.
This monochrome scheme juxtaposes our cool, pale grey, Shallows, with Jack Black on the woodwork. For a dynamic feel, introduce vibrant blue accents like Air Force Blue and Smalt on the floors or door architraves to enliven the scheme.
Painting a staircase is a great way to add beauty and personality to a space that’s often overlooked.
Explore our paint and wallpaper collections to start planning your staircase scheme. Learn how to paint a staircase with expert tips and guidance.
