“I have a nice custom oak stair, but it looks out of date, and I’m not sure I like the oak anymore; should I refinish, or replace?”
If you are starting with a good quality product, stripping it will likely be more affordable than replacing. When it comes to updating there is always a lot you can do with (re)finishing.
If you are tired of the graininess of oak, think about going with a very dark color on the treads. The dark stain will hide much of the grain. We recently ‘painted’ oak treads black for a dramatic trendy look, then clear-coated them for durability.
Consider changing the balusters to a new up-to-date metal look. The balusters alone will give you an entirely new look.
Another popular trend is the trimmed (square box type) newels. Changing newels will involve a bit more cost and labor (than balusters), but can add to the dramatic updated look.