Interior Painting · Aug 2019
Two-story foyer, stairwell and great room repainted; bedrooms painted beige
Two-story foyer, stairwell and great room repainted; bedrooms painted beige. These are in-progress and after photos from the job, taken Aug 2019. 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.
Two-Story Foyer, Stairwell and Great Room Repainted From Brown to Light Greige
This home has a two-story foyer with a plant ledge, a tall window and a leaded glass front door with sidelights. The in-progress photos start with walls in a medium brown. From the upstairs landing, a painter kneels on drop cloths by the front door while the chandelier hangs above. In the stairwell, white sample patches sit on the brown, and the stair skirt and ledge already have fresh white cut lines. A painter on a ladder works near the soffit under the landing. The great room view shows the brown already covered with a taupe coat, with patch spots near the arched opening. In the finished photos, the foyer, stairwell and great room are a soft light greige. The white trim, doors and plant ledge look clean, and the oak handrail with black iron balusters stands out more against the lighter walls. The fireplace wall with its white mantel and TV niche now looks bright and calm above the beige carpet.
How We Repainted a Two-Story Foyer and Open Stairwell
- We laid drop cloths over the hardwood and carpet and covered the stair treads and handrail. In open stairwells, paint can drop a long way, so coverage runs wide.
- Sample patches of the new color went on the brown walls first. Seeing them in both daylight and lamp light helped confirm the right shade.
- Ladders and planks let us reach the high foyer walls, the plant ledge and the window trim safely. We cut in along every ceiling line by hand.
- Nail holes and dents were patched and sanded. On the stair skirt and ledge, we caulked gaps and painted the trim a fresh white.
- Covering a medium brown with a light greige took more than one coat. We rolled each wall in full sections so the finish dried without lap marks.
- We checked the walls in morning and evening light, touched up any thin spots, and then cleaned up the foyer, stairwell and great room before the final walkthrough.
Paint Colors Similar to This Light Greige Foyer
To get a light greige foyer and stairwell like this, test these similar colors on your own walls, since they are not the exact shade here.
Sherwin-Williams Accessible Beige SW 7036
A warm light greige close to these finished walls. It suits open foyers with oak railings, white trim and medium wood floors.
Sherwin-Williams Worldly Gray SW 7043
A soft gray with warm undertones. It would give a tall stairwell like this one a slightly cooler, lighter feel.
Sherwin-Williams Dover White SW 6385
A warm white for trim, doors and a plant ledge. It keeps the edges crisp next to greige walls without looking cold.
Questions About Painting Two-Story Foyers
How do painters reach the walls in a two-story foyer?
We use tall extension ladders, ladder levelers for stairs, and planks or scaffolding when needed. The setup depends on the layout. Stairwells are tricky because the floor is not flat, so we set ladders carefully and protect the stairs and railing before starting.
Why go from a dark wall color to a lighter one?
Lighter walls reflect more daylight, which helps tall spaces feel open and bright. They also make trim, railings and furniture stand out. Darker colors can feel cozy, but in a foyer or great room with big windows, a light greige often feels more relaxed.
Do you paint the railing and balusters too?
We can, but it is optional. In this home, the oak handrail and black iron balusters stayed as they were and look sharper against the lighter walls. If you want the rail painted, it needs cleaning, sanding and primer like other woodwork.
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