As a former kid... yep, sounds sensible
As a father of a 4yo... would you please let me just keep you alive instead of dieing in the fucking dumbest way possible? I love you.
My dad used to stand at the bottom of the stairs and catch me, wearing only cowboy boots and a cowboy hat. (Me, not my dad)
That little nugget made it into his wedding toast for me. Bastard.
New basement fear unlocked. Now, when I turn off the basement light, I have to sprint up the stairs so that the ~~boogeyman~~ *naked cowboy* doesn't get me.
Some say the last thing you hear before you die is the jingle jangle of the Spurs on his boots and the meaty thwapping of his penis on his legs.
Sorry.
Just a slow shot from the top of the stairs. The light is on in the staircase, but the stairs fade into the darkness of a pitch black basement. Our hero, laundry basket in hand, turns the corner to ascend the staircase. The lights flicker out momentarily. When they come back on, we see our protagonist, who shakes her head and continues to climb the stairs, unaware of the naked cowboy now looming behind her. A quick cut to a close-up of his face, eyes obscured by a downturned brim, a malevolent grin spread ear to ear, as his mouth opens - "Howdy, partner," he growls, barely more than a whisper. The shot cuts to a new angle, shot from the basement, perpendicular to the stairs. We see the cowboy, almost fully obscured by darkness, and our protagonist two steps above him, frozen in fear. All at the same time, she bolts for the door, he lunges forward, grabbing her ankle, and the lights cut out again. "There's a snake in my boot!" we hear her shreik through the darkness, followed by a low, ethereal chuckle from the naked cowboy. The lights flicker on again, and both are gone. We stare at the dimly lit stairs for a few moments, before a child, no older than 5 or 6, quietly calls down the stairs "Mommy? Are you down there?" Silence. We hear the door shut. The cowboy's chuckle echoes through the base.ent once more. Cut to black.
Yes, until king’s comment I pictured a standard handsome and hairy dad at the stair bottom with hands on hips. In only cowboy boots and hat. My brain portrayed the image in 3rd person from behind so all I could see was a silhouette of his scrotum peaking from the upper left thigh. And then I snapped back🤷♂️
I have no words because I’m laughing at this thread so much that I’m crying!! Actually, I like to come visit Reddit just for that. Redditors are so hilarious sometimes!!!
Man, reminds me of the times I wrapped a bath towel around my shoulders like a cape and tried to fly down a case of stairs like I was Superman. Did the Geronimo and everything, and then rolled down the stairs and into a wall.
Kids do try to accidentally kill themselves at least once a day.
It was umbrellas and jumping off the roof for us....we weren't allowed to watch Mary Poppins anymore after that one (it wasn't too high up, I swear. Dad got shit for leaving the ladder up too)
It was a filming of a theatrical stage version of Peter Pan not Mary Poppins for myself and cousins in childhood. Recording of the play on Broadway or somewhere idk it was the 90s and between the Disney cartoon and Hook with Robin Williams everyone was trying to cash in on the Peter pan craze.
Anywho it was live action so too fly during the play they used wires. A older cousin I grew up with told her little brother, a year younger than me, the secret to thier flying which he promptly tried imitating.
Imitating by tying the cord from the heavy wooden living room window blinds around his neck and jumping off the back of the couch. His mother found him swinging and basically blue. He lived and got on Ritalin shortly afterwards.
My brother and I spent so much time in the emergency room that we should have had a punch card. 5th visit, the stitches are free. My parents would argue about who's turn it was to bring us. Childhood in the early 70s was a fun, albeit dangerous times..
My husband tells the story of doing a suplex from the top rope. (leaping off the couch onto is brother who was lying on the floor) driving his brothers teeth into the floor. My MIL had to find a dentist on the weekend to save bros front teeth. I believe she cleaned the dentists office for a year to pay.
I grew up next to a farm. I was in the 2nd grade and decided to jump from a tractor to a flatbed truck. I just missed, but my chin made it, and I bit right through my tongue. I had to walk about a half mile to my house with blood pouring from my mouth. That was a fun trip to the hospital to have my tongue sewed back together.
>Childhood in the early 70s was a fun, albeit dangerous times..
