I really, really love the way it looks with the railing gone! I think I'd be really tempted to leave it that way, and just make sure guests are seated on the other side of the table. Maybe if you put a rug runner down along the edge it would keep people from sliding chairs too far back. I would not put down the little wood strip...that will be a huge trip hazard.

It looks to me like you have a lot of room there, even with the 6" gone. I think you'd have to reaaaally push your chair far back to come close to toppling over.

If it really bothers you, there's probably enough room that you could turn your table 90 degrees and avoid the problem altogether (though there is that little step up from the door...just noticed that). But then you'd have chairs sticking out into the aisle between kitchen and FR if people weren't good about pushing them in.

I have friends who have a very similar situation only their table is much, much closer to the step. It's so close that I can't believe no one has ever toppled down into their family room -- there's got to be less than 2' of space behind that chair.

Have you measured the space behind your chairs, both empty and with a person in it?

Otherwise, how do you like your kitchen layout? Will you leave it as is for the remodel, or will it change? I'm a peninsula gal, so am curious. :-)

Chris

It looks great without the railing. If you put a rug under the table and chairs, that would define the area and be a "warning" about moving the chairs back too far or you could move the table to match the angle of the windows so the chairs wouldn't be in danger of going over the edge.

Good luck.

This situation seems familiar. I think there is a thread like this one. The person build a bar area with stools on the family room side. It was built right over the step.

I have a friend with a similar layout as yours. Her eat-in- area is much smaller and we've never had any problems with that step (we have lots of gatherings at her house) I would not put in that strip. If you are still concerned, you could change the direction of the tables (so that the chairs will face away from the step) and everyone will have a view of the tv! :) Good Luck!

Love it without the railing. There seems to be a lot of room.

And may I could offer an usolicited opinion on something? See that vent on the step? I would either get a wood one to match your gorgeous floors, or find a spray paint that would help it blend away. Our kitchen floors went from a white vinyl, and white vents to a dark cork. Rather than replacing the vents, I just used ORB spray paint and they look great.

Your kitchen/family room is already really nice, I can't wait to see what is coming!

Thanks, everyone for your help and ideas. I was worried that I wouldn't get any responses!

We've had it w/o the railing for 1 week, and we haven't had any close calls, not even close. However, we are conscious of the danger, and look back when we push out the chairs. My DH and I typically sit on the dangerous side of the table. I haven't measured the room on that side of the table, but I'm guessing it's about 3 feet.

We COULD rotate the table 90 degrees to eliminate the problem, but the area and traffic flow really lend themselves to the current orientation. Also, when we have big gatherings with guests, the table extends to about double the length shown and it definitely wouldn't fit rotated.

I like the rug under the table idea. I think it would look nice and break up the huge expanses of wood. I might just pull it out when guests come since I don't want to deal with spills. I agree that it would help define the area.

I'm glad you all nixed the wood strip idea. It would probably cause more tripping accidents than it solves!

Chris: we are leaving the layout pretty much the same, just shifting things 6 inches or so. We love the peninsula - it was something that we definitely wanted to keep.

beekeeperswife: unsolicited opinions are always welcome! I do plan to replace the vent and the outlet covers. I like your spray paint idea, though. I will try that first. Thanks!

YIKES!!! Talk to your insurance agent before you do this!

People, especailly elderly people who don't see the level difference as well, trip over and fall off of single steps all the time. It's a great way to break an ankle or worse.

My cousin's house had a one step up beige tile entry that stepped down on two sides to mauve wall to wall. Part of the problem is that there was a built-in buffet with columns next to it, rather than any kind of railing or other indicator that it was a step. People who were watching where they were walking, and ostensibly knew about the step, fell all the time. Stepping from wood to wood? Nightmare.

Yes, it looks good without the railing, but I would never, ever do it. The railing style looks good in the room, but you could change to something much narrower, or even fastened past the edge of the step, like wrought iron, lexan or cable, so long as it gave a good visual cue that there's a step there, and something to feel behind when pushing a chair back, before the legs go over the edge. Remember, the visual cue from the railing helps your guests see the step in the walking area too.

Just the fact that you call it the dangerous side of the table should tell you what you need to know. Like any other danger point, it's just fine until it isn't. If someone goes over the edge backwards and hits his head it could be tragic.

What do they say about most accidents happening in the home? Don't do it. Pools look better without fences too. They were just saying on the news about the local drowned baby count being up for this time of year. Looks isn't worth it!!

We have 2 steps from our kitchen to our family room, with no railing. (Pics below from both angles, sorry about the lighting in the second one.) HOWEVER our FR carpeting goes right up to the bottom step, so there is a clear visual cue that there is a step. The first few feet of your FR floor matches the steps and the carpet starts later, so I think there's more chance of someone missing that step.

If you can bring your FR carpet/rug up to the step, or in some other way visually delineate the step (maybe replace the end strip of wood with a darker stained piece) that would be better.

Sadly I know this could be an issue because my mom broke her leg (in Italy! first day of the trip!) when she missed a step. The bottom step was the same grey stone as the lower floor and all the other steps were blue tile. If the bottom step was also blue tile, she would have seen it as a step, not as the floor.

