Colorful Attic Stairwell

Last year, I gave a much-needed makeover to our attic stairwell. It went from looking like the backdrop of a horror movie to a bright, colorful attic stairwell that could be the setting of a meet-cute in a delightfully witty romcom.

Or so I imagine.

It took six years to get around to making over this tiny space, but not because we didn’t care.

We did! Cross my heart, and hope to DIY.

But you know how it goes. When you beg a bank to give you money to buy a fixer-upper with a leaky roof and rotting siding, the attic stairwell that’s hidden behind a door bumps to the very bottom of the priority list.

Out of sight, out of mind, until you hear scratching in the attic. *sigh*

The makeover included William Morris-style wallpaper, a peg rail, a ceiling painted a light blue, and a deep sigh of relief as I said goodbye and good riddance to that lime green paint.

In case you haven’t noticed, most of my house has white walls.

This colorful attic stairwell with its William Morris-style wallpaper is a bit of an anomaly. That’s because, in this season of life, I like my color and pattern in small bursts. It’s a little treat for my brain.

What I did not do in that first makeover was hang art.

I wanted to, but I hadn’t found any art that felt worthy of the space. Even if you have a blog to write, you can’t force these things. You have to wait for the thrifting gods to bestow favor on you. By favor, I mean unique art.

Finally, FINALLY, my time came when I spotted embroidered seagull art at my favorite thrift store. Ask, and ye shall receive unique art.

I looked at that embroidered seagull art for two weeks in a row. It was $10 and much more playful than the usual art I bring home. Plus, my home is not located at the beach, so it is a little out of context.

I tend to operate on the thrift store policy of if I love something and leave it behind and it’s still there the next time I come back, then I am obligated to buy it.

And “next time I come back” is not me walking out the exit and back in the entrance. The policy has principles. I have to at least walk to my car.

This art was still there a week later, so I scooped it up. It’s convenient to like things that no one else likes.

As soon as I hung the seagull and silhouette art on the wall, I stepped back and said out loud, “Oh, this makes me happy.” To which my son replied from the other room, “Who are you talking to?”

Myself, of course.

It’s been a couple of weeks since I hung this art. Me, myself, and I are still thrilled with how it looks. Something about the combination of different art styles layered on top of that happy wallpaper just does it for me.

Do you look for unique art, too? What are your thrifting policies? Let me know. Comments are like nectar in a hummingbird feeder. So sweet! You can comment on this blog post, email me here, or reach out via direct message on Instagram or Facebook.

Happy Decorating!

Room Sources:

William Morris-style Wallpaper (It’s peel-and-stick and comes in 3 colors.)
Rug (old)
Art (thrifted)
Peg rail (thrifted)
Yellow Scarf (thrifted)
Tiny Gold Frame (Finally, something not thrifted!)

Thanks for hanging out with me today. Here are some other blog posts you might enjoy.

A Stairwell Makeover Even Better Than the One in This Blog Post

Under-the-Stairs Closet Shelves

Unique Indoor Plant Displays

*affiliate links in this blog post*