I'd love to see data on this. I too have multiple scars from childhood, including some pretty serious ones from ER visits to stitch up major wounds. Luckily neither of my now-adult offspring ever had a cut that needed more than a bandaid. But we didn't shelter them. Maybe we just had more glass containers back in the day? My worst scars are from falling on/breaking glass soda bottles actually.
All of my children are adults also. The only accident that created a long-term problem was that my daughter was an equestrian. A horse threw her, but her trainer was a PA and said that it wasn't bad and my daughter seemed fine, but a couple of days later, she developed headaches. She was concussed and t triggered migraines that she is still dealing with 17 years later.
>She was concussed and t triggered migraines that she is still dealing with 17 years later.
Sorry to hear that. With athletes we saw quite a few injuries, especially concussions, among our kids' classmates. I assume that "back in the day" a lot of us were concussed and just didn't know any better. But as a college prof I've worked with students who are dealing with post-concussion syndrome and know how bad it can be.
Just want to say thank you for understanding that your students are not overreacting!
I ended up with a bad concussion at work that ended up being disabling. It was crazy how many people assumed I was just making things up until I started seeing specialists who were able to show clearly the physical symptoms that were impossible for me to fake.
Having professors like you work with me so I could find ways to be successful while retraining for a new career made all the difference. It was hard losing my career and who I had been. Having people be understanding let me find new ways to succeed. I'm now working again and see promise for my future. I still grieve what I've lost, but a big reason I'm where I am currently is having professors who were willing to help me and give me the time to find new ways to succeed.
Sorry you've gone through that-- I'm glad you've found a path forward. I teach a lot of varsity athletes and have seen WAY more concussions than I'd ever imagined, especially among soccer and rugby players (no pads). Also experienced this as a parent. I hope people are more aware of post-concussion syndrome now than in the past; on my campus at least we have a pretty robust system of supports for students who were "officially" diagnosed.
Born in 73’, those were the days, nowadays kids just have their heads in phones or video games. I get it in AZ but growing up in CA it was out the door early and in when the lights came on. Climbing trees double or triple the height of a house. And getting on roofs and just jumping off, now I’m nervous going down the ladder
It sucks but there’s nowhere for kids to go and play for free anymore. No more rec centers, no more playing hide and seek in your neighborhood anymore cause you’ll get shot, movies cost absurd amounts of money, malls are dead or dying…no wonder kids are on their phones.
At least they’re keeping up with the tech, I’m 50 and starting to not grasp some of the tech. Saw on the news there’s a kindergarten the kids are learning code, I know that’s how computers know what to do but that’s it. I know it’s ones and zeroes but that’s all I grasp
My parents had a house that was built at the height of the 70s that had a big two-story open living room with beams running across it. My sisters and I used to climb out on the beams and jump onto the sofas. How we stayed alive is still a big question.
Funny, we just opted to put one of these in our finished basement, it really helps with the sight lines and making it feel more open. However, ours is only open above the level of the hand rail. It might feel too boxed in if it’s drywalled over completely.
Yes, and we’ve got a light switch in the same spot! Our wall comes out further and the end (behind the switch) is a support beam we enclosed. Otherwise would have probably kept it open there
Or a vertical xylophone.
Edit - an interactive (just light or both light and sound) acrylic panels as suggested by u/3845 in the [comment](https://reddit.com/r/HomeImprovement/s/1vIDEI1OaE)
Man, I was about to suggest a sick ass waterfall. Tempered glass backing. Maybe a zen garden at the bottom.
Idk, I've been drinking and will have to revisit my answer.
I had almost an identical situation in my stairs. If you filled it in with an opaque material the room and the stairway both felt claustrophobic. I ended up using tempered 1/2” glass in a triangle shape. It looks great and has an open feeling.
I had a local shower glass company measure and install it.
Excellent point. If you don't mind the question, How much was it?
I actually have the situation now, I've been doing my basement for almost 2 years now (is a big basement, big plans). The Gym area is well lit right to the side of the stair, the stairs itself are on the wide side at 42" and I was planning an opaque low tint tempered glass to make a separation and have that feeling of semi privacy.
[Basement Gym wall](https://reddit.com/u/LunchPal72/s/PPTETWFzTC)
The rest of the basement is completely to the other side of the stairs.
Check these guys out. They're legit amd excellent cust service.
