Over the Hill on the Yellow Brick Road, I came to a creaky, Victorian staircase that was painted with a pink ombre. It was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. I thought to myself, “Am I too old to have that kind of designing fun in my house at this stage of life?” I had to check into it, so I started a conversation with the staircase. I said:
OMG staircase! You look amazing!
STAIRCASE: Thanks. The floral carpet that covered me for decades was fine. But at this point in my life I’m not feelin’ it anymore. So I took a break from tradition. Just because I creak doesn’t mean I have to look old.
So how did you come up with this new look?
STAIRCASE: The idea caught my attention off a blog at: https://littleblackdomicile.com/ And the photo was taken by Arsenic and Lace.
I just love it!
STAIRCASE: Then go for it in your own house.
I would love to! The staircase in my house is exactly like yours. But here’s the problem. I’ve lived in my house for 27 years and never want to leave. But my kids have grown up, and if I try to sell it sometime, who will want to buy a house with a pink ombre staircase?
STAIRCASE: Well, YOU like it.
I know. But shouldn’t I be thinking about home designs that are more conservative or generic? Styles almost anyone would like?
STAIRCASE: ZZzzzz. ZZZZzzzzzzzzz ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Excuse me. Wake up.
STAIRCASE: Oops. Sorry. Your last comment was so boring it put me to sleep. I mean, how can you possibly consider decorating your house for a random person who might or might not buy it? The thought of that is so depressing.
Don’t you watch House Hunters?
STAIRCASE: No. I’m a staircase.
Well, it’s a television show where customers walk through houses they’d potentially want to buy, and choose one. The customers hardly ever like funky paint colors. And forget about wallpaper.
STAIRCASE: What’s wrong with wallpaper?
It’s never in sync with a customer’s taste. Personally, I’d love to try a wallpaper design like this:
See the background? My friend Claudia created it at: https://claudiamcgillart.wordpress.com
STAIRCASE: I looove it!
Me too. But a home buyer might not go for it.
STAIRCASE: Here’s the bottom line. I can only share my perspective. If you design your home to please other people, you’re being incredibly unfair to staircases, walls, kitchen counters…and most importantly…yourself.
Copyrightoverthehillontheyellowbrickroad2018
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I think so 🙂 It is very funky!! I love it too
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Okay! And if I ever sell my house, you can buy it! 🙂
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See? There are no problems, just solutions! 😉 LOL
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Definitely. Yes. Pink is Happy. And could almost be a basic paired with brown or black. 🙂
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Great idea for a compromise. That might even convince my husband. LOL
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Yes! Focus on what bring you joy, not what will please some stranger. This way, the person who eventually buys your home may love it for all the reasons you do. And if they don’t like the pink staircase, they can always paint or carpet to their own taste.
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Right! Spot on! It’s interesting…when I moved into my house 27 years ago, I never would have given a pink staircase a second thought. I would have done it in a flash. The good old days. 🙂
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Go for it! Why cheat yourself out of something you want? Should you ever decide to sell your home, the new owners can change whatever they want to suit them. But don’t deprive yourself of some fun while you’re living there!!
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Thnaks for your support! Anyway, the bottom line is, a new buyer will probably turn my house into one, giant walk-in closet, so I don’t know what I’m worried about! LOL.
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Hmmm, another interesting stop over the hill on the Yellow Brick Road, no? Don’t you wonder how closets feel?
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That’s a great thought. I’ll have to ask one and get back to you. 🙂
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Go for it! Listen to the wise staircase. I love it, in fact I feel my staircase saying the same thing now. Just not sure that my hubby will agree. 🙂
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Yaaay! I hope we both end up with pink staircases! It doesn’t get better than that!
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I’m getting a house ready for sale right now (not my own). It was neutral to begin with, but a stager went in and said to repaint the whole thing with a fresh coat of neutral. Easy. Done although not by me. By professional painters who know what they’re doing and can do it fast.
So when you’re ready to sell, Cathi, you can have wallpaper removed and staircases repainted. But until that day, surround yourself with all of the beauty you can muster. If that’s a pink staircase and a multi-wallpapered wall, go for it!
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Great advice, Karen. I’ll put aside a set amount of money for a time when I sell my house. Then, I’ll use it to pay for the paint job you’re talking about. Until then, I’ll happily live in a madhouse!
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Good to see you again, Cathi.
Mike
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Good to hear from you, Mike! 🙂
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Staircase forgot to tell you something: you can always repaint him/her. 🙂
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Yes, you’re right. Staircases aren’t particularly considerate in that way. 🙂
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We had a newborn in our first house and no idea at all of carpet cleaning and so before putting our house on the market we completely recarpeted it. Wouldnt you knew the new owners came in and ripped all the carpet out and replaced it. Wrong color. The only person you can hope to please is yourself!
