First project: Stairs

Met with my friend the realtor. She was encouraging. I've been watching WAY too much "Buying and Selling," with the twin brothers, one who's a contractor and the other an agent, and clearly for drama's sake, they always suggest a basic tear-down and re-do of the seller's home before putting it on the market.

My friend wasn't as dramatic. She said she'd hate for us to spend too much money on, say, a full master bath re-do, if we're just going to leave the house. I agree. I like her.

So, she made several suggestions, many of which were definitely on my list, including the dishwasher, and I'm going to get some estimates from a contractor for the big/hard things.

One thing she suggested, though, that I think I can tackle myself, is our staircase banisters. They're the classic dark-wood (with the extra-shiny laminate (I guess?) finish), and white spindles. Much like the photo there, only without the lovely lighting and wall! "People want the Pottery Barn look on a beer budget," she told me. Especially the younger, first-time buyer, which the size of my house will attract. "So paint it black," she said. "It's one of the current trends. Look it up online." Supposedly it mimics wrought-iron. I don't know -- my spindles are kind-of thick; too thick to look like iron.

I'm no designer, but I'm thinking even better than black might be a dark charcoal grey on the handrail and bottom columns, and on the non-carpeted ends of the carpeted stairsteps (our wood steps currently match the banisters). Maybe after I do that I might want to take the plunge to black spindles (but I'm skeptical).

At any rate, it seems like a project I can do fairly simply. So I'm kinda excited.

(I also have an eensy desire to pull a Chevy Chase and chainsaw off the ball at the top of the column, to replace with something square and flat. But I'm not sure I'm brave enough.)