Black painted wood banister is mounted to white board and batten wainscoting stairs fitted against a gray wall. The stairway is finished with white spindles and a black wood handrail.
29 Wainscoting Stairs that Turn Up the Drama
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Published: October 21, 2022
Updated: December 3, 2023
Bring a touch of drama to your home with wainscoting stairs. Wainscoting up stairs can add depth and dimension to an area along the wall that generally lacks architectural interest. Wainscoting is decorative boards, panels, or moldings that extend partway up a wall’s face. It was introduced in the 18th century as a way to protect walls and provide additional insulation. Nowadays, wainscoting remains a classic style that is unlikely to go out of fashion.
Although wainscoting up the stairs on a curved staircase requires more time and effort to achieve, the resulting look is sure to impress with its grandeur and elegance. From traditional molding to chic board and batten paneling to rustic beadboard, there are many stairway wainscoting designs to choose from. Check out the following wainscoting stairs ideas for inspiration on how to make your staircase stand out.
02 of White Wainscoting Up the Stairs
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Beige carpeted staircase next to the kitchen features white wainscoting up the stairs along a beige wall. The stairway is finished with white balusters and a stained wood hand rail.
03 of White Wainscoting Stairs with Wrought Iron Spindles
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White painted wood bench is seated under white wainscoting stairs finished with stained wood treads and white risers. The staircase is accented by black wrought iron spindles topped by a stained wood handrail.
04 of White Board and Batten Wainscoting Stairs
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Gold frame artwork is mounted to the wall in this room next to white board and batten wainscoting stairs. The stairs are finished with light wood treads and white risers topped by black metal spindles and white handrail.
05 of White Wainscoting Stairs with Garland
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White wainscoting stairs covered by a white and gray stair runner carpet are finished with white balusters. The balusters are topped by green garland adorning the handrail in this staircase featuring a white under stairs door.
06 of White Wainscoting Up Staircase
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Tan and beige rug is laid in front of stairs finished with stained wood treads and white risers. The stairway is paired with white spindles and a stained wood hand rail fitted opposite white wainscoting up staircase.
07 of Curved White Wainscoting Staircase
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Curved white wainscoting staircase is finished with dark stained wood treads and white risers. The steps are paired with black wrought iron spindles adorned with a green garland along the handrail.
08 of Curved Stairway with White Wainscoting
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Dark stained wood treads with white risers are covered by a black and white patterned stair runner rug. The curved stairway is finished with white spindles and wood handrail fitted opposite white wainscoting.
09 of Wainscoting Stairs with White Balusters
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This entryway with a light gray area rug boasts white wainscoting stairs finished with white balusters and a stained wood hand rail. The balusters are fitted to wooden treads paired with white risers.
10 of White Modern Wainscoting Stairs
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White modern wainscoting stairs feature light wood treads and risers covered by a gray stair runner. The steps are finished with black metal spindles and a light wood hand rail.
11 of White Beadboard Wainscoting Up Staircase
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White beadboard wainscoting up staircase is fitted opposite white spindles and a black hand rail. The stairs are finished with stained wood treads with white risers covered by a blue vintage runner rug.
12 of White Beadboard Wainscoting Up the Stairs
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This stairway features dark stained wood treads with white risers covered by a beige and brown stair carpet runner. White beadboard wainscoting up the stairs is fitted along a gray wall opposite the white spindles with wood handrail.
13 of White Stairway Wainscoting with Gallery Wall
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Gray metal frame gallery wall is mounted above white stairway wainscoting fitted opposite white stair spindles. The staircase is finished with beige carpeting and a black painted wood hand rail.
14 of Grey and White Wall Decor Hanging Over White Flowers
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This entryway boasts white walls and light grey wainscoting. Grey and white wall decor hang over white flowers in a white pitcher next to two rabbits on a white sideboard. A white rug is laid on the warm wood floor.
15 of White Decorative Wainscoting on Stairs
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Round stained wood entryway table is placed under white decorative wainscoting on stairs with stained wood treads. The stairs are paired with white spindles topped by a wooden hand rail.
16 of Board and Batten Wainscoting Stairs
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White board and batten wainscoting stairs are finished with dark stained wood treads and white risers. The steps are paired with white spindles topped by a dark wood hand rail.
17 of Stair Riser with Black Mice Decals
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Black mice decals are attached to the white risers of a white board and batten half wall staircase with dark stained wood treads. The staircase is finished with matching wood handrails attached to white balusters.
18 of Wainscoting Staircase Trim
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The wall of this staircase features white wainscoting that reaches from the floor to the stairs. The handrail is dark wood while the spindles are black twisted iron and basket-style. The landing is decorated with a small indoor tree and a gallery wall.
19 of White Board and Batten Wainscoting on Stairs
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This living room features white board and batten wainscoting on stairs fitted opposite a black wood handrail. The handrail accompanies a dark stained wood staircase with white chevron shiplap risers.
20 of White Decorative Wainscoting Up Staircase
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This stairwell featuring blond wood treads paired with white risers is finished with white decorative wainscoting up staircase. The steps are finished with white spindles topped by a black wood handrail.
21 of White Wainscoting Staircase with Christmas Decor
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Frosted Christmas tree is placed next to a white wainscoting staircase boasting stained wood treads and risers covered by a gray stair runner. The stairway is finished with white balusters and a wood handrail.
22 of White Board and Batten Stairway Wainscoting
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Stained wood staircase with white balusters leads down towards a white shiplap wall. The stairs are paired with white board and batten stairway wainscoting and white balusters topped by a white handrail.
23 of White Staircase Wainscoting with Decorative Molding
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White staircase wainscoting with decorative molding adorns a staircase with dark stained wood treads and white risers. A wooden banister is fitted to the wall leading up to a stair landing featuring a white frame window.
24 of Wicker Basket at Base of Black and White Staircase
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This entryway features taupe walls with white wainscoting. A wicker basket sits on the warm wood floor at the base of a black and white staircase. A mirror in an ornate gold frame hangs above the first landing of the stairs.
25 of Board and Batten Modern Wainscoting Stairs
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Black painted wood interior door with glass is fitted next to white board and batten modern wainscoting stairs finished with light wood treads and risers. The stairway is paired with black metal spindles and handrail.
26 of White Wainscoting Stairs with White Spindles
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Beige runner rug is laid next to white wainscoting stairs with white spindles. The rug is laid in front of a sliding light wood barn door fitted to a wall with white decorative molding.
27 of Rustic Wood with White Stair Spindles
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This staircase features rustic wood treads and risers with traditional white stair spindles. The handrail is a dark stained wood. Wainscoting runs the length of one wall and a bench with chalkboard sits below the stairs.
28 of Stairway Wainscoting with White Molding
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Wooden double doors are opened to reveal a stained wood staircase accompanied by stairway wainscoting with white molding. The stairs are finished with white balusters topped by a dark wood handrail.
29 of White Stair Wainscoting with Decorative Molding
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Stairs with stained wood treads are finished with white risers and white stair wainscoting with decorative molding. The steps are adorned with white, orange and gray mini pumpkins and autumn decor.