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That’s a great reminder of a similar situation I was once in. Years ago, my husband and I owned a condo by the ocean and we were selling it. A couple liked our condo, but they preferred an apartment where the sun would rise on the other side of the unit. We were also thinking of upgrading one of our bathrooms, but another customer asked us to leave it as it was because they wanted to do it themselves. Interesting….
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Pink, fine. Not so sure about the big shiny metal eyeball. A person could trip on that.
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I hadn’t thought of that. You’re right. When we paint our steps, I’ll ask the designer to omit the eyeball. 🙂
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That is a very was staircase. More of us should listen to his (her?) advice!
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I agree. Often staircases, walls and kitchen counters are smarter than humans. It’s just the way it is.
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I was the same way with clothes. “What if other people don’t like what I’m wearing?” But I’m the one wearing it! So you should always dress/decorate etc… for yourself not others. Yes you might worry about someone buying a house or not because of paint & wallpapers, but I think when people buy a house they always change things anyway… so if someday someone doesn’t like the pink staircase, THEY can change it. 🙂
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Yeah, I agree. The only issue I have with a house is, if the designs are too “out there,” some customers won’t be able to see beyond my decorations and envision their own. But…you can’t worry about everything, can you? 🙂
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My husband repainted all the walls on the ground level in this boring green color because “it will help sell the house when the time comes”. I couldn’t disagree with him more. Some people will love our house and some people will dislike it. I just hope the people who like it can afford it.
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You know, I think when you’re a customer looking for a house, there’s some kind of chemistry you have with it (or don’t) when you walk in the door for the first time. I know that happened to me. I never thought I’d buy a house in the town I currently live in, but when the realtor opened the front door, my husband and I immediately said, “This is home.”
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I don’t have much experience in house buying. I have lived in my home for 40 years and the day we sell it will be a sad one. That being said, I completely agree with you based on listening to conversations by other home buyers.
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What a wonderful privilege to be in your home for 40 years. Now it’s part of your soul.
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Yes, it is a part of my being. I have been extremely fortunate to live in my home in the amazingly beautiful town of Haddonfield. I know some people would think this depressing but I even bought a cemetery plot in Haddonfield so that I can rest my bones in the place I have loved the most.
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How wonderful!
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Listen to the staircase! It knows 🙂
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Will do! Though I know things are going downhill if I have to ask a staircase for advice. 🙂
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Lol!
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I cracked up on this:
“Don’t you watch House Hunters?
STAIRCASE: No. I’m a staircase.”
A perfectly pink response!
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Ha ha. Yeah, I guess it wasn’t fair to ask the staircase that question. I just assume EVERYONE watches House Hunters.
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ahhh,……you! And another great read! What a brilliant staircase you have, and with a wonderful perspective……about so much more, than decorating, about life all-around!
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So true! It IS about life all-around. I guess that’s why I’ve had long hair all my life, still do, and never plan to cut it.
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Noooooo selling a house is difficult at the best of times, I used to sell them! Keep things neutral if you’re definitely going to sell it 🙂
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I hear ya! When that day comes, I’ll bring in a very large painting crew. 🙂
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I’m curious Cathi, why when you know that you will move aren’t you chomping at the bit to find somewhere and go into the next stage of your life 😊
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That’s a great question. I haven’t reached the point where I’m ready to move. My husband and I think about it from time to time, but then end up wondering where we’d go that would be better than the home we live in right now. I guess that’s why I’m into putting my touches on the house I’ve lived in for years. You know, like everything else, it’s a process. Sigh.
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Ah now I understand 🙂
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I have a dark side, too.
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I know 😱
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The carpet we put on our stairs to cover the horror that was there when we arrived is EXACTLY THE SAME COLOUR AS YOURS
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Oh no! Really??? Well…I guess that’s what makes the world go ’round. LOL. 🙂 🙂
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🙂
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I’ve spent too much time renovating our former renter’s “creative” ventures in colors, that not everyone likes…my vote is always to go neutral with the bones of a property and jazz it up with colorful photos – timeless approach…boring maybe…but I do love a pop of color, too!
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That’s a smart idea, especially since convincing my husband to agree to a pink ombre staircase will be a challenge, to say the least.
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Unless you’re planning to list your house within the next few months, I say, paint the staircase any color you want! If you do list the house sometime in the future, then simply paint it a neutral color or cover it with a neutral carpet. We need to decorate our houses to please ourselves, I think, and then just tweak it a bit when we decide to sell!
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Well, my husband and I always say to each other, as long as we can both walk up and down the stairs, we’re staying in our house. So, fortunately, for now, we’re staying there. I guess that means we’re going with your “Plan B.” LOL
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Who are these people you are trying to please? What if they like funky colors and your conservative safe colors are boring to them? Be you. Do what you want. There comes a time when taking care of others has to take a back seat to taking care of ourselves. Especially when the ‘others’ are a nebulous possibility. Get your pink staircase and paint purple racing stripes down the center of it if YOU want to.