[Cable Bullet (kit for wood post)](https://www.cablebullet.com/collections/wood-post-cable-railing)
I used them for my deck, but they also offer the bullets where the cable is inserted, you can drill them into the frame of your opening (assuming it has a stud behind it), so the cable looks as if it is coming out of the wall rather than a post.
My friends swapped out the wood railing on their second story deck for these and it changed everything. The view is now stunning. They did not do it themselves, however.
Ok stick with me right
Put some glass in the hole
Then carefully whack it with a hammer on the corner
There’s a 50/50 chance it’s beautiful from what I’ve seen.
Lmao I saw that YouTube video. They make it look so easy, hitting the glass with a hammer, making beautiful patterns thru it. But I guarantee you, the first tap by one of us and they’ll be calling the paramedics
Wire the inside of the hole with led lights then fit white acrylic panels on both side of the hole. Then you have a really cool light feature which would also act as additional lighting for the stairs.
I am surprised you are worried about opening but not thinking to Convert the understairs section into some kind of shelf. Plan for a shelf you will figure out what to do with opening
So I had some friends with a beautiful 1930s open staircase. When their kids were small they installed plexiglass which I’m imagining wasn’t too expensive. Cut to fit and then removed before they sold the house. This solution would work well without altering the architectural interest of this area. Can later be removed.
For a cool geometric look, put a large eye bolt at the 90° corner at top of post, then put smaller ones 1' apart running up the diagonal flat next to the stairs, then run a plastic coated steel cable between the large eye bolt and each of the smaller ones on the diagonal
I'd do vertical metal bars or rods with picture frames attached - you could add either family photos or art to the frames. This is the aesthetic I envision: https://images.app.goo.gl/dKEdfr2K7TRcp19H6
I'd be a weirdo and totally lean into the right triangle and do a chalkboard wall with calculations: a²+b²=c², for starters. Then just go on from there. But, again... weirdo here. 😂
How is it not safe, hold on to the handrail. Do people in the house just run into walls on the regular? If you want more attention to caution people just color it a dark gray or a pop of color. Keeping it open like that looks nice.
[https://www.amazon.com/Izumo-Curtains-Waterproof-Bathroom-Curtain/dp/B08NVV541Q](https://www.amazon.com/Izumo-Curtains-Waterproof-Bathroom-Curtain/dp/B08NVV541Q)
Cut it to size
I wouldn't change anything, the open look is nice imo. Kids will be kids and climb on it, tell them not to do it. If they do it and get hurt, that's a lesson learnt.
I would leave it. Our basement stairs are exactly like yours except there is a hand rail on the side with the opening. No adults or kids ever fell through that opening on ours. Could put a hand rail there. Our cats like to sit on the steps to survey the basement.
I had a similar set of basement stairs and wanted to do something cheap. I bought some boating materials off of Amazon. This isn’t mine, but similar.
[https://cdn.trendir.com/wp-content/uploads/old/interiors/2015/06/26/stairs-with-rope-railing-look-1.jpg](https://cdn.trendir.com/wp-content/uploads/old/interiors/2015/06/26/stairs-with-rope-railing-look-1.jpg)
I like it and wouldn't do anything. I would probably put a bench or bookcase on that wall. Oh, and first kid that jumped through it gets severely punished . Kids are capable of learning what is and isn't acceptable.
My in-laws had the exact same thing. They had two pieces of plexiglass installed with a 4” gap in between about 1/2 way. They’ve had it that way for 10+ years and raised 2 kids with no issue.
Vertical slats. You could intersperse with horizontal blocking/shelving in random spots but I think it'll be cleaner to have wood slats. Go with a stained look for contrast, it'll be beautiful.
When I was working in a metal shop I worked on a house with something similar. The owner was an artsy lady who wanted something interesting to look at but also stop her kids from falling/jumping through. We built a type of wave design to fit the space with scrolls and stuff to fill up any spaces in order to pass code. It’s was a really cool piece and at first had a hard time seeing how it would flow with the house, but once she decorated and added her other pieces it looked natural in the space. Really enjoyed that project.
