Interior Painting · Oct 2022
Staircase with black spindles, dining room and bedroom stripes, bathroom vanity
Staircase with black spindles, dining room and bedroom stripes, bathroom vanity. These are before, in-progress and after photos from the job, taken Oct 2022. This interior painting project was done by Larry Gaytos and the My Personal Painter crew. We are based in Florence, Kentucky, and our work is covered by a 2-year touch-up warranty.
Before and After Photos
Black Stair Spindles, Painted Stripe Walls and a Black Bathroom Vanity
This multi-room interior job changed several spaces in one home. The staircase started with stained oak newel posts, handrails and shoe rail paired with white spindles against butter yellow walls. Now the rails and newels are a soft white and the spindles are black, which gives the upstairs landing a sharper look. In one dining room, the in-progress photos show a laser level on a tripod projecting lines on the wall, yellow tape marking wide bands, and the table wrapped in plastic. The finished walls carry wide horizontal stripes of warm greige and off-white that line up around the corner. Another dining room with a chandelier and sliding door got the same banded look. The main bedroom had plain greige walls under a vaulted ceiling. Now the wall behind the bed has vertical greige and white stripes around a half-round window. In the bathroom, a natural maple vanity is now a smooth black, with its brass knobs put back on.
How We Laid Out Stripes and Painted Stair Rails and a Vanity
- We covered floors, carpet and furniture with drop cloths and plastic, and removed switch plates and outlet covers. The dining table stayed in the room under plastic.
- A self-leveling laser on a tripod projected straight lines on each wall. We marked stripe widths from those lines so every band stayed level and matched around the corners.
- Low-tack tape went along each mark. We painted the base color over the tape edges first to seal them, then rolled the stripe color between the tape lines.
- For the vertical bedroom stripes, we used plumb laser lines and worked around the half-round window so the bands ran evenly up to the vaulted ceiling.
- On the staircase, we cleaned and sanded the stained rail and newels, primed them, and painted them white. The spindles were primed and brushed black one at a time.
- The vanity doors and drawers were removed, cleaned, sanded and primed. We applied black finish coats, let them cure, and reinstalled the doors with the original brass knobs.
Paint Colors Similar to These Black Spindles and Greige Stripes
These options resemble the black spindles, black vanity and greige stripes shown here, yet none of them is confirmed as the exact paint used.
Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black SW 6258
A true, clean black close to the spindles and bathroom vanity here. It looks sharp against white rails and pairs well with brass hardware.
Sherwin-Williams Balanced Beige SW 7037
A warm greige similar to the darker bands on these stripe walls. It sits well beside off-white bands and medium wood floors.
Benjamin Moore White Dove OC-17
A soft, warm white that suits painted handrails, newel posts and the lighter stripes. It keeps black spindles from looking too stark.
Questions About Painting Stair Spindles and Striped Walls
Can stained oak handrails and newel posts be painted?
Yes. They need a good cleaning to remove hand oils, a light sanding, and a bonding primer before the finish coats. Handrails get touched every day, so we use a durable enamel and give it time to cure. Painted rails can be wiped clean like other trim.
How do painters keep wall stripes level across a whole room?
A laser level is the easiest way. It throws a straight line across walls and around corners, so marks stay even even if the floor or ceiling is not level. We tape to those marks, seal the tape edges, and paint each band in turn.
Is painting a bathroom vanity a good idea?
It can be, when the prep is done well. Bathrooms see moisture and frequent cleaning, so the cabinet needs cleaning, sanding and a strong primer under a tough cabinet finish. Letting the paint cure before heavy use helps it hold up to splashes and wiping.
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