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The truth is, I watch way too many episodes of House Hunters. I’m possessed. 🙂
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Beautiful post and I love the staircase! I think it you like pink, you should go for it by painting the staircase pink! The great things about paint is, it is not permanent. You can always change the color!!
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You’re absolutely right! Great thought. The only hard part about it for me and my husband is, we are SOOOO not handy. We can’t even hang a picture. So we’d have to pay a painter a hefty fee to undo our pink extravaganza. Even so–it seems as if it’s worth it! I’m leaning hard in the pink direction.
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I think you should follow what you want! I think pink will look nice. What does your husband think about pink?
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He’d rather go with a gray ombre than pink…which would also match with the rest of the staircase area and might be a bit less flamboyant. We’ll see… 🙂
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I understand where you are coming from. My husband and I bought his Grandparent’s home that was pretty old. We had the house painted! We did one bathroom two shades of gray, the half bath two shade of purple and the rest of the house a neutral color.
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Cool! That sounds lovely! When we repainted our house a few years ago, I wanted to paint it lavender or some light shade of purple (it’s a Victorian). But I was convinced by others it would look like a giant wad of bubble gum, so we ended up painting it two shades of blue. It’s pretty.
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It was actually my husband’s idea to do two shades and I really love it! I am sure whatever you decide to do with your staircase, it will be beautiful!!!
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Thanks! We’ll see…LOL
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You will make the right decision and it will be great!!
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I agree with the comment that the walls and floors should stay somewhat neutral, and use accessories to spice up a space. Nowadays, neutral doesn’t just mean beige. There are some neutrals with colour too. There’s also the option of having a feature wall, easily painted if you decide to sell, or using wallpaper that can be easily removed.
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I totally forgot about the feature wall option! I’ve been thinking of doing that for years and never followed through. Thanks for reminding of that fun idea!
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Do it!
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Ha ha! I’m seriously considering it! Thanks for your vote!
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Dither seems to be my word of the day. So do not dither, more especially embrace your inner pink, be the pink, be the stairs, be the bold and live each day. I can hardly believe I just wrote be the stairs … this is the power of your words!
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Isn’t it fun being crazy? I love it!
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It is and I do too!
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It’s your house so do as you please! If you ever get to the point where you sell the house, you could always repaint it to a neutral color to draw in more buyers who may otherwise not like pick staircases. Or you could find buyers who don’t care because they know they can easily paint over it themselves. But right now, it’s your house, so do as you please!
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Amen! I couldn’t have said it better.
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As long as you live in your house, decorate it to your own satisfaction. Feel what your heart wants and needs and listen to your inner voices. If someone wants to buy your house, then let him or her decorate it in their way – but not as long as you live there. The old staircase has a good point, right?
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Yes, that old staircase is pretty wise. You never know where you’ll meet someone smart. 🙂
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3C Style and overthehillontheyellowbrickroad, I understand pink is perhaps even more than a favourite colour to you. I once interviewed a Finnish artist, Katja Tukiainen, for whom colour is not just colour but spirit. Maybe you’d like to take a look at her world: http://attsmakalivet.se/kultur-resor/2017/01/katja-tukiainen-and-the-spirit-of-pink
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Thank you so very much for sharing this link with me. Now I’m following Katja. I do love pink, and her perspective has made me appreciate that wonderful color even more. I also loved one of the quotes in the Youtube clip: “The art is wiser than the artist.” I think that’s true.
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Oh my gosh! I love that funky ombre staircase! I would totally be a house with that. And the wallpaper! I say go for it! do what you love, you only live once.
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I’m thinking about it! I might just do the middle inner part of the steps pink ombre so it doesn’t look too crazy. To be continued…
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I hope you will post it when you are done.
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🙂 🙂
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I will.
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If you really love it, do it. If you don’t like it, have it redone. Listen to your staircase, it has much wisdom. I love your posts so much! LOL 🙂 Oh, and If you ever have to install one of those riding seats, think of the lovely color you can watch slide by as you go up. 😉
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Oh yeah! The ride up on the sliding seat with all those pinks to watch would be magical!
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Pink staircases! What a cool idea. I would. I would even paint some foliage, a few butterflies on the wall and maybe a dog waiting at the top of the stairs. That would create the feeling you are walking in a garden or following a magical path. You could also simply add some beautiful quotes on each stair. Personally if I had staircases like that I would paint them black and white, like a piano keyboard. What I am trying to say here is the sky is the limit. Listen to people advices but at the end do the F?#! you want. Follow your own desires. xoxo
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As one artist to another, thank you! And I love your ideas, as always.
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Can’t wait to see your pink staircases. It is indeed a cool idea.
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I enjoyed the dialogue. Actually, the staircase looks great to me. Sometimes we just have to try something different and enjoy it.
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I think that’s true no matter how old we are. I just have to remind myself of that…a lot. 🙂 Nice to meet you!
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Love this!!!! We should all have a pink staircase! 💙
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Amen!!!!
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Excellent! Love the wallpaper! ❤️
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Yeah!
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Chuckles!
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