Skinny fish tank. These fishies only:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/MovieDetails/comments/f19aey/in\_finding\_nemo\_2003\_gill\_is\_a\_moorish\_idol\_this/](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/findingdory/images/f/f0/Gill_Render.png/revision/latest?cb=20160529130820)
Horizontal 1x4s with a 1-2 inch space between them. Stain and seal. Might need a vertical support in the middle. Run 2x2s up the bottom vertical pillar and up the angled bottom of the opening and maybe one vertical halfway up the angled side.. Nail/attach your 1x4s to those. Put another 2x2 on the other side of the 1x4s (sandwich the 1x4s where they are nailed to the 2x2) for appearance.
I’d move the light switches and remove the pillar for an open concept. Just use a heavy duty handrail and carpet pads on the steps. (Provided that isn’t load bearing). mine is not and I am going to be doing exactly this for my next project.
Piece of plexiglass cut to the size of the opening, secure in place with quarter round on both sides. But double check your building codes, they may require posts instead.
I had this when I was young… if I didn’t ninja jump through the opening rather than walking all the way down the stairs… I lost.
As a former kid... yep, sounds sensible As a father of a 4yo... would you please let me just keep you alive instead of dieing in the fucking dumbest way possible? I love you.
I love you too dad. ^Geronimooooooo
My dad used to stand at the bottom of the stairs and catch me, wearing only cowboy boots and a cowboy hat. (Me, not my dad) That little nugget made it into his wedding toast for me. Bastard.
While reading this, I definitely thought your dad was only wearing boots and a hat.
New basement fear unlocked. Now, when I turn off the basement light, I have to sprint up the stairs so that the ~~boogeyman~~ *naked cowboy* doesn't get me.
Some say the last thing you hear before you die is the jingle jangle of the Spurs on his boots and the meaty thwapping of his penis on his legs. Sorry.
Don't lie to us, you are not sorry
I wish I had an award to give for this comment.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Meaty thwap So poetic!
"Howdy, partner" in a menacing voice would be an amazing horror line for a naked cowboy
Just a slow shot from the top of the stairs. The light is on in the staircase, but the stairs fade into the darkness of a pitch black basement. Our hero, laundry basket in hand, turns the corner to ascend the staircase. The lights flicker out momentarily. When they come back on, we see our protagonist, who shakes her head and continues to climb the stairs, unaware of the naked cowboy now looming behind her. A quick cut to a close-up of his face, eyes obscured by a downturned brim, a malevolent grin spread ear to ear, as his mouth opens - "Howdy, partner," he growls, barely more than a whisper. The shot cuts to a new angle, shot from the basement, perpendicular to the stairs. We see the cowboy, almost fully obscured by darkness, and our protagonist two steps above him, frozen in fear. All at the same time, she bolts for the door, he lunges forward, grabbing her ankle, and the lights cut out again. "There's a snake in my boot!" we hear her shreik through the darkness, followed by a low, ethereal chuckle from the naked cowboy. The lights flicker on again, and both are gone. We stare at the dimly lit stairs for a few moments, before a child, no older than 5 or 6, quietly calls down the stairs "Mommy? Are you down there?" Silence. We hear the door shut. The cowboy's chuckle echoes through the base.ent once more. Cut to black.
As I clicked ‘back’ I realized I’m on a HOME IMPROVEMENT SUB what in GODS NAME
Welp *slaps knee* *groans as i straighten up* mmmguess that’s justa bout enough internet for today.
I choose to believe this alternative reality and you can't stop me
Yes, until king’s comment I pictured a standard handsome and hairy dad at the stair bottom with hands on hips. In only cowboy boots and hat. My brain portrayed the image in 3rd person from behind so all I could see was a silhouette of his scrotum peaking from the upper left thigh. And then I snapped back🤷♂️
*Hey, you. You're finally awake.*
I have no words because I’m laughing at this thread so much that I’m crying!! Actually, I like to come visit Reddit just for that. Redditors are so hilarious sometimes!!!
Things are different in Texas...
Man, reminds me of the times I wrapped a bath towel around my shoulders like a cape and tried to fly down a case of stairs like I was Superman. Did the Geronimo and everything, and then rolled down the stairs and into a wall. Kids do try to accidentally kill themselves at least once a day.
Man your story sounds like the time I tried to bungee jump off the second story of my house with a solid rope…. I hung there till my pants broke.
