My parents' old house had a wonderful oak front staircase that my six siblings and I used to race up and down, taking them two or three at a time, with only a casual hold on the railing. I don't know how we managed to never slip or fall. Now, the timber backstairs were steep, and had narrow treads and were poorly lit. We NEVER ran up or down them, but held tightly to the railing and hoped to heck we managed to stay upright. As an adult, my previous home had carpeted stairs, which I slipped on (wearing socks) and fell down twice, though thankfully I was closer to the bottom than the top. My current home has timber stairs with three narrow stainless steel runners stood on edge and inset horizontally across the front of each tread (this is supposed to help reduce risk of slips). I doubt I will get over the anxiety of taking another tumble, so I never go down them wearing socks, and if barefoot, I hold onto the railing for dear life and take it nice and slow. So far so good.

Here's the original discussion ([https://www.houzz.com.au/discussions/help-with-stairs-dsvw-vd~5209387[(https://www.houzz.com.au/discussions/help-with-stairs-dsvw-vd~5209387)) for context.

It is a funny stair with a mixture of styles. The open riser is a more contemporary look, whereas the newel post, balusters and handrail have a very traditional look. Painting it white will not improve this mismatch of styles. If you paint the treads white then you will be regularly re-painting them as painted stair treads wear back to the timber quite quickly with foot traffic. From your photos it looks like you have a traditional, older style home, so you may want to consider replacing the stair with a new stair that has a more traditional look that doesn't look like a stair that was added in cheaply by a builder who had no idea when your first floor extension was done. However, a traditional stair will make your hallway seem more closed in without the open risers, and having the underside enclosed. The other option is to go very contemporary with steel and timber which is visually lighter and is in contrast with the rest of the entry hall. It is a really important visual element to the entry of your home and a coat of paint is not going to fix its problems. Best of luck with your considerations, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls

Don't box your stairs in, as it will close in the space. You do need to address the balustrade as it doesn't comply with the current regulations and actually looks a bit flimsy - painting it will not improve the safety aspect so don' even bother. Steel stringer stairs are most certainly not cheap, and are often used in high end architect designed houses. I would consider refinishing the timber stair treads by sanding them back and applying a tough, clear, timber floor finish, possibly in a satin or matt before you install a new balustrade. The only thing that could do with a paint is the existing steel, possibly in a matt black. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls