Any ideas on how to dress-up a set of pull down stairs?
This is a really nice house with lots of nice details, not an expense spared. Owner decided to locate pull-down in main portion of 2nd floor hall. The ply panel with exposed hardware does not match fit / finish of this home.
Suggestions or photos would be great.
Thank you.
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Replies
That reminds me of Clark Griswold's house.
A couple of suggestions:
Maybe texture the pull-down panel to resemble the ceiling around it, camoflaging the exposed bolt heads in the process.
Maybe get ahold of a hardboard door skin that would be similar to the other doors and replace the plywood with the skin--paint to match.
The pull cord...uh...uh...man, look at the time!
"Roger Staubach for President"
Just like Clark. Door would be shut, his feet would be dangling in the other room!! Great movie refernce!!
I suggested moving the frame up on the joist 5/4 and a frame and panel "skin" to the ply?
Not much you can do, and in fact the existing don't look half bad.
I in no way think this is a good idea but.
Use a crown similar to what's next to it, wrap the door
_______/
just inside the edge. Block and ply the lower portion that the crown angles to-could sandwich foam in that cavity. Got to keep the crown inside the door enough to allow opening. Us a retractable flush ring bolt and a pole with a hook to pull it down.
Shoot, no one looks up there anyway. Add a louvered whole house fan and they'll look at that.
Best of luck.
A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Are you thinking...to make it look like a coffer detail?
yeah I guess. Make it look like a dropped coffer.
Crap, instead of trying to hide it, make it look like one of those ugly #### 'd kitchen lights.
I don't know. Most people would let it go. Who's going up there anyway?
Put the money in something important.
The mitre's are still closed up on the trim, looks good. Lose the rope, add a ring.
Keep your head down.
and the lights low.
If you do something to it-come back and post it. Be interested to see it.A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
I agree wit yer suggestions and will add one ...
some nice fancy carpeting?
to draw the eye down ...
regular carpeting with a chalk "crime scene" body outline?
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
<regular carpeting with a chalk "crime scene" body outline?>
That's DEFINITELY the best plan! Misdirection - the art of magic
Forrest
I thot of another good one ...
painting of a really hot chick at the end of the hall.
again ... draw the eye away from the offending ...
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
you almost got it... I was thinking more like kicking a hole in the wall at the end of the hall... nobody would even notice there is a door in the ceiling.
When you're this good, EVERYONE wants a crack at you!
http://www.petedraganic.com/
I really like the brass ring idea. Going to work on it this week, and will run some ideas past the owner. Once it's wrapped up, I'll post before and after shots.
Thanks for the input.
Get a small t-handle that you can paint or get one is white.Then use a pole to open it and get rid of the cord. But then you need to have a place to store the pull..
.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Ir you're really trying to make it less visible, lose the trim, tape and mud to the opening, fill and sand the door to match the ceil. texture, install a flush pull and paint to match.
Paint a sky scene and make it look like a skylight!
ANDYSZ2
PS I may have just invented a marketable idea .Have sky scenes printed on to wallpaper made to industry standard sizes of pull down stairs.
WHY DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT BEING A SOLE PROPRIETOR IS A REAL JOB?
REMODELER/PUNCHOUT SPECIALIST
Edited 2/24/2007 7:39 pm by ANDYSZ2
Yeah, coffer the ceiling. The hatch will disappear into the woodwork, so to speak.
The other choice would be to carefully finish things so that the door fits flush, with no trim -- maybe add 3/8" drywall to the door to get a consistent finish... Just a thin line would be exposed around the edge of the door.
Add some moulding to the door to give it a "paneled" detail.....as calvin suggested....one of them brass flip down rings to grab with a hook. Paint it to match the trim.
It am what it am.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
Put a mirror in the frame and then inlay a mirror in the floor directly below it. Then when people walk by and look up or down they can get a tripy vertigo sensation.
nail a pile scrap lumber to the floor and folks will be so busy trying not to trip over it that they'll never look up.
When you're this good, EVERYONE wants a crack at you!
http://www.petedraganic.com/
I know I've been having fun with joking around in here but seriously, I'd say to leave it trimmed as is and loose the rope, replacing with a simple ring pull. Get the kind that lays in flush.... any woodworking supply or good harware store should have them.
Aside from that, it looks ok.
I suspect that it stands out most because you know it is there so you can't help but always look for it. The rope hanging from it now looks cheesy and probably adds to your mental state about its appearance.
The hallway has other ceiling features (crown) that make the panel less of a sore thumb. if it were simply the only feature above, it may seem more obvious.
the only way around it if it really is a problem is a set of stairs to the attic. We don't see attic stairs too often anymore.
OR
you could move the pull-down to another location less conspicuous.
When you're this good, EVERYONE wants a crack at you!
http://www.petedraganic.com/