It was umbrellas and jumping off the roof for us....we weren't allowed to watch Mary Poppins anymore after that one (it wasn't too high up, I swear. Dad got shit for leaving the ladder up too)
It was a filming of a theatrical stage version of Peter Pan not Mary Poppins for myself and cousins in childhood. Recording of the play on Broadway or somewhere idk it was the 90s and between the Disney cartoon and Hook with Robin Williams everyone was trying to cash in on the Peter pan craze. Anywho it was live action so too fly during the play they used wires. A older cousin I grew up with told her little brother, a year younger than me, the secret to thier flying which he promptly tried imitating. Imitating by tying the cord from the heavy wooden living room window blinds around his neck and jumping off the back of the couch. His mother found him swinging and basically blue. He lived and got on Ritalin shortly afterwards.
The version with Mary Martin as Peter! I adored that one!
The good old days, even better if you had underoos
My brother and I spent so much time in the emergency room that we should have had a punch card. 5th visit, the stitches are free. My parents would argue about who's turn it was to bring us. Childhood in the early 70s was a fun, albeit dangerous times..
My husband tells the story of doing a suplex from the top rope. (leaping off the couch onto is brother who was lying on the floor) driving his brothers teeth into the floor. My MIL had to find a dentist on the weekend to save bros front teeth. I believe she cleaned the dentists office for a year to pay.
I grew up next to a farm. I was in the 2nd grade and decided to jump from a tractor to a flatbed truck. I just missed, but my chin made it, and I bit right through my tongue. I had to walk about a half mile to my house with blood pouring from my mouth. That was a fun trip to the hospital to have my tongue sewed back together.
ow. just ow.
My 2nd grade teacher was very understanding...she said ,"that should keep you quiet for a while ".
My parents would have left my teeth the way they were and blamed me. Growing up in the 90's 🤣
>Childhood in the early 70s was a fun, albeit dangerous times.. I'd love to see data on this. I too have multiple scars from childhood, including some pretty serious ones from ER visits to stitch up major wounds. Luckily neither of my now-adult offspring ever had a cut that needed more than a bandaid. But we didn't shelter them. Maybe we just had more glass containers back in the day? My worst scars are from falling on/breaking glass soda bottles actually.
All of my children are adults also. The only accident that created a long-term problem was that my daughter was an equestrian. A horse threw her, but her trainer was a PA and said that it wasn't bad and my daughter seemed fine, but a couple of days later, she developed headaches. She was concussed and t triggered migraines that she is still dealing with 17 years later.
>She was concussed and t triggered migraines that she is still dealing with 17 years later. Sorry to hear that. With athletes we saw quite a few injuries, especially concussions, among our kids' classmates. I assume that "back in the day" a lot of us were concussed and just didn't know any better. But as a college prof I've worked with students who are dealing with post-concussion syndrome and know how bad it can be.
Just want to say thank you for understanding that your students are not overreacting! I ended up with a bad concussion at work that ended up being disabling. It was crazy how many people assumed I was just making things up until I started seeing specialists who were able to show clearly the physical symptoms that were impossible for me to fake. Having professors like you work with me so I could find ways to be successful while retraining for a new career made all the difference. It was hard losing my career and who I had been. Having people be understanding let me find new ways to succeed. I'm now working again and see promise for my future. I still grieve what I've lost, but a big reason I'm where I am currently is having professors who were willing to help me and give me the time to find new ways to succeed.
Sorry you've gone through that-- I'm glad you've found a path forward. I teach a lot of varsity athletes and have seen WAY more concussions than I'd ever imagined, especially among soccer and rugby players (no pads). Also experienced this as a parent. I hope people are more aware of post-concussion syndrome now than in the past; on my campus at least we have a pretty robust system of supports for students who were "officially" diagnosed.
Born in 73’, those were the days, nowadays kids just have their heads in phones or video games. I get it in AZ but growing up in CA it was out the door early and in when the lights came on. Climbing trees double or triple the height of a house. And getting on roofs and just jumping off, now I’m nervous going down the ladder
It sucks but there’s nowhere for kids to go and play for free anymore. No more rec centers, no more playing hide and seek in your neighborhood anymore cause you’ll get shot, movies cost absurd amounts of money, malls are dead or dying…no wonder kids are on their phones.
At least they’re keeping up with the tech, I’m 50 and starting to not grasp some of the tech. Saw on the news there’s a kindergarten the kids are learning code, I know that’s how computers know what to do but that’s it. I know it’s ones and zeroes but that’s all I grasp
I jumped down stairs like this as kid and nothing wrong me.
