Staircase help!

In need of help! What do I do with this bizarre staircase enclosure? When we moved in three years go, this was what was used as an alternative to spindles and a bannister evidently. It is not weight-bearing, but we need to do something as we had twin boys this past April, and they are already on the move! As I'm sure you can guess, our budget is tiny, really non-existent actually, so anyway we can do this inexpensively would be great. I would rather not board it up as there is a great deal of light that comes from the window at the top of the stairs. Right now there is a treadmill on this wall, and no other place for it in the house either, so it can't move. Any idea is welcomed.

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Maxine B Jamestown, TN

I like Laurel's idea

on Aug 29, 2012 · Like 0
Sondra Janesville, WI

With it being on stairs it means anything you do would have to be sort of custom done so it fits the stairs. I like the idea of the plexiglas so you can still get all the light as well as see the enclosure and any photos , etc that you may put there without them being knocked down as easy. It also depends on how sturdy the enclosure is as you said, it is not weightbearing. You can also look at decorative screening which would also keep the light as well as allowing better ventilation. ...»
It may be an idea to check with remodeling places or Home Depot type stores to see if they can offer ideas.

on Aug 29, 2012 · Like 1
Vanessa D Sharon Hill, PA

While it will let light in, plexiglass is not going to remain clear with 2 kids. it will get scratched up and look not so nice. So far I'm agreeing with Roger Dick. Rip it down, place 2x2s space every 6 inches as a "backbone". Then you could build a bookshelf on the side facing the camera in the pic that extends all the way across that wall and the opening on the stairs. I don't know if I'm describing this well enough, lol. If you put the 2x2s first, that would keep the twins from trying ...»
to climb into the bookshelves and also help keep things from falling through the back of the shelves. You don't have to fill the shelves with books. You could put a vase here, a picture there, etc. I don't know, just a thought. :)

on Aug 29, 2012 · Like 0
Anita HooperHicks Turlock, CA

you could make it a rock climbing wall for the boys they would love to climb the walls and better them than you LOL

on Aug 29, 2012 · Like 1
Cheryl A Dalton, GA

Remove the shelving unit and install hand rails and balustrades..

on Aug 29, 2012 · Like 1
Linda Neillsville, WI

I built a book case on the bottom about 2 1/2 ft in with the wall going up to ceiling which makes a good place for a flat screen tv or electric fire place with remaining area a door for closet under stairs. wall being appx 5 inch thick and bookcase 8 " deep.

on Aug 29, 2012 · Like 2
Wendy Mitchell, SD

What about cutting pexiglass the same shape as some of the shapes on the enclosure and painting them with glass paint?

on Aug 29, 2012 · Like 0
Hamtil Construction LLC Saint Louis, MO

It looks like you already have a 2x4 at the bottom running along the stair nosings, and I am guessing it is fastened to the wall on the stairwell side. How about removing the handrail and other random trim pieces, then adding an upper 2x4 at the same angle as the bottom, with the top edge no less than 34" above each tread nosing. Next, add 2x2 balusters or similar against the outside face of the 2x4's. Essentially it's like a guardrail on a deck. The balusters should have no more than 4" ...»
between. You can then install your existing handrail on the stairwell face of the upper 2x4 to maintain a graspable handrail... but you may have to add blocking behind the upper bracket at the top of the stairs as well... or move the handrail to the other side.
This is the low budget solution. As others have mentioned, a real handrail and balusters would be the best choice but you are wise to try and do anything to help improve the situation. As the father of two toddler boys myself I know from experience that they will be scaling up the wood wall that you have in a minute.

on Aug 29, 2012 · Like 1
Nancy gossett Odessa, TX

framed art to fit the design, or framed mirrors to fit the larger pattern, and maybe leave the smaller ones open for light. I would probably tear it down, and put spindles, and railing, close enough toddlers could not get through,

on Aug 29, 2012 · Like 0
Amber Claypool, AZ

i would first remove that horrid wood trim and then i would do what Linda said to do. then i would paint the steps black leaving the back part white, just painting where you step on (after taking off the carpeting) and brighten up the white. paint the back wall on the other side of the steps there in the pic maybe a light beige color so it stands out against the black steps. maybe you could pull that paneling off (of the stair wall) and see whats behind there. put a pretty hand rail up too or paint that black also.

on Aug 30, 2012 · Like 0
Originals by Rhonda Walnut Cove, NC

Crystal I see you do have a dated opening, steep stairs and I understand ...NO BUDGET and YOU WANT IT OPEN FOR LIGHT ...just SAFE FOR KIDDOS. Look on craigslist in "free" section for old shower doors. Those are safety glass and you could possibly fasten them to the den wall on outside of stairs and do a wood frame around them so they will look intentional. If the part against wall looks odd, you could get some rope light to place behind the glass and place a few plants in front of it.

on Aug 30, 2012 · Like 0
Cj St Armour

you could also sand the plexi to give it a frosted look or leave some plain and make a pattern

on Aug 30, 2012 · Like 0
Marylou cash Orange Park, FL

Do you have space under stairs? Create a nook/space under stairs, take the partician and put under stair space for shelving, wine, and acc. or books etc... the modernize the staircase with a differnt kind of railing system,,,maybe a metal/wood combo.. that is what I would do.. My husband and have been in out 1976 home 6 years and tore every waal down accept BR...

