When you tour a historic home, the staircase is often an elaborate focal point, providing visual drama. Many staircases today are minimal. That’s not my style. I prefer more detail. I decided it was time to embellish!

I started by looking around online for a piece I liked. I measured the width of the step to make sure I got a piece that wasn’t too small or too large. I ended up finding this one at ArchitecturalDepot.com. I also got a thin crown molding strip at a home improvement store. All I had to do was paint and cut right angles.

I measured to make sure I was placing pieces in the same place and distance. I also used a small leveler to keep pieces straight. I nailed everything in with small nails with no heads. Without heads on your nails, it’s easier to pound the nails in with a nail punch and then cover the holes with liquid wood.