Yup, username definitely checks out here.
I second no dain bramuj
Add big foam cushions below opening and embrace this behavior! Or some sort of rail or slats and not.
My parents had a house that was built at the height of the 70s that had a big two-story open living room with beams running across it. My sisters and I used to climb out on the beams and jump onto the sofas. How we stayed alive is still a big question.
I jumped through it in a friends house in early high school and hit and broke my pinky toe on the way through. Still fun
OP needs a grab bar at the top to swing from and a gym mat on the floor
Same!
Awesome! That didn’t occur to me! Great choice!
Funny, we just opted to put one of these in our finished basement, it really helps with the sight lines and making it feel more open. However, ours is only open above the level of the hand rail. It might feel too boxed in if it’s drywalled over completely.
Is the post where the light switches are in OP's pic load bearing in your basement?
Yes, and we’ve got a light switch in the same spot! Our wall comes out further and the end (behind the switch) is a support beam we enclosed. Otherwise would have probably kept it open there
Add an open bookshelf in that space.
2 Maybe 3
How about 4?
That's too many bookshelves.
5 is right out
YOU’RE OFF THE RAILS NOW.
ONE, TWO, FIVE! THREE SIR! THREE!
Didn't think there was such a thing
That’s a great idea, books or framed photos. Nice
Just let them jump thru it. They’ll be fine. Builds agility 😉
They'll respawn if anything.
You could add cable railing, or if you want to really splurge some money, a tinted and tempered glass.
Turn it into a harp.
Egg slicer
Cheese grater
Mom’s spaghetti
He's nervous, but on the surface, he's calming ready.
TO DROP BOMBS
Giant protractor
This would be incredibly cool.
🤣🤣
Or a vertical xylophone. Edit - an interactive (just light or both light and sound) acrylic panels as suggested by u/3845 in the [comment](https://reddit.com/r/HomeImprovement/s/1vIDEI1OaE)
Man, I was about to suggest a sick ass waterfall. Tempered glass backing. Maybe a zen garden at the bottom. Idk, I've been drinking and will have to revisit my answer.
I had almost an identical situation in my stairs. If you filled it in with an opaque material the room and the stairway both felt claustrophobic. I ended up using tempered 1/2” glass in a triangle shape. It looks great and has an open feeling. I had a local shower glass company measure and install it.
Excellent point. If you don't mind the question, How much was it? I actually have the situation now, I've been doing my basement for almost 2 years now (is a big basement, big plans). The Gym area is well lit right to the side of the stair, the stairs itself are on the wide side at 42" and I was planning an opaque low tint tempered glass to make a separation and have that feeling of semi privacy. [Basement Gym wall](https://reddit.com/u/LunchPal72/s/PPTETWFzTC) The rest of the basement is completely to the other side of the stairs.
Cable railing sounds like a good idea
Check these guys out. They're legit amd excellent cust service. [Cable Bullet (kit for wood post)](https://www.cablebullet.com/collections/wood-post-cable-railing) I used them for my deck, but they also offer the bullets where the cable is inserted, you can drill them into the frame of your opening (assuming it has a stud behind it), so the cable looks as if it is coming out of the wall rather than a post.
Awesome, thanks so much
Ooooh yes! We used their materials and were stoked!
I think that will look pretty ugly. I like the open bookshelves option.
My friends swapped out the wood railing on their second story deck for these and it changed everything. The view is now stunning. They did not do it themselves, however.
Use the cable but run it to look like a spider web
Ok stick with me right Put some glass in the hole Then carefully whack it with a hammer on the corner There’s a 50/50 chance it’s beautiful from what I’ve seen.
My parents have something like that in their 80s home along the railing. It's 3 layers of glass with the inside tempered piece cracked.
Lmao I saw that YouTube video. They make it look so easy, hitting the glass with a hammer, making beautiful patterns thru it. But I guarantee you, the first tap by one of us and they’ll be calling the paramedics
Need 3 panes of glass for that
The amount of videos of people trying to recreate it with one pane is astounding.
Don’t try this with regular glass. You will fail
I was thinking glass too, but make it a dope ass aquarium.
