Love deeply. Lead boldly. Live beautifully.

Our 1920s Tudor cottage had a lovely staircase, but it was covered in dingy old carpet that our beloved Golden Doodle called his own. While I appreciated the sound dampening and the soft landing, the look was less than delightful. And, I really just wanted to sweep and mop carpet-free steps. We lived with the stairs for several years while working on other projects. But every load of laundry up and down the staircase had me longing to rip off the carpet. So, one Saturday, we just did it! 

We had no idea what we might find underneath, but I was sure it held more promise than this decades old carpet from the previous owners. I knew it had painted wood treads because you could see the end caps. I hoped to find all white stairs that needed a paint refresh. But that was not the case. 

Holes, tack strips, unpainted wood, dings and knicks galore were the secrets the carpet held all these years.

But I am nothing, if not an optimist, armed with custom mixed paint colors. So, I forbade the family and the dog from climbing the stairs for an entire Saturday. The husband removed the staples and nails and sanded the stairs bare, and I patched and painted until I arrived at a result I could love. But I will not lie: Cutting precise edges with contrasting paints and working around iron spindles and rails is not for the faint of heart. 

But it was worth it. So worth it!