on Aug 30, 2012 · Like 0
Susan R Florence, KY

I agree with Linda A. We had the same issue while renovating a home and did it the "pay as you go" way. We installed lattice until we could afford a permanent fix. You could stain or paint it and then hang photos on it. Safety comes first for those precious babies.

on Aug 30, 2012 · Like 0
Becky H Tampa, FL

If it was backed with a large sheet of plexiglass, then it could be painted w/glass paint to resemble a stained glass window, visually using the different wood sections/dividers as the leading/caning.

on Aug 30, 2012 · Like 2
Hudson Designs Loganville, GA

I see some great ideas here, some not so good and some just not called for.
1st thing to think of is safety and that the job meets code req. for your area.
Most important issue is that it meets life safety code for insurance coverage.
1013.3 Opening limitations. Open guards shall have balusters
orornamental patterns such that a 4-inch-diameter (102 mm) ...»

sphere cannot pass through any opening up to a height of 34
inches (864 mm). From a height of 34 inches (864 mm) to 42
inches (1067 mm) above the adjacent walking surfaces, a
sphere 8 inches (203 mm) in diameter shall not pass.
To find out more about your local codes see this page.
http://bulk.resource.org/codes.gov/

on Aug 30, 2012 · Like 0
Crystal Paul Whitehall, NY

This house is an old house, it was built in 1826 and there are 11 stairs. They don't seem steeper but maybe they are. It does seem as though they are narrower width-wise. There is only one handrail on the left side, and no handrail on the right side until you go 3/4 of the way up the stairs and meet solid wall again. I have looked on Craigslist for free items, and have come up with nothing so far. Typically we would go with the "pay as you go" option, but there are hospital bills and ...»
a new car payment (to fit the little ones) that are already "pay as you go", there just isn't any more money for that option. Plexi glass is very expensive, especially in large sheets, and if I'm going to pay that much money then I would just do the spindles. I have considered the book case idea and like that a lot. Essentially the structure is there for the book case and I can remove a few of the pieces of wood and it would work. Thank you for everyone's suggestions.

on Aug 30, 2012 · Like 0
Helena @ Design Wotcha! Laguna Beach, CA

not sure how far this wall extends to the right but for a low budget solution i would add a sheer curtain in a neutral color across the whole of this wall from the stair post on and paint the "wood geometric" a fun color so that when coming down the stairs it contrasts against the fabric.

on Aug 30, 2012 · Like 0
Kim L Knoxville, IA

Too bad you live in NY. I live in Iowa and my sister gave me some spindles but no spindles. I would give them to you if I could.

on Aug 30, 2012 · Like 2
Shirley V Pollocksville, NC

paint the two diagonal lines (handrail and brown line next to the wall following the steps upward) the same color as the wall. Repeat in the right white triangle wall the same squares and rectangles that are in the upper left triangle with paint that is the color of the ones on the upper top left.. This way it will look like a large work of art. To keep the kids from going up it, put up some child gates, you can stack one on top of the other. All of this would make a large work of art. ...»
(In other words- with PAINT, repeat what you are calling a bannister in the white lower right triangle. no matter how long your wall is, just make it a square. You will be creating more rectangles on the right. You can even fill in some of the rectangles with colors. You can fill in some of the rectangles on the left upper triangle with painted styrofoam. Paint a border on the bottom the same with as the one on the top. All of this can be temporary and you can change it later if you want. I wish i could give you an example. you can google Piet Mondrian Art for some examples.

on Aug 30, 2012 · Like 1
Jeanette S Atlanta, GA

The first thing I though of when I saw this was "Oriental"! That square design just screams for that effect. With little ones, I would leave the carpet for now (easier on little knees), paint all the trim black and accent with red/orange/gold pieces. Put in some paper latterns around (they are cheap) and a few pictures. A small table with a lamp on a black table with some read items beside the stair wall. The hand raill (also black) on that back wall should be sufficient. As for ...»
the children, teach them early not to play with things that are not toys and they will not borther the screen!

on Aug 30, 2012 · Like 1
Bobbybielik@gmail.com San Diego, CA

First remove the confusing lattice work. Install a minimalist diagonal bannister, echo that railing against the opposing wall. Bring in a neutral two tone color mix to the back wall and a different toned down or up whichever you prefer to the staircase wall, in the foreground.(moving the eyes and bringing life into a otherwise dead spacial focal point.) Tones of sea-mist or pale yellow are colors I'd see in this small room.

on Aug 30, 2012 · Like 2
Sarah Santee, CA

furring strips might be a good "in the meantime" solution for filling in the gaps horizontally or vertically thus making it safer for the little ones... they're about a buck a strip (1x2x8, a buck-fifity for 2x2x8). if you want to simplify the design, keep just the main horizontal boards and supporting vertical boards then install the furring strips a la all vertical or all horizontal. best of luck!

on Sep 02, 2012 · Like 0
Deborah M

Whatever you do this is so bad.

on Nov 28, 2012 · Like 0
Gail Hunt Canada

My first thought is to cut it off and move it to the wall side of the stairs to create a bookshelf. Do you have enough space for a bookshelf? Then, you could install a more traditional railing. Here's a photo of the one I built:
on Nov 30, 2012 · Like 0