Hickory Hardwood Floors and Staircase Makeover
Thanks to Lowe’s for their support and installation of the floors in this home improvement project.
I am thrilled with the progress at my house. It’s been a long time coming—what felt like forever to me is finally becoming reality. For today’s update I’ll focus on the flooring and staircase. These photos and descriptions are progress shots rather than final reveals, but they show how far things have come.
To give you some context, here’s what the staircase looked like before we started. It had carpeted steps and walls that didn’t reflect the aesthetic I wanted. We lived with it for a long time and slowly worked through updates when we could.
Our first steps were practical: we primed the oak handrails and painted them black. That was prep we could do safely without balancing over stairs. I also painted stripes on the wall to add character and personality to the entryway.
These progress photos show the transformation from carpet and busy walls to a more refined look with black rails and striped walls. The change is dramatic even while we still had more to do.
At one point the stairway felt mismatched, but I trusted the vision and kept working toward it. Budget and timing meant we had to take this project in stages. We waited to paint the two-story entry walls until we could hire someone to do it safely and efficiently, but once that was done the space felt immediately improved.
The carpet remained a problem—worn and dated—until recently. Thanks to Lowe’s and their installation team, we replaced the carpet with prefinished Hickory solid hardwood floors. I couldn’t be happier. The Hickory planks have lots of character, look beautiful, and are low maintenance—perfect for a busy home.
I wanted a comfortable, informal yet slightly refined beach-house vibe where you can walk in with sandy feet and feel at ease. The Hickory flooring sets that tone beautifully. Because the treads and floors were prefinished, we were able to use them immediately without dealing with on-site staining or excessive disruption while juggling kids, pets, and a kitchen remodel.
The risers are primed white but not yet painted; that’s a project we’ll finish over time. We plan to repaint the white elements of the staircase to a fresh, neutral white since the current shade leans pinkish. It’s a big task, but one we’ll tackle in stages.
Here you can see part of the new hardwood from the upstairs hallway. A few risers and finish details are still pending, but the flooring is installed and quarter rounds were fitted around the baseboards to complete the look.
The bedroom already feels transformed by the combination of hardwood floors and fresh paint. It’s not fully styled yet, but the space feels lighter and more cohesive. I even ordered new curtains to continue the update.
Walking upstairs now and seeing the hallway with new hardwood makes me genuinely happy. The floors have brightened the whole house and given it the sense of personality and warmth I envisioned. Everything feels cleaner, lighter, and much closer to the style I wanted.
The old carpet didn’t support the aesthetic I had in mind, so replacing it with hardwood was worth the wait. The delay gave me time to refine my style and make more confident choices.
There’s still more to do around the house, but these floor and staircase updates are major steps forward. I’ll share more photos and progress reports as we finish the living room, dining room, and kitchen remodel in the coming weeks.
Thanks to everyone for following along as we transform this house. It’s more enjoyable to share the process with others who appreciate the changes and the excitement that comes with each step.
For my FAQ about the Hickory floors, see the original post with details and answers to readers’ questions.
Thank you again to Lowe’s for partnering on this project and helping make my wood floor vision a reality. Even my kitchen contractor commented on how well the installation was done, which made me especially pleased with the final result.