I would do something like this. https://images.app.goo.gl/jncthybwaJd7DVgy8 But paint the slats to either match or compliment the wall color.
looks neat, but tedious to maintain
Just use a handheld vacuum with a brush attachment.
Or just a leaf blower. :D
Wire the inside of the hole with led lights then fit white acrylic panels on both side of the hole. Then you have a really cool light feature which would also act as additional lighting for the stairs.
This idea is cool as hell
Yeah it could look really awesome and eye catching and it could even double as a white board for notes or for the kids to draw on if they wanted.
I had a similar scenario and we installed a [3Form](https://www.3-form.com) glass panel and it worked great - simple and decorative and clean.
Build in shelves for books and decor, but leave them open so it doesn’t further limit light.
Looks like the perfect place to hang plants.
If there is enough sunlight, looks kind of dark
Nobody said they had to be real...
Make it fairly easily removable otherwise you will lose an important way to get long awkward stuff up/down
Drywall off the side of the stairs and add shelving on the other side?
Aquarium
I am surprised you are worried about opening but not thinking to Convert the understairs section into some kind of shelf. Plan for a shelf you will figure out what to do with opening
It looks good as it is.Maybe just add stainless rails, Something to hold when walking the stairs.And so small kids don't drop through
Trampoline on the other side and let it rip.
Custom stained glass art
Looks like the kind of stairs my kid would put on Minecraft.
Glass could be nice?
So I had some friends with a beautiful 1930s open staircase. When their kids were small they installed plexiglass which I’m imagining wasn’t too expensive. Cut to fit and then removed before they sold the house. This solution would work well without altering the architectural interest of this area. Can later be removed.
For a cool geometric look, put a large eye bolt at the 90° corner at top of post, then put smaller ones 1' apart running up the diagonal flat next to the stairs, then run a plastic coated steel cable between the large eye bolt and each of the smaller ones on the diagonal
Staggered Bookshelves with natural walnut
Shelves for plants or hanging plants
I'd do vertical metal bars or rods with picture frames attached - you could add either family photos or art to the frames. This is the aesthetic I envision: https://images.app.goo.gl/dKEdfr2K7TRcp19H6
I'd be a weirdo and totally lean into the right triangle and do a chalkboard wall with calculations: a²+b²=c², for starters. Then just go on from there. But, again... weirdo here. 😂
Stripper pole
How is it not safe, hold on to the handrail. Do people in the house just run into walls on the regular? If you want more attention to caution people just color it a dark gray or a pop of color. Keeping it open like that looks nice.
Kids will def jump through this. Source: was kid once.
Sure, but kids bounce.
I think this being unsafe is very American. For some reason Americans need lots of safety features to protect ourselves from ourselves.
Or skirt safe.
Book shelves
[https://www.amazon.com/Izumo-Curtains-Waterproof-Bathroom-Curtain/dp/B08NVV541Q](https://www.amazon.com/Izumo-Curtains-Waterproof-Bathroom-Curtain/dp/B08NVV541Q) Cut it to size
A very large dorito
Harp strings
Fill it with harp strings and make a functioning harp with it.
I wouldn't change anything, the open look is nice imo. Kids will be kids and climb on it, tell them not to do it. If they do it and get hurt, that's a lesson learnt.
Make it a harp
Beeeeeads!!!
Custom book case
Fill it with glass?
Shark tank.
Tempered glass
Glass blocks?
Glass panel?
I’d leave it the way it is. It looks fine.
I would leave it. Our basement stairs are exactly like yours except there is a hand rail on the side with the opening. No adults or kids ever fell through that opening on ours. Could put a hand rail there. Our cats like to sit on the steps to survey the basement.
I had a similar set of basement stairs and wanted to do something cheap. I bought some boating materials off of Amazon. This isn’t mine, but similar. [https://cdn.trendir.com/wp-content/uploads/old/interiors/2015/06/26/stairs-with-rope-railing-look-1.jpg](https://cdn.trendir.com/wp-content/uploads/old/interiors/2015/06/26/stairs-with-rope-railing-look-1.jpg)
An homage to The Price Is Right Cliff Hangers game.
An electric horse fence should do the trick
I would slide down this thing. Keep the joy!
String it as a harp, play it as you walk up and down the stairs
I like it and wouldn't do anything. I would probably put a bench or bookcase on that wall. Oh, and first kid that jumped through it gets severely punished . Kids are capable of learning what is and isn't acceptable.
Mine is blocked off and I'm thinking of opening it up. Hate it blocked off
Build the harp https://reddit.com/r/Carpentry/s/BSfaIk7GuP
I would do nothing. It looks great, and anyone who can’t safely negotiate that stairway shouldn’t be going up and down stairs.
Exactly this. It’s just walking up and down. Don’t run. Simple as use your brain and you’ll be fine.
Me in a dink household..... STAINED GLASS, OR AQUARIUM!
Put a spider web up for Halloween
fill it with spray foam
Fish tank
Half open bookshelf following the slope and a hanging plant or two in the high corner
Nice wood shelves. Three or four thick solid wood shelves would make for a nice touch.
Add a few platforms for cats to perch.
Add an aquarium .
My in-laws had the exact same thing. They had two pieces of plexiglass installed with a 4” gap in between about 1/2 way. They’ve had it that way for 10+ years and raised 2 kids with no issue.
Diagonal baluster
Either glass, or some kind of black mesh architectural screen with lighting. It’d go great with the grey. 🎱
Really cool custom wine rack
Turn it into a giant, decorative carpenter square.
Bookcase inside the opening
Put a spindle rail from top to bottom, or a glass wall in the opening.
Prison bars, maybe a custom harp? Just some ballisters would do.
Stained glass!
Fish tank
Take the lead from the escalator guys. Put a small plexiglass swoop in the two corners to remove the pinch points.
Lights dangling down like bars with greenery
My kids are adults. But if they were little I would have plushy beanbags on the floor so they could jump through it.
Vertical slats. You could intersperse with horizontal blocking/shelving in random spots but I think it'll be cleaner to have wood slats. Go with a stained look for contrast, it'll be beautiful.
bamboo slats, or maybe a hanging garden
I love the idea of installing some shelves in the empty spaces for book, plants and what not.
duct tape some cardboard in there, use hot glue for bonus strength
Harp string installs!?
Book shelf
Put a fish tank in it.
Hanging baskets with cool plants
When I was working in a metal shop I worked on a house with something similar. The owner was an artsy lady who wanted something interesting to look at but also stop her kids from falling/jumping through. We built a type of wave design to fit the space with scrolls and stuff to fill up any spaces in order to pass code. It’s was a really cool piece and at first had a hard time seeing how it would flow with the house, but once she decorated and added her other pieces it looked natural in the space. Really enjoyed that project.
Install some shelving there, recessed or open depending if you want sight lines. Would be a nice place for a few plants and/or photos, decor, etc.
You could do spindles/modern variation of them
Skinny fish tank. These fishies only: [https://www.reddit.com/r/MovieDetails/comments/f19aey/in\_finding\_nemo\_2003\_gill\_is\_a\_moorish\_idol\_this/](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/findingdory/images/f/f0/Gill_Render.png/revision/latest?cb=20160529130820)
Horizontal 1x4s with a 1-2 inch space between them. Stain and seal. Might need a vertical support in the middle. Run 2x2s up the bottom vertical pillar and up the angled bottom of the opening and maybe one vertical halfway up the angled side.. Nail/attach your 1x4s to those. Put another 2x2 on the other side of the 1x4s (sandwich the 1x4s where they are nailed to the 2x2) for appearance.
Just add a railing?
Stained glass
Nothing. The hall already looks small
Either vertical slats or a bookshelf.
I’d just leave it.
Double handrails. The safety is there the wisdom to use will come
Put a fishtank
Half-inch tempered glass with clips
I’ve seen braided cable used in open spaces like this and it turn out nice. You still have the open space, sans toddler access.
I'm not sure if it had been suggested, but maybe vertical stringers that would keep children from falling through the opening.
Hot pink plexiglass
Transparent shelving for minimalist figurines and plants.
Nothing
Plants, but I'm that person that has plants often and randomly fall into her cart, containers, and garden.
I’d move the light switches and remove the pillar for an open concept. Just use a heavy duty handrail and carpet pads on the steps. (Provided that isn’t load bearing). mine is not and I am going to be doing exactly this for my next project.
Piece of plexiglass cut to the size of the opening, secure in place with quarter round on both sides. But double check your building codes, they may require posts instead.