Steps viewed from FR:
{{!gwi}}

Steps viewed from kitchen. Hard to tell in the bad lighting, but the carpet is different enough from the wood that it's clear it's not the same floor:
{{!gwi}}

My friend who has my exact house just took out the railing and the table is much closer. I have been debating this myself b/c I feel like i cannot keep it open (small kids) but for you, its borderline, I think you have a LOT of space there. Forget the 1 foot thing, that is nuts. But one thing I have considerd is making a short half-wall witn a column that comes up (on both sides) and then expanding the step (mine has a step) to fill the whole extra side space in between. I think it would give a visual cue. However, I think in your case, you are totally fine as is and I had another friend with a townhouse come to think of it with similar step down, less room than you, and no issues.

Just make sure you only invite guests who promise to let you come back and visit your hou se, after they own it.

I don't think the missing railing would violate the code in many areas, which allow something like a 30" drop without a rail for porches, decks and stairs open on one side.

However, a single step is more dangerous than two or three steps. The level change of two steps (~14") is picked up subconsciously even when the flooring material is identical. One step is often not picked up and becomes a tripping hazard. I would not be worried about your family, I would be worried about company. A party guest may not be a friend for long if they break an ankle, not in this litigious society.

I am not a lover of flimsy rails or something that looks more at home on a cement porch, but the balusters of your rail are actually Very nice, and I think the substantial look of it lends definition to the space.

I think it looks great without the railing. I agree with the other suggestion to put an area rug under the dining room table & chairs -- that would stop the chairs from scooting quickly away from the table, and when they do go off the rug, would give a cue that they were moving too far back. If you're really nervous about it (or wanted to put something in place only when guests are over), you could put a low open bookcase or display shelf, or even one of those long low leather ottoman/benches on the lower family room floor lengthwise against the step. I think I'd do that before putting the railing back. If it's a continuing problem, you can always put the railing back later (months or years)

Oh crud. All you practical people who don't like split skulls and broken legs had to chime in :^)

You can't really see it from the pic that includes the family room, but the wood is a perimeter there with carpet in the middle. We like that look and don't really want to put carpet all the way to the step (to provide the visual clue). Also, that wood strip (the one just below the step) is a high traffic area between the back door and door to the garage. We have friends (who have the same model) with the whole family room carpeted and that path on the carpet gets pretty dirty. So, we aren't in favor of any plan that puts carpet or anything else (e.g. bookcase) on that wood strip.

We are replacing all of the wood on the upper level with the remodel (if we don't replace, there is a lot of patching that needs to be done because the wood is not currently under the cabinets. It was only $800 more to replace and when the wood was installed by the previous owner, it wasn't properly acclimated and there are large gaps). We can easily do something like Chicagoans suggested: using the wood pattern or stain color to define the edge of the step. Any ideas or pictures of this?

Also, I measured the area behind the chairs to the step: 3.5 feet with the chair pushed in. 2.5 feet with someone sitting. 1.5 feet with a normal push the chair out to get up. 1 foot with a bug push the chair out to get up.

My dad has a similar step from his dining area into the living room, only there is much less space between the table the the step. He took his railing down at least 5 years ago and has had no problems. He is elderly and so are most of his friends and visitors. But if it worries you about the step not being visible, what if you were to stain the strip of wood at the edge of the step a darker shade....like walnut or something? It would make that edge stand out more. Just a thought. If you do put a railing back, I think I'd put in something besides the oak. Maybe a visually lighter wrought iron or something?

I have a similar layout. Where your eat in area is, I have a big island with counter-height stools. It has never been a trip hazard for us; and in fact, it has been an important training ground for our children (now 4 and 1.5) for learning how to navigate stairs. Before we let them try any of the full flights (we have a 2nd story and a finished basement) they practiced going up and down that single step. Over and over. It was pretty funny to watch.

We do have carpet in the FR that goes up to the step, and tile in the kitchen. So there is a visual cue. The visual cue is not relevant (at least in my house) for the seating issue as you can't see the carpet/step if you're sitting on the stool (you're facing the wrong way).

We've never had anyone come even close to tipping a stool over. It's hard to tell via picture, but your area looks at least as big as ours. I'm not sure you would have a problem either.

In a crowded room of guests that have a drink and/or plate in hand, someone is going to go down. And maybe backwards. You can bet the house on it.

We have a very similar set-up and I haven't found the perfect solution for us yet.
I agree with the posters concerning safety for the elderly and others. My mother had Parkinson's and lived with us. She could not have maneuvered the stairs without the newel post to hold on to.

I can understand how you would like to just completely remove the railing. It does open up the area more. HOWEVER, I have to agree with those who were concerned about safety issues. It would be an accident waiting to happen even though it's just one step. You might want to talk to your homeowners insurance agent about this. If you decide to put back a railing, I think ccoombs1 suggestion of a light looking wrought iron railing would look nice. Good luck!!

There are some really good points in here about potential trip hazards and safety. I know you would like to open up the space, but just as an idea something like this could be practical as well as pretty. You could have the bookshelves on either side (I think it would be nice on the kitchen side for cookbooks and/or small, pretty serving dishes.) If you want a more open feel, the open bookcase is a good idea (on the step, not on your traffic path.)

If you are tight on space, something like this could be really shallow, without the shelves.

Or reverse the bookcase and have it face the FR. We have a step down to the LR from a hallway and will be removing the railing and building a set of cabinets in the LR adjacent to the hallway ---- we get storage and can remove the ugly railing.

I remember reading a thread similar to this on the Decorating Forum a few months ago. I was curious, too, because I have a living room that is sunk one step.

After reading about the dangers I decided against making any changes. Both of my parents are in their 70's and although I wouldn't characterize either as frail I certainly don't want to be the cause of their demise! And I know I have heard before that one step down is more dangerous than two. This time function wins out over form.