Upstairs Hallway {Before + After}

Until I can grow a money tree and figure out a way to survive a bathroom reno, we’re reaching the end of before + afters on this little blog. This space is really an eternal work in progress, but it’s well enough along to share today!

 

This, my friends, was what our eyes saw on first entering what would one day become our forever home. If you are wondering, that is nasty navy blue carpet with gold bows on it. I like big bows (and I cannot lie)… but I detest them on my carpet.

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And this is how it looks today! The walls are Seaspray by Benjamin Moore.

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We didn’t have the money to put in a nice new runner when we moved in, so we ripped up the carpet and painted the stairs. After living with it like this for six years, we love it and are in no rush to change it. I mean, my babies learned to count on these stairs. We also painted the walls and all of the trim, put in iron spindles, and replaced the outdated ceiling mount with a chandelier from our previous home.

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The DIY Ballard Designs chandy shades found their permanent home here in the foyer. There is a matching chandelier hanging from the second floor stair well and the other four shades are there! I love them here so much more than in the den and think they look great with the painted stairs.

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If y’all will remember waaaaay back to last March Honey completely knocked my socks off by surprising me with an Angie Reuter marsh painting for my birthday. Well, after months and months of sitting in the upstairs hallway, it has finally been hung!! I love how it is one of the first things you see when coming in the front door…

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I have a few favorite canvases of my littles going up the stairs, and I’m leaving the rest of the hallway open to hang more through the years as they grow. Hence why I said this was an eternal work in progress. I can’t hardly wait until they are grown and my hallway is full to share it.

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Here you can see the aforementioned matching chandy.

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One of my favorite parts of the hallway is our growth chart. This was originally a very strange bookshelf that would only fit the tiniest of figurines (Precious Moments, anyone?). I used the original shelves to hang behind a few canvases in other parts of the house (here, here and here), and think that this growth chart is a much better use of the space for us. The initials and numbers are all cut from vinyl and were done in the same font as the numbers on the stairs.

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Look closely and you can see where Honey hammered a GIANT nail through the right side of the growth chart trying to hang something inside the closet. Grrrr…

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And that’s the rarely seen (because it’s so uneventful) upstairs hallway. I can’t wait to take those “amazing family pictures” on my 40×41 list and add two more canvases!
xoxo

13 thoughts on “Upstairs Hallway {Before + After}

  1. The marsh painting looks fab at the top of the stairs! And I'm so glad the chandy shades were rehomed. ?

    I have always regretted having to leave behind our growth "chart" when we moved when our boys were 6 & 4. It was in a place that couldn't be moved, and it never occurred to me at the time to transfer the measurements by writing them down & starting again at the new house. :-/

  2. I recently purchased an Angie Reuter marsh painting as well! It's hanging with a Megan Carn Fancy Elephant at the top of my stairs. Both super talented artists. I love your stairs. Our runner needs to be yanked up.

  3. How did you hang the chandy DIY on the second floor?! I would have been freaked to do that!

  4. I was wondering where those shades ended up. I love them in the entry! Great transformation of the stairs. I love the painting and all of the great canvases. Next weekend is the Shrimp Festival on the island with tons of artists selling their paintings and art pieces. I have been saving my pennies in anticipation. I love seeing all of your beautiful paintings.

  5. The marsh painting is beautiful, I love it at the top the stairs! I just got back from Atlanta and bought the dalmatian shades at the Ballard outlet. Your shades looks great on the chandeliers. Have a fun weekend!!!

  6. I know there is a hand tool that will cut the end off that protruding nail then you could do a little touch up and tada! problem fixed. That is a cute idea for a growth chart.

  7. Yup, a bolt cutter will do the trick on that nail. Only you can make an upstairs hallway look that good. I love the painted stairs. We painted our back stairs years ago and love them!! They have held up better than any carpet. Did you all do the wrought iron railings yourselves or have them installed. Been thinking about it for our front foyer. Adore the little niche with the growth chart! I need to get the girls' records and recreate one for our home. And, I love that you do not shy away from hanging lots of family pictures. Our upstairs hallway contains several gallery walls and we love it.

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